What's SUP on the Delaware River?

Sometime about three years ago I was browsing through an issue of a monthly outdoor trade magazine and briefly skimmed a couple of reviews on Stand-Up Paddleboards. I was skeptical about SUP. I had only left outdoor retail a couple of years prior and on a good day I was selling three to four kayaks with ease. SUP wasn't even on the radar and even as of 2010 my friends still in sales weren't buzzing about this new sport. One day last year on a kayaking tour one of my clients recounted to me her experience with paddleboards and it sparked my curiosity.

Finding a local watersports shop that either had SUPs for rent or gave lessons was rather difficult. However, an employee at one shop gave me a small pamphlet about a place in Shawnee on Delaware that gave SUP lessons and tours. I called them immediately and soon enough I had my first meeting with Fran and Scott Huber of Mauka Nalu Paddleboarding. Fran, a native Hawaiian, and Scott a Long Islander who spent many years surfing the West Coast, discovered SUP a few years ago and in 2010 decided to bring it to the Delaware River. Here is where my initial adventure took place.

I approached this activity with some trepidation. I watched Fran and Scott get on their boards. It seemed simple enough, kneel on the deck, get some balance, and stand up. I barely got on the board when I rolled right off, making a loud splashing sound as I entered the water. Fran gave me some more instruction and on my second attempt I was able to stand up and started paddling up river. Almost immediately I discovered how this was so much different from kayaking or canoeing. Not only was this a means of recreational water transportation, it was also a workout! My legs were quivering in the attempt to stay balanced and my torso and arms were getting fatigued from fighting the current as I moved upriver. However I got the hang of it and found myself enjoying the downriver trip. Okay, I’m now a fan.

A few weeks later I convinced Fran and Scott to bring some boards to a lake and we gave it a try on flat water. Knowing what to expect, I was better prepared for the exercise and was able to focus on the view. The lake we were paddling on was one I had kayaked countless times before, but because I was now looking at it from a higher angle it was though I was seeing it for the very first time. A few seasoned kayakers were with us and they all enjoyed the opportunity to give SUP a try. A few tried doing handstands and some basic Pilates movements on the boards. Fran is also a Pilates instructor and Mauka Nalu even offers SUP Pilates in addition to SUP instruction and nature tours both on the Delaware River and at local lakes.

Admittedly, it took me a while to warm up to the SUP. While I'm a kayaker at heart, I eventually broke down and bought a paddleboard. I'm by far no means an expert yet, but I'm getting the hand of it. I like the idea of being a few feet higher off the water, the workout is great, and if I want to take a quick swim on a hot day, getting back on a SUP is easier than getting into a kayak while on the water. So if you are looking for something new to do on the water, consider paddleboarding and explore the water with Mauka Nalu. 

Mauka Nalu Paddleboarding: http://www.maukanalu.com/paddle/
Phone: 570.420.1905