Paddleboarding Gains a Foothold

Paddleboarders race during the Blockade Runner Biathlon in March. Photo by Tyler Hustrulid.

Excerpt from Star News.  Article by Amy Holt

It looks awkward. A person standing on a narrow board in the middle of the waterway.  Balancing and paddling at the same time. Waves rolling by.

But addicts to one of the area’s newest water sports, standup paddleboarding, assure all skeptics that it’s so easy, anyone can do it.  Jeoffrey Nathan, co-owner of Coastal Urge, will even guarantee that you won’t get wet during one of his demos.  The demos are free, but the sentiment is there anyway.

Another shop in town, Hook, Line & Paddle, specializes in fishing from stand-up paddleboards.

“Anybody can do it,” Nathan said. “There’s no barrier to entry like surfing or kiteboarding or sailing because you don’t need to know anything. Pretty much, you just need to know how to swim if you fall off. Just a little bit of common sense and balance, and anyone can do it. Anyone from 80 to 6 years old can just get on it and go.”

The boards at Coastal Urge go anywhere from $900 to $2,000 and come in several different styles. The most popular type is designed for paddling in surf or flatwater.

These are the types you’ll commonly see in local marshes and waterways. The riders look reminiscent of Egyptians poling a reed boat down the Nile. Sometimes a child or dog will be sitting contentedly on the nose watching the world go by.

“It’s such a great way for people to get out and explore the natural waterway and what we have in our backyard. A lot of people don’t even know what exists out there,” Nathan said. “And you can actually see out into the marsh, whereas if you’re in a kayak you cannot see over the reeds.”

Click here to continue reading at Star News Online.

Coastal Urge‘s 2nd Annual Intracoastal SUP Cup is happening this Saturday!  For details and registration, you can read all about the event here.