You have probably seen people standing on a board and paddling on the water and wondered what is so great about it.
It is different for everyone, but often it is the relaxing feeling of being on the water on a warm, sunny day, it’s the tranquillity, it’s the spotting of animals you wouldn’t normally see and watching them play. It's also because it’s an activity that the whole family can take part in.
It is a very social activity. Paddleboarding with a group can be a fun way to spend time outdoors while staying active and bonding over a shared experience. You can chat, laugh, and even race each other on your boards. As with all sports likeminded people often become great friends.
It is easy to learn. You can learn the basics of SUPing very quickly. Most people can stand up and paddle without falling off in just a few minutes with the right instruction. Simple things like making sure your paddle is the right way round can make a big difference. Of course, mastering more advanced techniques will take more time and practice.
Accessibility is another factor. Most people will have access to a river, lake, or sea that is suitable for SUPing nearby and with the increase in popularity of inflatable boards (which are easier to store and transport) more people are able to enjoy the activity. This means that you can appreciate all the different types of scenery either solo or with friends or family.
Not only is SUPing a great way to get out and about in nature, but it doesn't require any particular skill set or ability and is a low-impact exercise that is easy on your joints. When you stand on the board and paddle, you engage your arms, shoulders, core, and legs, and you can tailor the intensity of your workout to your fitness level. This makes it a fantastic workout that uses all of your muscles, so you end up doing exercise without realising it!
One of the main benefits of SUPing is that you can paddle on any type of water as long as you have permission to do so. Langstone harbour is a great place to try your hand at it although you will need to pay a harbour charge even for a paddleboard.
Even though it is an area of international importance for nature conservation and a working harbour they work hard to ensure that it is a safe place for both work and leisure, as well as being an area for plant, aquatic wildlife and bird species to thrive.
In recent years paddle boarding has increased in popularity and the different activities that you can experience on a paddle board, in the right location, are numerous including yoga, surfing and whitewater paddling.
Paddleboards are becoming an increasingly common sight in Langstone Harbour as its sheltered waters provide the perfect spot, especially for beginners, but a word for caution for the sake of the wildlife; exploring on paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes can be a healthy and fun way of exploring the Harbour, but when paddlers get too close to the birds and seals, they can cause disturbance, which can have negative impacts on their survival. Watch out for flocks of birds and seals, and keep a minimum distance of 50m between them, their habitat and yourself. If birds take flight or seals move off the mud in reaction to your presence, you are too close and you could have a negative impact on their survival. With paddlers often spending a lot of time hugging the shoreline they often unwittingly disturb birds or seals without meaning to.
If you fancy having a go but aren’t quite sure there are local companies who will hire out boards so you can see if it Is something you might enjoy. They will usually provide beginners and more advanced lessons for an hour or so. Sometimes companies even organise group trips where you can hire a board from them, or bring your own, and paddle in a group, but you would need to check with the individual company.
Pick your board to suit your size and ability as the smaller boards are less stable than the bigger ones, so if you don’t have great balance, bigger/deeper is better, but if you want to go faster a smaller board has less drag.
If you are new to the sport you can stay on your knees until you feel confident enough to stand up, your centre of gravity will be lower making you more stable. It is also a good tip, until you are more confident, to get on your knees when a boat causing wake (ripples in the water) goes past as these can be unbalancing. You can have just as much fun whether you are standing, kneeling, or even sitting on the board.
We often hear great stories from our guests when they come back from a day out on the water. It’s lovely to be part of their experience. Knowing that they can come back to Langstone Quay to relax and recount their adventures safe in the knowledge that they will be well looked after.
So to round it up, stand up paddleboarding has become a popular pastime because it's a fun, fulfilling and accessible activity that is beneficial to every participant’s mental health and general well-being and offers a great workout and social interaction for everyone. We are very lucky that Langstone harbour is a lovely, calm location with an abundance of wildlife to watch and anyone can enjoy it.
Why not give it a try and see what all the hype is about?
Just a word of caution; be sure you know your limits, always wear a buoyancy aid, carry a mobile phone in case you or your fellow paddlers get into difficulty, and take note of the tide times, you don’t want to get stuck in the mud at low tide!
The Langstone Harbour Board has produced a leaflet suggesting trails that can be followed within the Harbour and sights which may be seen along the way. This leaflet also illustrates places where wildlife may be seen and steps kayakers can take to ensure their actions do not cause harm to wildlife. These steps include following directions on signage and avoiding trampling on fragile habitats. A digital version of this leaflet is available here
Langstone Harbour “Play Safe" Leaflet can be viewed here
Please note a harbour charge is payable at Langstone - please contact the Harbour office to make payment.
