Very cool video from Starboard of Zane Schweitzer winning the World SUP finals event on the Big Island. It was a standout performance. One obvious thing is his paddle handling–amazing. It flies in his hands like a katana, and he uses it to both initiate and complete his moves. Not only does it add to Continue Reading
This is a very cool video about a trip to Iceland to surf. As it is, the quality and charachter of the video make it a very worthy addition. But what I really like about this video is that it so clearly illustrates the breadth of our sport. How many prone surfers plan a trip Continue Reading
We’ve been having a great time in SoCal before, during and after the Battle of the Paddle. The amount of material I’ve collected to do posts is just overwhelming, and I’m way behind on stuff I’ve started–for example, the CCBC trip to Massachusetts and up into Maine which was back in August. So I’ve decided Continue Reading
Clams. First thing I think of when I think of the East Coast. I’m like Bubba in Forrest Gump, only it’s clams instead of shrimp. Cherrystones, Little Necks, Soft Shell, Essex Steamers, and Quahaugs. Raw, steamed, fried, baked, casino, chowder, stuffed–in rolls, the halfshell, on a dinner plate or a carboard tray. I like clams. Continue Reading
Another crazy day in the Gorge. Winds hovering around 40kts, big swell, bigger than August 9th, when the wind was really howling around 43-45kts. Because the swell was so big I decided to leave the downwind/race boards on the truck and ride a surfboard. It was a great choice. I used Diane’s old Naish 11’6″ Continue Reading
So you did better than you expected, had a beer, loaded the boards and headed home. Now what? Well if you’re like most people, you now have the bug. Racing SUP boards is pretty addictive. You can tell you have it if you’re thinking about what board you need to get and whether or not Continue Reading
I kind of hate birthday parties. They sound great until you get there. And then people you don’t know that well are talking about jobs and work and stuff you don’t care about. You stand around wondering how soon you can leave without looking like a jerk. You don’t? Well I do. But so far Continue Reading
Tonight was First Friday–always a fun event in Hood River. The main street is closed to traffic and most of the stores and restaurants host special events. Some have live music, some do free wine tastings or offer cocktails. Along the street there’s kids doing dance routines, musicians, crafts, a marimba band, break dancing. What Continue Reading
I’m really proud of my brother Bob, his good buddy Mike Brown, and all the other folks that have made the CCBC events into such an important funding source for Christopher’s Haven. This August will be the fourth time I’ve made the trip cross country to participate. I may grumble about the timing (same date Continue Reading
This is years old, and yet it still both embarrasses me and cracks me up. Here’s the backstory. Paddling in the Multnomah channel on a winter day, full drysuit. music blasting, I forgot that there was a camera running and got a little carried away. The intensity builds throughout. No belly dancing, but it was Continue Reading
The Naish Columbia Gorge Paddle Challenge (CGPC) is a Festival celebrating the sport of Stand Up Paddling in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. The Paddle Challenge will feature a Distance Downwind Race, a Course Race, a Team Relay Race and a recreational, non-competitive Paddle for the Park, a fundraiser for the new Hood River Waterfront Continue Reading
Some local downwind addicts are putting together a downwind racing series for the gorge. They’ve built a very cool website for it (http://bumpnglide.com/ ) and have a schedule of races throughout the month of July, with the finale scheduled for August 4th From the website: The Bump-N-Glide is going to be an after work event Continue Reading
No question, Costa Rica has become a hot spot for SUP surfers. Lots of reasons for that, and here’s one more. The Robert August Inaugural SUP Challenge. Here’s the press release Martyn Hoffman sent us, and a few very cool pictures. Contact Information: Martyn Hoffmann martyn@puravidaride.com www.puravidaride.com www.facebook.com/puravidaride +506 8708-9908 Costa Rica Pura Vida Ride Continue Reading
Connor Baxter’s Mom, Karen, sent us a writeup by Connor and pictures by her. Thanks Karen. Hey, where’s my Bullet!! (Karen is the organizational might at SIC, and my Bullet is somewhere in shipping limbo). BOP Recap by Connor Baxter 2011 BATTLE OF THE PADDLE once again lives up to its name. First off this Continue Reading
Looks like I’m going to miss all three of the Portland Oregon Ross Island Races this year–my Doc just gave me the bad news that while my knee surgery went well, it will take two months to heal. That’s a REAL bummer because I really enjoy this series. It’s a great course, the competition is Continue Reading
It’s been a long winter. Lots of planning has been underway for the 2011 Cape Cod Bay Challenge and the CCBC event series. Mark your calendars for August 20th and start training. Registration is here: http://ccbccrossing.eventbrite.com/ The CCBC became a 501c3 this year, still benefits the kids staying at Christopher’s Haven but this allows us Continue Reading
The Cape Cod Bay Challenge is put on by a vigorous and talented group of people including the founders–Mike Brown and Bob Babcock (Full disclosure, Bob is my brother). They’ve been doing an amazing job growing and enhancing the event, both in terms of the people who participate and the participation of sponsors. I’ve been Continue Reading
Mark’s party at the Ding King was great fun. There was a really grim MCKC Maliko race earlier in the day, so that was one of the main topics of conversation. A very spooky and slow race (story to follow). But there was lots more to talk about, friends to see and new friends to Continue Reading
The Cape Cod Bay Challenge is getting to be a pretty big deal. It’s now an umbrella for multiple events, all of which share a common theme–great parties. Really great parties. Must be an East Coast thing. At the risk of arousing some ire, at the many events I’ve done on the west coast and Continue Reading
Seems like Connor Baxter is winning or placing on the podium at every SUP event he enters. Pretty amazing for a skinny kid. Of course Connor was winning windsurfing events before he was a teen. I remember when he, his sister Ashley, Slater Trout and Zane Schweitzer signed up to do our first SUP board Continue Reading
Connor Baxter was the surprise overall Stand Up Paddleboard winner of the 2010 Sarento’s/Kai Wa’a Maui to Molokai race. Last year he set a record by being the youngest person at 14 years old to ever participate. This year at 15 he won it. Channel crossing races are big open water challenges, and the Maui Continue Reading
Mark posted this in the forum section, but the video is so much fun I want to make sure people get to see it: >> I’d like to share some stoke about the Waterman League and its’ StandUp World Tour – Sunset Pro competition this past winter. I was fortunate to be on Oah’u when Continue Reading
Dave Kalama is a pretty subtle guy. I think he doesn’t like to give bad news, so maybe he cloaks it a little–sometimes so it sounds like a casual question. Unfortunately I’m a little slow on the uptake, so it takes awhile for me to get what he’s talking about. I think he was recently Continue Reading
I was kind of dreading the Maui Canoe and Kayak club race this Saturday. Last year the same race was from the Canoe Hale in Kihei to the Maui Price Hotel, just past Makena Landing. It was a nasty bit of torture–light winds, greasy swells that I couldn’t catch and every so often the wind Continue Reading
This thing just gets bigger every year. The first year I think it was seven of us lunatics and I didn’t think there would be a next year. Last year it was 25. I don’t know how many people they are accepting this year, but if you’re in the area, DO THIS PADDLE. It’s a Continue Reading
The funky puffins at Funky Puffin sent me a beautifully assembled press package for what sounds like an seriously challenging race. I’m not going to ask what a funky Puffin really is. I’m picturing some kind of dance that includes splaying your fingers out over your butt. Here’s what they said: Funky Puffin, the lifestyle Continue Reading
The Legendary Mickey Munoz is the luminary behind the new Mickey Munoz Mongoose Cup Stand up paddle board fun paddle and relay race. It sounds like a truly great event. It’s always fun to be in on an inaugural event–here’s your chance. And it is clearly designed for everyone and anyone, not just the serious Continue Reading
Paddle Oregon, the premier canoe and Kayak adventure on the Willamette River is accepting reservations for their annual 90-mile, five-day trip. And for the first time they are accepting Stand Up Paddle surfers. This is a comprehensive excursion, including delicious northwest cuisine, daily baggage shuttle, safety paddlers, camping accommodations, showers where possible,entertainment, t-shirts, reusable lunch Continue Reading
I beat Dave Kalama at the inaugural Big Winds SUP race in the Columbia River Gorge at Hood River. Finished about five minutes ahead of him–long enough to get off my board, walk up to the deck above the river and take pictures of Dave, Robby Naish, and Michi Schweiger crossing the finsih line. So Continue Reading
Maliko Gulch in the early morning is a strange place. Rainwater rushes through the creek from rainstorms up the mountain. The gulch smells of horseshit and squashed green things (there’s a ranch up the gulch). As I parked next to the muddy road in some tall grass I could see a swarm of mosquitoes lifting Continue Reading
Well, I’ve done it. I committed to doing another board showcase on Maui, though this time it’s going to be Race/Distance/Downwinder boards and I’m going to try to keep it small and manageable. I’ve sent this letter to all the manufacturers I know of who make race/distance boards: We are preparing to do a showcase Continue Reading
I’ll have a story posted soon….until then check out this great video by Lynn Wilson. Thanks Lynn…awesome job.
On August 9, 2008, a small group of stand-up paddle surfers will attempt a grueling marathon paddle across Cape Cod Bay from Plymouth to Provincetown to raise awareness and money to help stop the ever growing problem of pollution in our oceans and along our shores. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Ocean Continue Reading
Bonga ripping Michi Schweiger From Naish International attended the Noosa Surf Festival which ran from March 2 to March 9, 2008. He sent us this photojournal story: