Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Last year I traveled to Las Vegas, NV in April to visit some friends, and while I was there I tried something called Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP for short).  I know - not your typical Vegas activity, but I'm more of an outdoorsy person than a gambler. :)  I had never even heard of SUP before, but a friend I was visiting had tried it and thought I would enjoy it.  So off we headed to Lake Las Vegas for a day on the water.  We spent several hours on SUPs around the lake - by the time we came back to shore I was hooked and determined to give it a try back in Maine.

If this is the first you've heard of SUP, you're probably wondering what exactly it is.  SUP originated in Hawaii, but it has rapidly spread in popularity in recent years.  A SUP is very similar to a surf board, and can be geared towards racing or recreation, oceans or lakes - just like kayaks, there are a wide range of boards to choose from depending on how you plan on using them.  They make boards that are built to carry gear (usually with bungee cords at the front of the board), and others have room for you to have a child sit on the board with you on your tour around the lake.  Or if you're like me - maybe you will try taking your dog out on the water with you.  I'm not sure how well Jack will take to sitting still, but we're going to give it a try!

After spending much of my summer last year playing ball, I was determined to pick up a SUP in the off season and get out on the lakes and ocean this coming season.  If you are interested in trying SUP, I recommend finding a place locally that does tours and lessons before investing in a board.  Buying a board and paddle new can be quite expensive - costing you well over $1,000.00.  Two places locally that provide SUP tours are Acadia Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Bar Harbor, ME and Thorfinn Expeditions in Lincolnville, ME.  They both offer a wide range of SUP tours, and in Bar Harbor they even offer Yoga sessions on the SUPs.

Personally I have tried neither of these companies, but I did purchase my SUP used from the owner of Acadia SUP.  Chris was very helpful when it came to answering questions that I had about the fit of a board, what size board I would need, etc - and information on when they would begin lessons should I want to get out on the ocean early.  If you are a beginner, I highly recommend purchasing your board from someone that knows a lot about the sport - and purchasing it used.  The board I ended up buying was used for only one season on the ocean in Acadia, and it still cost me over $800 for both paddle and board.  So if you decide to invest in your own board/paddle - you want to make sure you talk to an expert.

I have no experience with Thorfinn Expeditions to speak of.  But I will say this - Chris had great things to say about Thorfinn Expeditions should you find yourself in the Lincolnville area rather than Bar Harbor.

While SUP is a great way to explore in Maine, it is also a great workout.  If your paddling technique is correct, you will be using mostly your core muscles.  This was also something that made SUP have a lot more appeal for me because really - does anyone actually like their ab workout?  I'd rather paddle around the lake than do crunches any day!  In looking at the photos on Acadia SUP's website, the yoga sessions look like a lot of fun, as well.  I would go into it expecting to end up in the water, though.  I'm not great at yoga on dry land, and I cannot imagine how poorly I'd perform with the board moving underneath me.

Hopefully this post has piqued your interest enough to make you consider SUP this summer should you find yourself on the coast of Maine.  Who knows - maybe Jack and I will run into you on the lake!