Active Action Sports: Stand up paddle surfing

http://active.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/03/15/paddlesurf2.gifStand up paddle surfing is an aspect of surfing that has seen a recent resurgence. For those that are not familiar with the sport, it entails standing on a large longboard and propelling yourself with essentially a canoe paddle. Recently, it has been picked up as an alternative way to ride surf and as a means of staying in shape. The level of surfing on stand up paddle boards has sky rocketed in the last few years.

This type of surfing involves using a massive longboard ? generally 12 feet long, 30 inches wide and 4-5 inches thick ? with a canoe-style paddle that should be about six inches taller than you. You throw the board in the water, paddle out past the shorebreak with the paddle tucked under you, then pop to your feet with the paddle in your hand. With your feet parallel, you can then balance on the board and paddle around. Once you get the feel of it, the next goal is to propel yourself into waves.

Stand-up paddle surfers have found they can have fun even in small, mushy waves because the paddle and the massive boards add entirely new abilities and dimensions. It wouldn't be ideal for crowded conditions, because of the size of the board. But on a marginal day or during a swamped-out high tide, stand-up can make surfing possible and really fun.