Stand up paddling in Wailua river on Kauai

Ok well I was kneeling. 16 hour sailboat race takes a little out of you. My first time was fun. Mahalo Thomas!

Stand up paddle surfing (SUP), or in theHawaiian language Hoe he'e nalu, is an emerging global sport with a Hawaiian heritage. The sport is an ancient form of surfing, and began as a way forsurfing instructors to manage their large groups of learner surfers, as standing on the board gave them a higher viewpoint, increasing visibility of what was going on around them - such as incomingswell. To begin with, this started with using a one-bladed paddle, whilst standing on a normal length surfboard. The popularity of the modern sport of SUP has its origination in the Hawaiian Islands. In the early 1960s, the Beach Boys of Waikiki would stand on their long boards, and paddle out with outrigger paddles to take pictures of the tourists learning to surf. This is where the term "Beach Boy Surfing", another name for Stand Up Paddle Surfing, originates. [1]

The Wailuā River is a river on the island of Kauaʻi in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It begins near theWaiʻaleʻale crater at coordinates 22°3′35″N159°29′33″W, and enters the Pacific Ocean at22°2′42″N 159°20′11″W, It is the only navigable river (by boats larger than kayaks) in the Hawaiian Islands. It is a center of activity for locals and visitors in the form of boat tours to Fern Grotto,kayaking and water skiing. Other points of interest along the river include a bird refuge, Halokila Hawaiian Village, Secret Falls and a pool for rope jumping.

The sport benefits athletes with a strong 'core' workout. SUP'ing is popular at warm coastalclimates and resorts, and is gaining in popularity as celebrities are sampling the sport, and cross-over athletes are training with SUP. SUPs have been spotted around the globe, anywhere where there is easy access to safe waters, as well as in the surfing lineups of the world.

The first "modern" surfer to bring Stand Up Paddle Surfing out of Hawaii and onto mainland USA wasVietnam veteran, Rick Thomas. In 2000, Rick - on a 11ft Muñoz board, and with a Leleo Kinimaka paddle - introduced California to the new sport. [

2].

Surfers have converted because of the versatility of the new sport. Stand up paddle boarding offers surfers the ability to catch more waves in a set, as well as offering a better view of incoming sets.

New custom SUP board prices range from US$600 to US$1500, and most use glass-reinforced plasticconstruction using epoxy resin that is compatible with the expanded polystyrene foam used in the core. The boards are generally longer than 9 feet (3 m), and up to 12 feet (4 m) or more in length, with features such as padded decks and concave hulls; they generally have one or three surfboard-style fins in the stern for tracking.

As of October 3, 2008, the US Coast Guard now classifies SUPs as vessels and as a result SUP riders are obliged to wear a personal flotation device when paddling in certain areas.[3] Whether this will affect the continued take up of stand up paddling in the USA remains to be seen. The Canadian Coast Guard has implemented similar rules, however SUPer's are only required to have a PFD with them, they don't have to wear them.

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