Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP-ing) was trendy about one thousand years ago (truth!), but has since become a staple water sport at beach and lake resorts all over the world, including Seabrook! SUP-ing gets you out on the water and gives your core (and abs) a full-packaged workout.

WHERE YOU SUP

You can SUP in the Joe Creek estuary that flows into the ocean about a half mile north of Seabrook. If you are up for a 15-minute drive (and would like to see the Ghost Forest), you can launch in the Copalis River (the gentle stream-like river that also empties into the Pacific Ocean).

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUP

All you need is a paddle board, a paddle, a personal floatation device (life vest), and the right gear for the water temperature. Buck’s Northwest (permanently closed) in Seabrook on Front Street rents everything you need – for everyone in the family.

If you are interested in ‘seeing’ Stand-up Paddle Boarding (SUP) Basics, REI has a free series of short videos from their Expert Advice program.

10 FACTS TO SHARE

• SUP has existed in some form for thousands of years. In Africa and South America, humans used paddle-type boards with a long stick to fish, travel, and ride waves for fun and sport. “African warriors stood up in dugout canoes and used their spears as paddles to move quietly into enemy territory.” 3,000 years ago, Peruvian fishermen used bamboo paddles.
• Today’s SUP-ing originated as an offshoot to surfing in Hawaii in the 1940s.
• According to sunplay.com, in the 1940s, Duke Kahanammoku, Leroy and Bobby AhChoy would teach surf lessons in Waikiki while standing on their boards to get a better view of the surfers in the water, using paddles to move around and stabilize themselves.
• In 2004, Rick Thomas was the first person to bring stand-up paddle board surfing to mainland America, that is from Hawaii to California.
• SUP-ing was mentioned in an Old Testament story of the Bible! When baby Moses was spotted floating in the Nile by Pharaoh’s daughter, Queen Bithiah, in 1275 BC, she was floating on a watercraft that she stood up on to gain a better view of the tiny baby stuck the reeds.
• John “Zap” Zapotocky, considered a modern-day SUP pioneer, passed away at age 95! he was still actively surfing and paddling well into his 90s, making him the oldest SUP-er ever.
• According to healthfitnessrevolution.com, SUP-ing improves balance, gives a full-body workout, is low impact, reduces stress, increases overall strength, is a cardio workout, can be useful in rehabilitation injuries, improves endurance, improves cardiovascular health, and allows you to connect with nature.
• Washington State law requires all vessels (including canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddle boards) must carry at least one properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket (Personal Flotation Device) for each person on board a vessel.
  • SUP-ers under 12 years of age are required to wear a life vest or a life jacket.
• The International Surfing Association (ISA) has brought SUP-ing to 106 nations around the world! Many land-locked countries can now experience the joy of SUP-ing.
• app.com boldly declares, “Though SUP is not guaranteed to be included in the Olympics, there is a chance it could be included in the 2024 Paris games. Some are suggesting it is more likely to be featured in 2028, when the games take place in Los Angeles.”

Sources: Summaries of numerous corroborative websites.