BEST OF 2010: Stand Up Paddle Boarding Offers a Great Ride and an Incredible Workout

Originally published May 13, 2010

ST. PETERSBURG BEACH -- Recently, I heard that the new exercise routine of choice for women involved a carbon paddle, an oversized surfboard and a balancing act all rolled into one great day on the bay. Personally, I despise exercise, but this sounded intriguing.  Stand-Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) not only gave me a great core work out throughout my entire body, it also allowed me to exercise while doing the things l love most, like fishing and being out on the water.

I had seen it on TV and thought it might be fun to try. So when I met SUP instructor Chad Larrison who works at the Surf Shack in Saint Petersburg Beach, I thought I would take the opportunity to try it out for myself.

SUP guide Chad Larrison paddles off of Saint Pete Beach

Getting on the board is a three-step process that I found relatively easy. First, you get your weight to the center of the board, then put your body in a kneeling position, and then just stand up.

At first, I felt a little shaky, but as soon as I got the hang of it, I didn’t want to stop. The whole concept of the fitness aspect is caused by constantly balancing yourself with every paddle stroke and therefore working all kinds of muscles that you normal wouldn’t.

SUP boarding is becoming one of the fastest growing sports among women because it is very easy to learn and the benefits the workout provides are apparent after just one attempt.

The Tampa Bay area is already known for its beautiful waterways, bays and beaches, which are perfect for canoeing and kayaking. It is also a great place to take an SUP.

When I finally tried out this new recreational sport, it was a very calm day and the water was glassy. Larrison went to get his own paddle board because I was doing better than he thought I would. When he came back, we decided to paddle to a jetty down the beach.

”It is exactly a mile to the jetty,“ he said.

We went on making long strokes in the water with the extremely light carbon paddles. The hardest part was keeping my balance, but I really didn’t have any trouble.  

What makes the experience different from kayaking is the visibility. When you are standing up and looking down into the clear blue water you are able to see everything below. You can sneak up on fish and see them scurry out from underneath the board. You can see starfish on the ocean floor and watch stingrays move out from underneath your shadow.

I was having so much fun that the distance flew by and we were already approaching the jetty.

”You must be having a good time,“ said Larrison.

”Why do you say that?“ I asked.

”Because, you can’t stop smiling,“ he replied.

We ran into some current at the mouth of an inlet just past the jetty. I was a little scared I would fall and we were in deep water that was running swift.

Just then, I heard a giant splash behind me. I turned just in time to see a giant manta ray that was completely airborne heading right toward me.  His spotted wings spanned at least four feet. He landed back into the water with a splash, about a foot off of my stern quarter.

”Wholly crap! Did you see that?“ I asked Larrison.

”Yeah, I thought he was going to knock you right off your board!“ He said, ”That’s the thing about SUPs, you see all kinds of crazy wildlife. You can just sneak right up on them. I think he just wanted to get a closer look.“

Larrison fishes off of his SUP

We continued on for a long time. The rhythmic paddling is therapeutic, putting your worries at ease, but stimulating your thoughts at the same time. I could feel my muscles contracting and then easing with every stroke.

Before long Larrison told me we should head back. We had gone a long way and by the time we made it back to the place where we had started from, we’d paddled a distance of five miles and I hadn’t fallen once.

I was sold. When I went home, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much fun I’d had. I wanted to do it again, but this time I wanted to attempt fishing off of an SUP.

Larrison took me out again and this time we tried to fish. We used an artificial shrimp as bait. Now in my opinion, the only way you can fish off of these things is if you have a pole holder. They make them for kayaks with a strong suction on the end, or you can adapt them to fit the board.

Without a pole holder, fishing is too much of a juggling act between pole and paddle. Live bait isn’t really an option either, when fishing off of an SUP; it’s always going to be artificial.

With your pole in place in the pole holder, you can paddle or ”troll“ in semi-deep water for fish.

”I usually catch a lot of snapper out at Saint Pete Beach,“ said Larrison.

When the fish is hooked is when the real action starts. You immediately put your paddle in the center of the board and kneel over it. Then you prepare for a wild ride, while a big enough fish pulls you all over the place.

”If it is something really big, I just let out all the line and wait. After that, the fish is really tired. I spend half an hour reeling the thing in,“ said Larrison.

From my experience, I’d say you need to be in at least three feet of water with space to swing the 11 foot board around. Any more shallow, and you’d risk getting your bait snagged in the weeds and your board tangled in the mangroves.

We didn’t catch anything that day, but I can’t wait to try it again. The next time you see me I will be trolling on an SUP in Terra Ceia Bay.