5 'SUP For Fun' Moments

Brian Bartlett summing up the message of this article in his caption: "Today was a good day."

SAN DIEGO, California - There are plenty of reasons to get into stand up paddling - fitness, community involvement, personal challenge, getting a natural tan. Whatever works for you. But at the very heart of this sport, deeper than any competitor's drive to win and more compelling than anyone's desire to sculpt the abs of a Greek God, is the glue that binds us all together - fun. What would SUP be without that simple, yet essential, element? 

A chore, that's what. Without fun, we might as well be sweeping leaves or pushing shopping carts around a carpark around over the weekend. And so this week, to celebrate the joy of Stand Up Paddling, we've selected 5 photos of paddlers having fun in a variety of ways.

Claiming It

Claiming a wave is sometimes an unavoidable reaction to a great ride. Weather you’re in a river or the ocean, the stoke of a great ride can easily overtake you. Here, Chad Holmes illustrates the correct way to execute an 'Air Guitar' claim, while paddling on the St. Lawrence River, outside Cornwall, Ontario, Canada.

Explore With Loved Ones

Exploring on a SUP gets you up close and personal with Mother Nature, but doing it with good friends and family is almost always better. Better yet, if you can bring someone into the fold for the first time, you'll be spreading the fun of SUP to a new tribe member. Michelle Bowman, the Photo Contest entrant who submitted this photo said this about the image above: "On Valentines Day my husband and I took our son Max (3 yrs old) out to the kelp beds on our SUPs. It was his first time out in the ocean and he was shrieking with excitement! He was so excited to be out there paddling with us." Pretty apt, we think.

Take Your Dog Surfing

Boardworks team manager, Mike T, has been surfing with his best bud, Shred Dog, for quite some time now. Over the years, Shredder's actually gotten pretty good and has gotten to surf a wider variety of waves than most people. Special bonds like this are part of the fun. 

Click here for more tips on how to SUP with your dog.

Have A Costume Party

Jean-Robert Wilhelmy | Special encounters in PUNTA SAN CARLOS, Mexico

Dressing up brings out the inner child in us and therefore doubles the fun of almost any activity. Birthday parties, holidays, fund raisers, casual Fridays - all made more fun by adding a dress-up theme. And it's no different with paddling. Every once in a while, you've got to get out there in a skeleton costume to keep things spicy.

Chillax And Enjoy The Sun

Eugene Rezontov taking it easy on an inflatable hill, anchored far from shore.

Sometimes going paddling is more about the sun, company and good vibes than getting ripped or charging big waves. Just add giant floaties.

Want to show us your SUP For Fun moment? Try entering the Supconnect Photo of the Month competition here.