Mikey's Board Room: The Stand Up Experience

Back in 2006 I was living on the Big Island of Hawaii, Kona to be exact, and there wasn’t much surf while I was there. I was cruising around checking the surf at Banyans and that is where I saw stand up paddling for the first time. I introduced myself to the paddler after watching him on a the board for almost an hour and found out that he owned an SUP board company, Hypr Nalu. They were some of the first production boards back then, complete with flashy graphics, shiny paint and what I thought to be some pretty aggressive designs.

Hoping on for the first time was a challenge, it wasn't very wide, under 29” for sure, but I was determined to get the hang of it. I didn’t do much surfing while I was there but I did a ton of distance paddling. If you haven’t been to the islands, the underwater sights are amazing, I was paddling with everything from little brightly colored fish to sea turtles. I fell in love with Stand Up.

When I got back to San Diego 6 months after my first SUP experience, I did my research and found THE SUP guy at the time, Steve Boehne of Infinity Surfboards. Steve had experience building big boards from his days building tandem surf boards and had a great transition into Stand Up in the early years becuase of it. A deal was struck and I came home with a 10’6 Infinity Ku Ku Hoe Nose rider and an Infinity Ottertail paddle. I wish I had pictures of the thing, it was heavy for today’s standards, no handle, constructed bomb proof, and was a tank on the waves, but it was a blast!!! It still lives on at a local lifeguard station as physical training equipment.

Fast forward to 2012, I’ve been on more boards than I can count, seen a ton of different constructions, built boards, been to overseas factories, paddled in amazing places and worked with some great people in the industry. The experiences I’ve had and the contacts I’ve made over the years has turned me on to builders doing great things for the sport of SUP. So I asked John if I could do write ups on all the different boards, designs, and creations I’ve run across over the years, SUP or not, and with his blessing Mikey’s Board Room has been created!

Stay tuned for the next installment of Mikey’s Board Room!

Southern Baja Stand Up Paddle Race: '09 La Ventana Classic and Kite Expo

Do this right now, pull out your calender and block out time in January, 2010. Believe me, you will want to be down in La Ventana (30 minutes from La Paz International Airport in Southern Baja California) for next year's La Ventana Classic and Kite Expo. Last week, Kiwi and I had a chance to participate in the Classic's stand up paddle events and I can tell you that there is no event in the stand up paddling world that comes close to this one for pure FUN!



Photo: I didn't get a chance to get these two out paddling- but there's always next year!

The Classic is a four day water sports festival conceived and organized by Tim Hatler, owner and proprietor of Palapas Ventana. The goal of the festival is to raise money for the renovation and development of the small town's elementary school. Last year, Tim was able to raise enough money to paint the school and build the students a new restroom. Before the new bathroom was built every student in the school had to share one toilet!



Photo: Start of the qualifier.

This year's Classic was the biggest in the event's four years of existence. The event drew every major kiteboarding company as well as top ranking kiteboarding pros and more than a hundred amateur kiteboard competitors. The beach was covered with the latest models of kites and boards, all available for demo. There were Pacifico Girls walking the beach and local folk dancers on the main stage. As expected, the beer tent was going off and was almost rivaled by the ice cold margaritas being served off the adjacent table. Mix in a DJ spinning thumping tunes and a professional emcee keeping the whole deal rolling and it was obvious that the Classic had grown up.



Photo: Hard to believe that the small beach in the back ground is almost ten miles away. Leg 1 of the qualifier with Kiwi leading the way.

Although the Big Air and Old School Trick contest were cool (two words to describe who dominated these events: Richman brothers... unreal) the Classic's real draw is the ten mile, Cerralvo Island to La Ventana race called "The Crossing". The ten mile channel crossing is completed by the pro riders in twenty five to thirty minutes of hardcore, pedal-to-the-metal racing. The amateur division can take an hour or more to pull it off. It's a radical event, definitely worth hanging around for, if only to see how exhausted these guys are when they come blowing across the finish line.



Photo: Stickered up.

This year, Tim asked me to organize a SUP race for the event. In addition, Tim needed me to hand out demo SUP boards and to give basic instruction to those looking to try out stand up paddling. Isle Surfboards, the only stand up company to sponsor the Classic, stoked us out by sending down four stand up boards and paddles for people to demo. I'm a stand up paddle freak so when I'm tasked with spreading the stoke, I take it seriously. I wanted to be sure that everyone got a shot at trying out their equipment. If you've paddled the Sea of Cortez than you can understand why stand up paddling has blown up down there. In the small town of La Ventana alone there are over twenty regular paddlers out every morning laying down tracks in the perfectly still water. The Classic brought out many more takers willing to demo Isle's SUP boards- I was happy to oblige them.



Photo: Next year, this photo will be taken from the island offshore, and these guys will be a lot more worn out at the end of it all.

The Classic is one of those events that has a rootsy, down-to-earth feel about it. If you've never raced before and you want to try it out in a low key environment, this is your event. The emphasis this year was on having fun and there were events for all skill levels of paddlers. The day I arrived Tim had just completed the buoy-to-buoy, "Chase Race". In this race competitors started at either end of a two buoy course and raced around the closely set buoys trying to lap each other. The race required skill, stamina- and that you wear a Mexican wrestling mask. Like I said, the emphasis was on fun.



Photo: What do you think, easy to breathe in that thing? Kent, trying to kill it before it kills him.

The big day came on the third morning of the contest. Conditions were perfect for the SUP course race. The morning brought us sunshine and perfectly flat, seventy degree water. The twenty two competitors were sent to race a three mile course with the top five men and women finishers moving on to the final event.



Photo: Women's Division Winners: 1st Cynbad Brown, 2nd Tonia Farman, 3rd Michelle Koff

I chose a sprint distance course because it keeps the racers in sight of the fans the whole distance and because three miles is a friendly enough distance to encourage new paddlers to participate. The final course was a half mile, three buoy course that had to be completed three times before sprinting for the beach finish line. Next year, the major SUP event will be a 10 mile SUP version of the Crossing. Stand up paddlers will race from Isla Cerralvo to La Ventana for a cash prize.



Photo: Men's Winners: 1st Mark "Kiwi" Field, 2nd Ozzie Lenzsch, 3rd Marco Pena

In the end Kiwi dominated the Men's field by winning both the qualifier and the final event, taking first place on a stock Isle Surfboards 12' x 30" stand up paddle board. Michelle Koff, the women's third place finisher also won on a stock Isle 11'6" stand up board, using one of Ernie Johnson's, Johnson Big Stick ply paddles.



Photo: Cranking it home, 3rd place Michelle Koff

With two contestants finishing first and third it seems that Isle's onto something for the stock paddle class. Are they the fastest on the water? The gauntlet has been thrown and it's unknown as to who in the stand up paddle racing word will accept the Paddle Crossing Challenge. The only way to find out is to come on back down next year and try your luck in the water. See you there!



Interested in supporting the 2010 La Ventana Classic? Contact Tim Hatler at www.palapasventana.com or email him: tim@palapasventana.com

Tahoe Masochist Tour 2008: Part III

Lake Tahoe Masochist Tour 2008, wrapping it up and heading home:

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Photo: Sand, sun and fun- just another day on the lake.

P.net: So how long of a paddle was this circumnavigation?

Rich H: If you drive a car around the circumference of the lake you’ll tack on 72 miles. When you paddle, you don’t need to follow all of the bends and curves of the road – estimated guess of 55-60 miles…? Four days.

P.net: Do you think this trip could be done without a support boat?

Rich H: No.



Photo: Close your eyes and imagine paddling through this little scene- feel the glide, smell the pine? Stuff like this just gets me fired up to get out and on the road- you can stand up paddle anything!

P.net: Was there any one moment on the lake when you saw something that just blew your mind?

Rich H: At one point we were paddling across and looking down at the deepest spot of the 2nd deepest lake in North America- that's a mind blower!



Photo: Camp food bandit.

P.net: Now that you've finished your trip and your looking back at it, is there anything you'd do different next time? And how about board design, any ideas about how you could improve "touring type" stand up boards?

Rich H: If I did this trip again I'd be sure to drink more water. Also, I'd bring bee traps for the campsites. The yellow jackets run like crazy in the fall and get inside of everything. No design improvements, not any that I’m willing to share anyways…..paddle season is about to start again.

P.net: How was the boat traffic on the lake- were you constantly getting buzzed by jet skis and power boats?

Rich H: We paddled the lake in mid-September. Like most seasonal destinations, things really slow down in the basin after Labor Day.



Photo: Rocky landing, beautiful spot.

P.net: Where are you paddling next? Any paddle trips in the works right now?

Rich H: None at the moment, we're still trying to figure out if we’re going to compete in this year’s Catalina Challenge. Tyra and I have been very fortunate and had some great paddling moments in 2008 besides Lake Tahoe. It would be a pretty hard year to follow-up.

P.net: Anybody you'd like to thank for helping support the trip?

Rich H: Lots of people to thank for helping us out on this trip. George from Patagonia for styling us out (again), Alexa from DaKine, O’Neill Wetsuits, Mark from Stay Covered Surf Accessories, Kapitol Reef, and Steve Boehne of Infinity for making such a wonderful SUP craft. Steve got together with us before last year’s Catalina and cranked out an amazing 14’ SUP that’s been raced, battered, beaten, and transported all over the western states.

P.net: Thanks Rich- keep us posted on what's going on next!

Rich. H: No problem!



Photo: Masochists, all of 'em!

Stand up paddle surf lessons in San Diego. Spring is right around the corner and summer's not far behind- let's get you out and paddling now so that you're a pro by June! I specialize in one-on-one, private stand up paddle surf lessons. Click here for more information and testimonials from satisfied paddle clients. Give me a call now and let's get out and learn to stand up paddlesurf: 619.213.6622 or john@paddlesurf.net.

Tahoe Masochist Tour 2008 Part II: The Pain Continues

The Pain Continues, Part II of the Tahoe Masochist Tour:

P.net: Have any of you ever done a long paddle like this before?

Rich: Joel, Tyra, and I competed in the Ocean Ohana Catalina Challenge in March of 2008. Catalina to Dana Point, 40 miles on a SUP, good fun.



Photo: I'm not sure if the descriptor "glassy" really covers what we're looking at here.

P.net: As far as gear goes, did you have any specialized boards or paddles? Talk about the logistics of an adventure like this; was there a safety plan, a paddle plan?

Rich: We brought four SUP boards: One 12’ Ron House custom (thanks Jay), one 12’ Laird, one 11’ 11" SOS Big Red (thanks Matt), and a 14’ Infinity custom that was first raced in the Catalina to Dana Point race and then used by me throughout the paddling season in various events. Also en tow was a 14’ IRB (inflatable rescue boat) with a four-stroke 25 hp motor. The boat was used to transport all the camping equipment, food, ice and beer for the duration of the trip (thanks Capt. Stabenow).



Photo: In the company of life guards, you never dive in head first- and no running on the deck!

Logistically, we covered the entire circumference in four days of paddling. Over the five days we were on the lake we each spent one of the five operating the boat and the other four days paddling. Whom ever was in charge of the boat for the day ran support; bringing up water, passing food and setting a course. Everyone took a different shift operating the boat and it worked out pretty evenly in the long run.



Photo: Paddling what looks like an inland ocean.

P.net: Did you train for the trip? Any words of advice to others who might be considering a trip like this?

Rich: No more training was done then what we normally do – if there were a way to train your hands not to crack and blister at 6800 feet, I’d look into it.

P.net: What was a standard day on the lake all about.

Rich: Morning wake-up with coffee and chow, clean-up camp, pack the boat, pick a destination, and shove off. We’d paddle to a pre-designated location and call it a day. Paddling times varied between 4-6 hours per day depending on where/how frequently we would stop. Pull up to camp, check-in and set-up for the night. Cold beers and campfire awaiting the next day’s paddle.



Photo: Done. Cashed in. Out. Five hours of paddling, some food and a few beers... the ultimate insomnia cure.

P.net: Where did you camp out at? Did you need reservations? Was it crowded? What were the conditions like- cold, hot, mosquito infested, perfect?

Rich: We camped at various locations throughout the basin and even made more reservations than those that were needed (due to the fact that we were unsure just how long we could paddle towards the end of the trip). Towards the end, we all decided to make a run for it and skip the last night of camping. Good idea? 5 hours of paddling and we reached our intended destination. Conditions were pristine for almost the entire paddle – the last day of paddling we pulled the boards out at our final destination and a thunderstorm and rain storm ensued for the next two hours.



Photo: Tahoe pit stop, change the tires, fill the tank and burn it up out of there.

P.net: What was the toughest part of the trip?

Rich: The third day of paddling, covering the entire west shore of the basin in 75+ degree heat and dead calm conditions. Good paddle, long paddle.

Tahoe Masochist Tour 2008: Running the Lake the Long Way

Anybody who says, "It's all been done" or even worse, "Been there, done that" obviously hasn't looked at a map with a stand up paddle in hand and a sense of exploration. There's tons of adventure out there and it just takes an open mind and a ready spirit to go do something remarkable.

Last week, we got a chance to chat with Rich Hidalgo of the Imperial Beach Life Guards about his recent circumnavigation of Lake Tahoe. As far as I know, this band of masochists are the first to circumnavigate the lake. Approximately seventy miles of paddling and a whole lot of blisters later Rich and friends completed their trip- here's the story:



Paddlesurf.net: So, who paddled the lake with you?

Rich Hidalgo: Joel Larimer (IBLG), Chris Harper (IBLG), Justin McHenry (Silver Strand State Beach LG), The Hidalgo’s (Rich and wife Tyra).

P.net: Where did the idea to circumnavigate Lake Tahoe come from?

R.H.: Joel and Chris originally came up with the idea of visiting the Tahoe area in the fall season. The idea morphed into a SUP circumnavigation of the lake. Originally there were going to be prone paddle boards, mountain bikes, and we even flirted with the idea of a catamaran. Stand up paddling was the final option and we rolled with it.



P.net: So Rich and Joel planted the seed, how did you and Tyra come into the picture?

R.H.: Tyra and I caught wind of it and just started amping to do the thing. Chris was held at gunpoint to purchase some Lake Tahoe ‘Water Maps’ and we planned the trip soon thereafter. Chris was able to find these ‘Water Maps’ of the lake (highlighted areas of camping, fishing, docks, expected air and water temps, windage, etc.) from a kayak store in the Tahoe area that sold them online. We reviewed the map, plotted a course, made some camping reservations, and set a departure date. Kind of organized, kind of loose.



P.net: So what's the experience level in a group of paddlers like yourselves? I know you're all life guards (except Tyra who is an Imperial Beach fire fighter) but what's the sum of your experience?



R.H.: Everyone involved has a ‘water background’ – Chris is our resident corporate donkey; works for ‘the man’ 5 days a week and Lifeguards throughout the year in Imperial Beach. Joel is currently Lifeguarding in New Zealand and will return in a few months for the summer season in Imperial Beach. Justin is attending the full-time Lifeguarding academy at Asilomar, Monterey, CA for the CA State Parks system and is a long-time Lifeguard for Silver Strand State Beach. Tyra and I both work and live here in Imperial Beach. Everyone involved lives, works, and recreates in the ocean and the paddle seemed to be something different and challenging for us all to do.


Check back for Part II of the Tahoe Circumnavigation!

Stand Up Paddle Surf Lessons in San Diego: Give us a call! 619.213.6622 or email john@paddlesurf.net Click here for more lesson information.

Stand Up Paddle Touring: Circumnavigating Lake Tahoe

Seventy miles of paddling, sheet glass, sunshine, blisters and bears. Sound interesting to you? Check back for the full story Tahoe's first circumnavigation by stand up paddle board.



Photo: Bear country... or maybe he's just looking for his Kialoa!



Photo: Blisters... paddle the lake, pay the price.



Photo: Beautiful water... out there and waiting for you.

Stand up paddle surf lessons in beautiful San Diego! Don't stand on the shore and miss out on the all the fun. Jump right in and learn from San Diego's friendliest stand up paddle instructor- me! Email me at john@paddlesurf.net or call (619.213.6622) for your lesson today! Click here for more information!

A new flatwater racer: And some hidden surf photos!

Check out Tim Stamps' new 12'6" racer, just in time for the Gerry Lopez Battle of the Paddle coming in early October. It looks to me like Tim's made a couple of design changes as he moves into his fifth generation of race boards. How about those no-flood footwells? My suspicion is that they lower your center of gravity while still allowing seawater to self-bail out of the footwells. No sense in carrying a couple of extra pounds of water around the course.



Check out the new nose design. I call it a "Deadliest Catch" (D.C.) bow because it reminds me of the bows of the Alaskan crab boats featured on the Discovery Channel. I'm going to completely speculate on the thinking behind this feature (which means I could be ridiculously off the mark so bear with me).



It looks to me like this bow shape attempts to solve the problem of speed and stability. The problem is that speed and stability don't work well together. The two requirements are at odds in board design; it's hard to make a fast board that's very stable. While speed can come from a number of design factors, one thing is for certain: low rockered boards that cut through water with sharp bows are faster than water pushing, banana rockered boards.

There is, however, a downside to flat boards. In moderate chop or swell they don't fit into the curves of the waves around them. Flat boards tend to plow into open ocean swells and can broach, throwing the paddler right off the board. That's why the Hawaiian designed boards are so curvy- those guys are paddling different water than we are here in California, they need all that rocker to fit the open water swells they paddle in. Our conditions are typically more tranquil, we paddle much flatter water sometimes dealing with choppy, open ocean swells spaced closer together. We face a different type of problem set.

And thus the our present quandary: how to be flat and fast as well as stable in moderate chop and swell. Which brings us full circle to the bow at hand. The D.C. nose looks to be a fairly high volume design. Higher volume means more buoyancy. Perhaps the idea is that if conditions get messy the boards high volume nose will allow it to resist pearling into the troughs of the waves ahead of it. Notice that the volume of the nose is above the bottom line of the boards "keel", thus the board is still relatively flat (read: fast) but still capable of dealing with moderate chop. Hey, if it works in the Bering Sea it may just work here. I'll guess we'll just have to wait until October to find out!

Remember these days? Mid-June, seventy degree water, steep south swells and perfect sandbars.... FEED ME! Enjoy these photos I found hidden on the hard drive.





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Flatwater Fantastic: Bend, Oregon

It's so beautiful in Bend that you begin to take it for granted. You're cruising the highway along a clear, running river there's saphire lakes everywhere- each one harboring ridiculous paddling potential. The weather's warm, there's blue skies and the great silent openness that seems to wrap up big pine forests.


Give yourself a couple of days in Bend and you just start to expect that there'll be something miraculous around that next curve in the road. Like I said, you started to take it for granted. Until, once again, Bend serves up something deliciously unexpected (bacon covered dates... maybe?) that takes your breathe away again. That's the kind of place Bend is and that's why you need to go there with your board and paddle in hand. Bend is enchanting, it's truly a flat water, stand up paddling playground.


My only regret in Bend is that I didn't stay longer. A week would be a nice starting point in Bend. With a week at your disposal you could get up to Hosmer lake and share the lakes narrow channels with landlocked salmon zipping beneath your feet. In a week's time you could hook up with Bend's stand up paddle ambassador, Randy Barna (check out his website for the best Bend paddling info around), talk about the best put-ins and take-outs on the Deschutes and maybe score an insider's tip on landing Bend's best pad thai.

You'd need that much time just to sample some of the great food the place has to offer. In a week you could hit the legendary Deschutes Brewery, home of the cleanest, purest microbrew in the entire PNW (highly opinionated, but hey, it's my blog). You'd have to schedule multiple visits to the Westside Bakery and Cafe- over the course of a week you could try the cinnamon rolls, coffee cakes, pancakes and, my favorite, biscuits and gravy. Everything's good in Bend, even the water, straight from the tap, tastes great. Really.

And if you're still wondering about those bacon wrapped dates, find 'em at Fireside Red, just be prepared to order more than you expected because just a little taste won't satisfy you. Kind of like Bend, sampling it just makes you want more!

Come learn stand up paddling with us in sunny San Diego! Lessons and tours: 619.213.6622 or john@paddlesurf.net

Flip/Flop: I'm conflicted...

I've got to come clean- I've flip flopped on a few paddle surfing related items over the last year. Here's the first in my series of personal flip/flops:

Top Photo: Kiwi out this morning- I call this photo, "Noise" seems like there's a lot going on birds, bottom turns, barneys... it's noisy.

1. Electrician's mastic on the edge of the paddle: I used to come out with these really strong opinions about how you can't feel the difference between taped and non-taped paddles. I think I may have been seriously wrong on that one. A few days ago I picked up a new Quick Blade paddle and, because the surf was firing, I got right out into the water before I had a chance to tape it up.

Bottom Photo: Now is the season to learn to stand up paddle surf! Sign up for a stand up paddle surf lesson and be happy! Or, if you've got the skills- rent paddle surf equipment right here in San Diego- I'll deliver it to you!

Guess what? You can feel the difference! Not so much in the release but in the catch. The blade just feels like it's got more bite to it- catch is the wrong word for it- it's more like a grab. I don't know, it could just be the paddle, but it just feels fast. I don't think I'm going to wrap this one- I really like how clean it feels.

But... I think the electrician's mastic wrap definitely does have its place. First of all, if you're a beginner you'll save your rails, prevent dings, and if your board is a molded product, you'll reduce the notorious paint chipping disease that comes from paddle knocks. Once you've got some paddle handling experience, you won't hit the rails of your board as often- and you won't need to wrap your blade. Unless you're Mondfrans, but that's a different story.

And... I think the electrician's wrap may just be a smart idea from a safety point of view. Last week, as I was pulling into the tube, the whole wave shut down on me and basically blew me off my board. Stuff went everywhere. The blade ended up wacking me across my shins- edge first. The hit was hard enough to make me really nervous about feeling around down there. Fortunately, the paddle I was using had a wrapped blade and I got away with a nasty bruise.

I can't say that the mastic was the factor that saved me from being filleted but I don't doubt that it helped in some way. I've seen some nasty fin cuts in my years in the water. Some of them happen for obvious reasons, one surfer running over another, for example. Others, though, occur under weird circumstances. I've seen surfers come out with bloody gashes under their wetsuits- without even cutting the wetsuit.

Weird things also happen when you're swinging around a six foot, carbon fiber blade, in firing, overhead barrels (or, actually, two foot mushball waves, which are where most injuries occur believe it or not). You may think the paddle just nicked you but on closer examination you might find something that turns your stomach. Fins may be slightly sharper than paddle edges, but not by a huge margin. And if a fin can gut you so can the edge of your blade.

The moral of the story may be this: If I'm at home I'll used a mastic-less blade. I'm at the point where I'm not banging my rails and I like how clean the bare blade feels. But if I travel to a third world wave, or an out in the boondocks bombora, I'm going to use a wrapped paddle. I don't savor the idea of having to drive hours for emergency care or biting down on a wood stick while my friend sews me up with dental floss (I guess that's why I pack gel-Krazy Glue in my First Aid kit- but still).

A few photos from Emerald City's C4 Paddle Day

Okay I'm done with my ranting- I'm over it. Here's a couple of photos from yesterday's C4 Paddle Day with Emerald City.

If you're in any of these photos and would like them emailed to you- contact me through my email link and I'll forward them to you.

A couple of items of interest: Check out the custom checkerboard paint job on that C4- looking sweet! Reminds me of a Dennis Jarvis surboard I had in 1984.

Also take a look at the new deck pad from C4- it's got raised ridges along the rails presumably for bracing your feet when the boards tipping or up on rail. That's a good idea.

Check out the board fishing rig that was being demonstrated- that'd be a great Baja item.

And- There was this stubby little Hynson Fish Stand Up Board- I didn't get a chance to paddle it but it looked interesting.

Go here for more photos from the C4 Paddle Day.

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Take 'em Everywhere!

Check out this spot: Clear green water, mini-grom running wild on an open beach- sign me up!

This photo got me fired up for a trip I'm taking this summer. I'm loading up the boards, kites, bikes and the travel trailer and heading up the coast. I'm going to run the whole thing from the southern border up to the Columbia River.

Undoubtedly, I want to hit some surf spots along the way but really I'm looking for something a little bit different this trip. I want to find the sweetest flatwater paddles in the California-Oregon region. Got any suggestions? I'm already set on running up to Hood River and then over to Bend. I want to paddle some of the Cascade Lakes and hook up with the paddlers up in that part of the country. The water looks flat, fast and blue- I'm stoked for it!

Like I said, sign me up, I'm ready for some inland adventure!

Speaking of flatwater: We're fielding a "team" for the Hennessey's River Run- yep, me and my crew are going to stink it up- we may not be fast, we may not be fit but we're going to be there- are you? Are you ready for this race: It's an 18 mile open river, down current run. Whooo Hooo bring it on!

Avalon (Catalina Island) to Dana Point Race

Here's a couple more photos of the Avalon to Dana Point Race. I'm piecing together the whole story- I'll post once I've got a little more information.

Top and Bottom: Imperial Beach paddlers. For being first timers on the big course- the thirty eight mile gap didn't seem to phase them much. I.B. local surfer/firefighter Tyra sticking one of the first legs of the race- she was the only woman to compete in the stand up paddle division. Eight hours hours later she'd be pulling the team into Dana Point- the team's total time on the water was close to 8 hours and 50 minutes- brutal.

In the lee of the island the conditions weren't too bad- but I've been told that it got really nasty once you left the island's shadow. A combo swell from the NW and SW brought with it washing machine conditions. I believe the technical term is mixed seas. Nasty stuff. Everybody got tooled.

More Toys: The Stamps Arrow

I've been disappearing into the flat waters of the bay the last couple of evenings. Here's what I've been on: The Stamps Arrow- if you try one of these downwind/point-to-point boards, you're going to want one.

Paddling flatwater with one of these is a whole new ballgame. Think effortless glide. And ridiculous speed. I'm going to have to get one of these for coastal touring and downwind runs this summer. I could envision whole classes of paddlers touring flatwaters on these, they're such sweet paddlers.

Stamps built this board to be fast but manageable- I've paddled it three times now and haven't fallen in. Granted, I haven't gotten her out into chop and swell yet but I think she's going to be fine, the board actually becomes more stable as it tips to a side. Kind of reminds me of a dory, the lower it sits the more stable it becomes. It's a beautiful board, if you get a chance get on one of these!

There's no surf there- how can it be fun?

Lopez Lake was a great place to set up our paddle surf base camp. The lake's campground is huge. There are 354 campsites which range from primitive tent only sites to full hookup RV pads.

One of the best things about the campground was the distance between sites. In California many campgrounds look like a Wal-Mart parking lot, you're packed in like a New Dehli streetcar. We were camped in a section called Bandtail (I suggest sites 2 - 7), the sites were comfortably distant from each other under leafy shade trees. Other sites in the campground may be closer together but in Bandtail, we were far enough apart that I was sure our nightly Deadwood double feature wasn't going to add any "color" to the neighbor kid's vocabulary.

Speaking of kids and families, this would be an excellent family vacation. There are tons of things to do other then paddling. Kids could fish, swim (there's a dedicated swim area with a lifeguard on duty) or spend half the day at the lake's waterslide park. Additionally, there's plenty of hiking and wildlife walking around to keep all but the most No-Friend-O, I mean Nintendo, addicted kid amused.

You'll have to get up early to paddle Lake Lopez; in the summer time it gets windy enough by the afternoon to make paddling a "Laird" activity. Get up early, though, and you've got the lake to yourself. We only paddled a couple of the arms of the lake, there is much more to explore.

It's really amazing the distances that can be easily covered with these boards. Most appealing to me is the tranquility of the activity. The only noise is the lapping of the water on the board and the dipping of the paddle, it's quiet enough to easily slip up on cool birds and other creatures.

The campground is close to the coast, it's a twenty minute ride from your campsite to the sand of Pismo State Beach. One morning I paddled an arm of the lake, had a ridiculous breakfast in the BreadBox (that's what I call my trailer), took a nap and finished off the day with a nice paddle from the Pismo Pier to the headlands to the north. A great day of paddling. Oh yeah, five minutes down the road from the campground is the tasting room for Talley Vineyards; wasn't a bad year for the cabernet.

There really is a special magic to this type of paddling. Flat water fitness and exploration paddling are going to be huge growth areas for this sport. It's almost too fun to be a work out and yet the fitness benefits are huge- this thing is going to catch on anywhere there is water- watch out Minnesota!

Lopez Lake Campground: http://www.slocountyparks.com/activities/lopez.htm

Also: Drive into San Luis Obispo (20 minutes from campground) and have a Pulled Pork Sandwhich at Mo's BBQ (http://www.mosbbq.com/)- imagine savory barbecued pork covered with coleslaw on a perfect roll- it's killing me even thinking about it!

And: Check out William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach (approximately an hour and a half from campground) for an afternoon paddle- an absolutely beautiful spot.

Getting Out of Town: Up the coast to San Luis Obispo

Every so often I feel the need to get on the road and live out of my travel trailer. This is probably the result of building forts out of cardboard or making tree houses or digging tunnels into embankments; it's an undeniable urge to nestle in. I like shacking up in that aluminum shoe box.

Luckily, my wife Kathy feels the same way- and now that we've got the paddleboards, our trips up the coast have become thematic: paddle every thing that is do-able. Each body of water that dots the map is a possible adventure; why not poach it?

It was early on Sunday morning when we hooked the trailer up to the truck and pulled out of Imperial Beach. Our Westie, Lilly, snoozed in her crate on the back seat while I eased the rig (you get to call it a "rig" when you're pulling something) up the Silver Strand, over the Coronado Bridge and onto I5 heading north.

The trailer's propane fridge was fired up and loaded with Pacificos, bratwursts and bacon. The green astroturf was rolled and stowed- the only thing we were missing were the pink flamingos and the Pinto on cinderblocks out front. We were off to Lopez Lake, our homebase for the next five days.

Top Photo: Center of Operations at Lopez Lake Campground.
Bottom Photo: Turkey's are smarter then we think- safely cruising the campground in gangs of 5 to 10 birds protected from a 12 gauge reality check. Lilly, amused by the bird's cockiness.