Since making waves in the waters of Hawaii in the mid 1900s, recreational standup paddle boarding has become a mainstay of Floridian outdoor culture. As an alternative to traditional paddle-in surfing, commonly seen off big wave Pacific coastal areas, SUP has taken on a life of it’s own in West Florida’s flatter, calmer waters. It’s a great way to experience a bay, riverway, or channel at your own pace, and has continued to evolve to now include SUP Yoga, SUP racing, SUP fishing, and even SUP distance competitions (Florida to Cuba, anyone?)
Stand up paddle boarding has roots stretching 3,000 years back, when Peruvian fishermen used crafts made of reeds to reach their catch in the Pacific surf. There’s also evidence of early SUP boarders in the Middle East 800 years ago. Fishermen in the Mediterrenean and Red Sea found similar utility in being able to fish from a standing position and then surf back to shore using the waves as a lift in.
According to Yoloboard, SUP carved out a home as a leisure activity in Hawaii during the 1940’s. It was originally used as a way for surfing instructors to keep an eye on their students paddling at a lower position in the water. Heavily influenced by the Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures, it grew a grass roots following starting in Waikiki Beach and spreading throughout the islands.
Adoption was driven by John Zapotock, who many call the father of modern stand up surfing. He built a following in Hawaii, making fans of big wave surfers like Laird Hamilton, before practitioners brought it to the California coast. Rick Thomas became one of the first SUP icons in San Diego, helping to give it legitimacy on the West Coast.
In time, SUP made its way to the flatter waters in the Gulf of Mexico by the 1980s and 1990s. Two places largely credited with helping it carve out a spot are Destin, Florida, with it’s calm bays, and the Everglades, with its winding rivers.
SUP is now firmly entrenched in the Tampa, St. Pete, and Clearwater areas. Two companies we’ve come to work with that promote the SUP culture are Bay Breeze Paddle Adventures and Tampa Bay SUP. Bubba is partnering with them because they are in prime locations to take advantage of the environment and also emphasize an eco-friendly approach to experiencing the water. Their SUP options include Lessons, Rentals, Sales, Sunset & Eco-tours, SUP YOGA to SUP Parties & Corporate, Team Building Events. You can find them at multiple locations around the Tampa Bay area including the Tampa Marriott Water Street, the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, and at The Current Hotel on Rocky Point. Even better, they have mobile locations that will come to you in Safety Harbor on North Tampa Bay and also on the intracoastal on Clearwater Beach, where you’ll see dolphins.
So if you’re in the Tampa area and want to dip your toes into a rich surfing culture that dates back multiple centuries, book a visit with our friends at one of their prime locations. We’re pumped to welcome them to the Bubba community and hope to get more people out on the water to experience for themselves.
