Paddle Boards

Stand Up Paddle Boarders at Ala Moana Beach

It’s an old fad, but it’s been making a comeback at Hawaii’s beaches –Stand Up Paddle boarding (aka SUPs). It’s basically a surf board that you stand up on, moving yourself forward with a long paddle.

First utilized by Waikiki beach boys in the 1960s, the sport was popularized at the turn of the 21^st Century. But with the growth of such equipment, laws and regulations soon follow. SUPs are classified by the U.S. Coast Guard as vessels, which means riders are obligated to wear flotation devices when paddling in certain areas.

Some controversy erupted at Ala Moana Beach Park, where I took this picture, when swimmers and paddlers were trying to share the same waters, oftentimes leading to loud conflicts. The paddlers are now restricted and cannot enter certain areas that are reserved for swimmers only.

Hopefully, the SUPs in the picture I took yesterday are outside the swimmers’ area. And hopefully they are not in an area designated by the U.S. Coast Guard, because they aren’t wearing any floatation devices.