Traditionally wood has been the material of choice amongst master paddle makers. Both because its in abundant supply, is cheap to get hold of, is easy to work with and , best of all, has this unmistakable natural feel to it that goes so well with a day embracing nature out in the ocean.

So it was with much anticipation we got hold of DIYSurfGears latest offering. As someone who is not practically minded I was skeptical that I would even begin to understand how to make a SUP paddle but DIYSurfGear have thoughfully seperated the paddle making process into three distinct methods.

As soon as I looked at the first two methods I realised I could easily make my own SUP paddle from their plans. The third method was well detailed and I daresay that if I take my time even I will be able to follow it, such was the clarity and simplicity of the instructions.

Not only were there the three publications for each of the three methods of paddle construction but for a limited time they are offering an extra freebie containing additional paddle blade templates (blades for distance, blades for sprinting, blades for waves etc), a guide to strengthening wood and also another guide on wood finishing.

All in all its a great package, especially when you consider you get the whole lot for less than $50. With DIYSurfGear's package  I'd feel comfortable making additional paddles for myself, my friends and smaller paddles for kids. A definite recommendation.

SUPMagic Rating:

5 /5

For More Information check out:

www.diysurfgear.com

Many who travel far and wide often say the most beautiful beach they have ever found is in Europe,in the south west of France. A small town called Hossegor, about 20km north of Biarritz - no palm trees, no crowds, justkilomneters and kilometers of heartwarming golden sand. The summer seems to last for six months of the year, so the beaches are well used by both locals and holiday makers, but with hundreds of kilometers of uninterrupted sand there its never going to suffer from overcrowding.

Porthtowan, Cornwall, United Kingdom

Porthtowan is a great beach because it lets you do so much. You can swim there, sunbathe, play with my family on the sands, surf, work and just chill out and relax. Its quite possible to surf with dolphins you can regularly see basking sharks passing by. Porthtowan seems to change daily and there's always something new going on.

Sifah beach, Oman

The locals are certainly spoilt for choice when it came to lovely beaches. They'll spend their weekends driving through the mountains to get to their favourite beach, Sifah. Not only is this one of the most beautiful you wil ever see
but also one of the hardest to get to. With no real roads in place, a four-wheel drive is a must if you are travelling from the capital. When you get there you can take a traditional fishing boat around to one of the little coves off the main area and have your very own private beach complete with white sands and clear blue water.

Punta Lobos, southern Chile

This is a dramatic beach with a definite feeling of having a special energy. Its a long stretch of black sand that ends in a rocky cliff with two enormous rocks in the middle of the ocean that the locals call "Las Tetas". With a mix of foreboding and peacefulness about it its a place that can kill you if you get the surf wrong and yet at the same time it can give you the greatest happiness imaginale. It is both a sanctuary and a place of great energy, where you realise what happens when the force of the Pacific Ocean meets the solidity land.

Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman Island

Seven Mile Beach has got everything a great beach needs with a long drift of white coral sand that stretches endlessly towards the horizon, palm trees and clear water that ranges in colour from aquamarine through every shade of blue and ending in a deep indigo line at the reef. There's plenty of watersports available, but there are also peaceful spots where you can curl up with your book and nothing but the sound of the waves gently breaking is all that will disturb you. It also has  some of the best diving in the world right off the beach.

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Kapalua Bay, Maui, Hawaii, US

A beautifully small pocket of sand lined with glorious palm trees that doesn't draw large crowds like some of Hawaii's larger beaches such as Waikiki. The white coral sand is protected by two headlands, Sheltered from big waves and strong currents, it's one of the safest beaches for swimming in all of Hawaii. You can see coral reefs and schools of yellow butterfly fish, blue needle-nose fish, and green and pink wrasses , making it a great place for snorkelling.  You can rent snorkelling gear and at the south end of the beach is a great restaurant.

Hyams Beach, New South Wales, Australia

It's difficult to name a favourite beach in Australia because beaches are what Australia is about for many. The whitest sand in the world is believed to be located just a few hours south of Sydney at Hyams Beach on the immaculate coast of New South Wales. Small and still unspoilt, the quiet seaside village on the southern shores of Jervis Bay within Booderee National Park, Hyams Beach is considered to have the cleanest water in Australia. Kangaroos can be spotted on the beach and you'll get to see dolphin swimming by, especially in the early mornings. Fishing, swimming, snorkelling and diving are all favourites of people staying there.
Bingin Beach, Bali

Situated on the east coast of Bali, as far from the madness of Kuta as you can be despite being only 40 minutes away in a tai is Bingin Beach. Descending the sheer cliffs overrun with vegetation, shallow coral reefs and, stretching as far as the eye can see, perfect blue waters. Famed for having the most beautiful wave in the world its known by surfers for having  the smoothest peeling left-hander they've ever seen, overlooked by a bamboo hut where the local women know how to feed, massage and tend to the reef cuts of travelling surfers.
Namotu, Fiji

So there's this tiny but beautiful atoll island of Namotu in Fiji. To get there involves a 30-minute bus ride through Nadi town to the coast then a boat trip across to the island itself where you are rewarded with a breathtaking panorama. You can surf the famous Namotu Left and Cloudbreak waves or spend your time collecting seashells, snorkelling or fishing. Also on offer are activites such as scuba diving, sailing, windsurfing, kite boarding and of course stand-up paddleboarding.

Pease Bay, Scotland

The North Sea provides limited surf along Scotland's east coast forcing surfers to wait patiently, reading internet surf reports waiting that tiny swell and the wind to change. But when it does come, kit is packed into cars and the surfers will be found down at Pease Bay. Its a beautifully situated beach in a hollow between stunning hill sides, but this beach does indeed start to get busy when the weather is right and the surf starts is up. The long sands are great for relaxing on, and with its hillside location, it's the perfect place if you like sunsets.

Check back soon to read part2 of our favourite beaches

For beginners you might want to start out by just balancing using your arms on the indo board and your legs on a static chair. Then when you are comfortable with that you can put your legs on a swiss ball.
If you get comfortable with that you can even try it with your eyes shut or try doing different variations of push ups, or try bringing the ball towards you so your body makes a V-shape and then flatten back out to a plank. Theres a hundred and one ways to modify this exercise, just leave the clapping out of it incase you mess the landing up and hit your face on the ground. We don't want you doing that on your indo board!

Anyway - here's the video

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So once you've got your marvel of 1980s engineering in place all you need is a cheap SUP paddle which you can find for sale for less than $60 and you are away. Alternatively for that real ghetto SUP experience find an old kayak paddle, saw one end off with a hacksaw and push a large cork in the end. No you won't develop good paddling technique out of it due to its short length and lack of T-handle but you will have a paddle that gets you out on the water for zero cost.

Now we know the board wont be as responsive as a modern SUP board but for flat water paddling and very light surf it will be great. It will get you out on the water and give you a taste of the fun that SUP brings so you can decide later if you want to spend money buying a proper board and when your buddies want to come to the beach with you for the day to see what all the fun is about you've got an old board they can have a try out on and you won't be too worried about them hitting it with the paddle and chipping up the edges!

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Hollywood celebs have been out making the most of the best SUP boards and conditions lately

* Regular/Natural foot - Right foot on back of board
* Goofy foot - Left foot on back of board
* Take off - the start of a waveride
* Drop in - dropping into (engaging) the wave
* Snaking, Drop in on, cut off, or "burn" - taking off on a wave in front of someone closer to the peak (considered inappropriate)
* Snaking/Back-Paddling - paddling around someone to get into the best position for a wave (in essence, stealing it)
* Bottom turn - the first turn at the bottom of the wave
* Shoulder - the unbroken part of the wave
* Cutback - a turn cutting back toward the breaking part of the wave
* Fade - on take off, aiming toward the breaking part of the wave, before turning sharply and surfing in the direction the wave is breaking towards
* Over the falls - When a sup surfer falls and the wave carries him in a circular motion with the lip of the wave, also referred to as the "wash cycle", being "pitched over" and being "sucked over" because the wave can suck the surfer off of the bottom and draw him or her "over the falls."
* Pump - an up/down carving movement that generates speed along a wave
* Stall - slowing down by shifting weight to the tail of the board or putting a hand in the water
* Floater - riding up on the top of the breaking part of the wave, and coming down with it (invented at Terrigal Beach, Central Coast Australia)
* Hang-five/hang ten - putting five or ten toes respectively over the nose of a board
* Hang Heels - Facing backwards and putting your heels over the edge of a board.
* Re-entry - hitting the lip vertically and re-rentering the wave in quick succession.
* Switch-foot - having equal ability to surf regular foot or goofy foot (i.e. left foot forward or right foot forward) -- like being ambidextrous
* Tube riding/Getting barreled - riding inside the hollow curl of a wave
* Carve - turns (often accentuated)
* Pearl - accidentally driving the nose of the board underwater, generally ending the ride
* Off the Top - a turn on the top of a wave, either sharp or carving
* Snap - a quick, sharp turn off the top of a wave
* Fins-free snap (or "fins out") - a sharp turn where the fins slide off the top of the wave
* Air/Aerial - riding the board briefly into the air above the wave, landing back upon the wave, and continuing to ride.
* Grom/Grommet - young surfer (usually under 15 or so)
* Wipe Out- Falling off your board while riding a wave. Accident while involved with surfing .

Then along came intelligent keys with remote control, infra red, batteries inside them and who knows what other magic. Great for the average driver but terrible for a surfer or watersports fan who is definitely going to get them wet.

So what are your options these days?

1) Get a valet key that doesn't have any electronics in it and wear it round your neck. This could be a boot key or a skeleton type key for your driver's side lock

2) Get a small waterproof bag or pouch, put your regular key in it and wear it round your neck. In theory it should work but the slightest failure in the waterproofing and you are locked out of your vehicle so there's always a risk.

3) Get a key box. A key box is like a mini combination safety box that you put your keys in then hook and combi lock it to your vehicles tow hook or door handle. This is the safest option but if you are away from the cars on a long distance all day paddle it would give a thief ample time to go through every combination of the lock and get into it.

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You've essentially got two options - either switch to flat water paddling where the likelihood of you falling in is much less or invest in some winter gear and employ some sneaky tricks to stay warm.

If the former is more your thing then a regular wetsuit should suffice and its up to you if you want to wear 'regular' clothes over the top. A tracksuit thrown over the top of a wetsuit will give you an extra layer and allow you to look normal if you stop with your buddies for food or refreshments midway through your paddle. This is important if you intend to head to a bar! A pair of neoprene boots will keep your feet warm and if its really cold a pair of gloves for the hands. Gloves can be a problem for a lot of paddlers - too thick and it feels like you aren't able to grip the paddle as you are used to and you can feel the forearms get tired more quickly. Too thin and your hands still get cold. Too much rubber on the palm and your paddle will grip to your hands which makes smooth paddling tricky. A lot of SUP riders opt for windsurfing mits - 2mm neoprene with open palms so you still retain an element of connectedness with the paddle.

If it looks like rain or you need to keep the wind off you can opt for a kayakers jacket as your top layer. These are waterproof and breathable and come with neoprene collar, cuffs and waistband. If you do go in the water you will find that when you get back on your board you want to pull the jacket's waist band away from you for a second or so to get all the water out!

Winter Surfing

If you can afford it you will probably want to invest in a winter wetsuit. These are similar to conventional wetsuits but are made of thicker neoprene , typically 5mm in most places, have an inner layer of thinner neoprene around the shoulders and chest to stop water flow and tight rubber seals on the end of the arms and legs to keep the water out. The neoprene will also have a special outer covering to keep the wind from blowing through the suit.

The secret to keeping warm is undoubtedly LAYERING. You will want a thermal rashvest underneath the wetsuit and if its really cold why not put another skintight lycra rashvest under that. For your bottom half a tight pair of neoprene shorts under the wetsuit work wonders. A lot of guys hate that cold water cremaster reflex when the chill suddenly hits their family jewels! A pair of kayaking 2mm+ neoprene shorts underneath will minimize this.

For the hands the same types of gloves mentioned above in flat water paddling will normally suffice but if you find the cold too unbearable in your hands don't be afraid to get a pair of lobster gloves or even a pair of 5mm neoprene diving gloves. They will take some time getting used to but its better than being kept off of the water because your hands are cold.

Similar things are needed for the feet - A good pair of neoprene booties as worn by divers should suffice and not break the bank. There are dedicated windsurfing boots which are thinner and can be warn to give greater responsiveness through the feet but we've had a lot of people say they are just not quite warm enough when the crunch comes.

If you get a pair of winter boots one size too big you will have room to wear an additional pair of 1 or 2mm neoprene socks underneath. The positive effects of layering should never be underestimated! A lot of the neoprene socks have got a very fine rubber grip underneath making them ideal for use in spring or autumn on their own when theres only a mild chill.

Ok so you are almost ready to brave the very worst conditions but there's one more part of the body that needs protection - the head. Infact this needs the most protection of all because when it gets cold it suddenly becomes hard to think straight and that is something you can do without if you are wiping out and having to make quick decisions that could your personal safety. You can get neoprene hats that work well but they are prone to coming off if you take a big fall into the water. A lot of them have got a fixing sewn in so they can be attached via a foot long bit of cord to your wetsuit much like your mom probably tied your gloves to your jacket when you were in kindergarten! If you have got thinning hair and the hat comes off you are going to be in PAIN so another good alternative is a balaclaver. These come in two types - one with a velcro fastening and ones that you slide right over your head. In our experience the ones with a velcro fastening can tear more easily than the all in ones that slide on. When its really cold we opt for a neoprene hat with a full neoprene balaclave over the top.

So far we've been surfing quite happily in -5C air temperature with a sea temperature of 7C so don't let the cold winters put you off of SUP!

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Make sure the shorts aren't baggy around the waist. When you fall in, and you will, you don't want to find your shorts are suddenly around your ankles, or worse, floating away from you!

You'll want to make sure they have got a drawstring waist that you can tighten up and don't be too concerned about pockets - if you are using the pockets to store stuff in chances are they will fall out when you are under water. Its hard enough sometimes keeping hold of your paddle and getting your board back so the last thing you want is to be checking your pockets to make sure that your keys/money/jimmies are still in there!

If you are doing distance paddling and are reasonably confident that you won't fall in you too often will probably want a small rucksac hydration system on your back. These are great devices but create a new problem in that the straps over the shoulders can cause chafing when you paddle. For this reason you will want to wear at least a T-shirt or ideally a rash vest.

Whatever you are wearing make sure you put on enough sun cream, especially if you aren't wearing a top and make sure its waterproof. A hat is a good idea to keep the sun out of your face and off your neck - its possible to get wide brimmed hats that float such as the world famous Tilley Hat.

For the feet its very much a matter of personal opinion. Generally, if you are surfing in boardshorts you probably won't want anything on your feet. The direct feeling of the soles of your feet pressing against your board gives you more control in manouvering the board in the surf. If you are doing a distance paddle , especially if you suffer from poor circulation you might want a small pair of wetshoes - these are used by all manner of watersports people and have a thin rubber sole and light stretchy material uppers which dry out just as quickly as they get wet. They are more handy if you are stopping midway through the paddle for lunch or if you have to walk to where the transport is picking you back up from.

With all clothing its very much a matter of personal preference so try out some of the suggestions above and see what works for you best in the different conditions.

Happy Paddling!

As a beginner in the world of Standup Paddle Surfing or SUP a word you will see written a lot and hear a lot is 'Aloha'.
One thing you will be wondering pretty quickly is "What is Aloha?" or "Why do people say Aloha?".

Aloha is a Hawaiian word most often used as a greeting such as "hello" or "goodbye" but it also has a much deeper more subtle meaning than that.

The 'Aloha Spirit' can be thought of as what many eastern philosophies was deem as 'the essence'. The vital energy that all things have which is intrinsically pure. As modern people we often stray far from our awareness of this perfect vitality - we allow ourselves to get stressed, to get consumed by anger or jealousy, we succumb to greed, we speak ill and we fall into other negative behaviors that are all too easy to do.

When we surf we should try to keep Aloha in mind effortlessly. The sea, the weather, the mountains are all Aloha and we can become part of their natural state too if we flow with them rather than fighting or trying to control them.

When we ultimately stop trying we become Aloha.

When you hear Aloha as a greeting think of it as a reminder to re-center yourself and focus on enjoying life and the things that are truly important.

Aloha my friend.

In modern history it can be traced back to the 'beach boys' of Waikiki in the 1940s. The beach boys were the surf instructors who would stand on a bigger surfboard and use a paddle to get on the water with their clients holding a camera to take pictures of them , hence the need to be standing out of the water rather than lying prone on a regular surfboard.

The better visibility granted by standing allowed them to keep an eye on their students and call when the waves were coming in from the distance.

The following years saw the loss of the paddle amongst surfers with just a handful of diehards keeping the tradition alive in Hawaii. Fast forward to the turn of this century and the paddle made a return to some of the island's premiere watermen.

Surfers such as Rick Thomas, Dave Kalama, Archie Kalepa, Laird Hamilton and Brian Keaulana popularized the use of a paddle while surfing and took the idea to mainland USA and then onto the rest of the world where it became a distinct watersport in its own right...

Stand Up Paddlesurfing was born!