6. Take Up Stand-Up Paddleboarding
6. Take Up Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Synonymous with no. 4 in many people’s book. But the SUP is not an evil in itself, rather a tool that in the wrong hands can be put to evil use — or to misquote Goldie Lookin’ Chain, stand-up paddleboards don’t kill people, stand-up paddleboarders do. The vastly superior paddle power of the SUP enables its rider to catch waves far earlier than those on normal surfboards, but he or she has a responsibility not to abuse this power.
Take the above photo, for instance, snapped by Anthony Walsh with his GoPro at Cloudbreak a year or so back. In front of him is Laird Hamilton. We asked Anthony how the situation arose:
“Well he was already on the wave, I actually took off behind him. He caught the first wave of the set then paddled back out and tried to get another one, and I just went, ‘enough room for both of us.’”
Catching two waves in the same set? Refer to no. 4. (Soz Laird!)
Taking up stand-up paddleboarding is also a good one for those who’ve given up on no. 10. But remember, what you gain in volume and wave count you stand to lose in manoeuvrability, credibility, and self-respect.
Also consider: longboarding, bodyboarding, cycling, self-harm.
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