First trips down in Harbour Town

Spring Break and great weather brings out the paddle boarders…. Just a couple few of the paddlers enjoying gliding on the water.. 

Local SUP'er Profile , Meet Fred'' DOC'' Roberts

1)     Who are you? 

 Doc Roberts... a 70 year old SUPer who really loves the sport.  Not fond of 'flat water', but really loves to catch the waves.

2)     How did you start Paddle Boarding and why? 

I live on Kaua'i's North Shore during the winter months.  8 years ago I saw some of the Hawaiian 'natives' catching waves on SUPs in Hanalei Bay were I was learning to surf for the first time on a long board at age 62.  I saw they were catching more waves more quickly and it looked like fun, so 2 years later I bought an SUP (age 64) and started catching waves.  I am now "addicted to SUP surfing".

3)     How long have you been Paddleboarding? 

6 years

4)     Where do you do the most paddling? 

Hanalei Bay on the North Shore of Kaua'i, Hawaii 3-4 months a year

5)     Who do you paddle with? ( ..ie..family, friends, club, ect..) 

 Locals in Kaua'i 

6)     What  type of Paddle Equipment do you use?  ( boards, paddles, gear )        
 I have 2 10'SUPs. One in Kaua'i (An 808 Performer) and one in Hilton Head [Bluffton] The one here is a beautiful Coreban Icon, Wooden model with split tail

7)     What do you like most about SUP ? 

The challenge of catching waves

8)     An amazing experience or encounter while Paddleboarding? 

 4 years ago in Hanalei Bay I paddled right over the top of a 12' Tiger Shark just at dusk. Hawaiian's call dusk "Shark Session" because that's when they feed.  I now don't go out after about 5:30PM

9)     Your favorite non-paddling thing to do?

 I have a kayak with a sail on it. When the wind is right I like to go kayaksailing on the rivers at slack-tide.

10)   Favorite after paddle grinds?

 Kalyso's Grill in the little town of Hanalei.  Best Kalamari steaks anywhere!

11)   Dream vacation or surf trip?  

Tahiti

12)  Your occupation or what do you do for a living?  

Retired

13)  Your hero(s ) ?

 SUP hero =Laird Hamilton...Greatest SUPer in history is a distant"neighbor" on Kaua'i I get to see him on the big waves of the North Shore...at a distance.(He does not know me, but I definitely know him and his wife, Olympic Vollyball champ "Gabby" Reese.) or person(s) who have had influence on your life.?

14)   Something people don't know about you and willing to share?

 I taught my grandkids on Northern Ireland how to surf and SUP in Ireland's cold waters.

15)   Last words or thoughts you'd like to share?

 I hope to catch waves on my SUPs until I'm at least 80. Let's go surf!

16)   Thanks to ?…..

 Glen for all his postings on this site.. 

Glassy chilly but fun... ..

Some fun clean leftover waves in the thigh waist high. Ricky really liking the SUP ''Thaaang''

Had the go pro out for a little while and snagged some shots.  Brandon, Tim, Scott Jamie and I shared waves on the SUP with a few locals surfing getting some awesome waves.. 

Brandon and Tim below on a few. Thanks to Sheryl for the pics.  

Starboard 2014 Brushed Carbon with Dan Gavere

Starboard's Team Rider and National Sales Director Dan Gavere discusses the Brushed Carbon technology in the new 2014 surf models from  Cocoa Beach at Epic BoardSports. 

If your down in the Cocoa Beach area stop by and visit
http://epic-boardsports.com

……………………  Brushed Carbon  ………………...………...

Lightest technology

Strongest Build Methed

The quickest response

Light paint job to reduce weight

Full deck and bottom wrap of high quality biaxial carbon.

Full deck and bottom wrap of high density foam

Fused cell core

Ultra light star-touch deck grip

Hexcel center and side fins

………………………………..

visit Starboard to see all the 2014 line of SUP models

http://www.star-board-sup.com/2014/

SUP'er Profile, Meet …. Mark Wray

1) Who are you?

Mark Wray

2)     How did you start Paddle Boarding and why? 

Tried it for the first time with Glen after bringing some boards back from the Surf Expo in 2008.

3)     How long have you been Paddleboarding?  

Since '08

4)     Where do you do the most paddling? 

Either Broad Creek on HHI or from either Burkes or South Forest Beach.

5)     Who do you paddle with?   

Family and friends

6)     What  type of Paddle Equipment do you use? 

Have a Werner Bent Shaft Nitro for flat water and have been using the Kialoa Methane for surf.  Mainly using whatever boards we have in our fleet at Outside Hilton Head, right now that the BIC 12'6 One Design for flat water and the Surftech Generator 9'6" for surf but always looking to try something new.

7)     What do you like most about SUP ? 

Exercise, calm quiet morning paddles, sharing the stoke with my girls, the healthy lifestyle, the wildlife, time with friends on the water, just the whole vibe.

8)     An amazing experience or encounter while Paddleboarding?  

While paddling on Broad Creek at sunrise had a dolphin come and check me out.  Swam around the board for a few minutes within feet/inches of the board and finally brought it's head out of the water and had it's snout over my board for about 10 seconds.  Exhaled a real strong fishy breath and then he/she took off.  Great way to start the day.  

9)     Your favorite non-paddling thing to do? 

Spend time with my girls outside, usually at the beach.

10)   Favorite after paddle grinds?

 Anything Mexican

11)   Dream vacation or surf trip?  

Kauai 

12)  Your occupation or what do you do for a living?  

Director of Retail at Outside Hilton Head

http://www.outsidehiltonhead.com

13)  Your hero(s) or person(s) who have had influence on your life.?  

Jesus Christ, parents, kids

14)   Something people don't know about you and willing to share?

15)   Last words or thoughts you'd like to share? 

1 Corinthians 16: 13-14

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.  And do everything with love.

16)   Thanks to ?….. 

Glen B for taking me out that 1st time on a cold February day 6 years ago, I've been hooked ever since. And thanks to my girls who love getting on/in the water with their dad, doesn't get much better than that.

Couple from today…..

Couple from today at the Beach Club. Waist to stomach chunky surf in the NE swell. Jesse grabbing a few before the rain and wind switch.. Below is a GoPro sequence of him floating over the section and a pic of him in the slot of a wedgey  slab..

Great Sunday Morning with a expanding SUP crew.

An assortment of pics from this morning's session…Less than 10 surfers in the water..

Two new SUP'ers hooked...

Today the 2.1ft at 8 sec swell with no wind made for a great day to learn SUP surfing and allow us to get out there hand have fun.. Long time local Surfer Rick Lawson and 16 yr old Sean DeLoach getting hooked on SUP. Rick obviously understanding that SUP allows you more water time and makes one reinvigreating about surfing again. Sean just finding a new medium to ride waves. We all shared the small glassy surf. Jesse pushing the agressive radical side to SUP powerful tail gouges and popping airs, Jamie just being fluid, flowing with the wave, Brandon experimenting many surf craft to riding waves, and myself, just happy to be in the moment enjoying riding waves with friends.   

…………………………………...

MAHALO to Jesse with the  Go Pro pics making us look good. 

...sorry Sean, but being humbled is a lesson learned..