Standup Paddle Race from Kings Beach to Speedboat Beach
Believe it or not but standing up does have a scene. I’m not talking about babies walking for the first time or raising an obelisk. No, this scene is aquatic and even though many folks are impressed with a story about walking on water, this particular scene somehow doesn’t seem like it should be very impressive – but it is!
There is a relatively new sport to the mainland US which hit Tahoe a few years ago: Stand-up Paddleboarding. It’s a blend of kayaking and surfing but while doing it you feel more like anything that you’re hiking…on water…without moving your legs. I guess it’s a tough one to boil down but suffice it to say that if you enjoy spending time on the water, you have to try ‘SUP.’
There are two ways to go about it. One is touring style. A new local company called Tahoe SUP has committed to this way of paddling. Their boards are made from environmentally-friendly materials and utilize high-end design specs. The other local outfit is Tahoe Paddle & Oar which also has the long cruisers but they also make boards for surfing. On a lake, the ones for surf are a lot slower but lots of fun when the wind kicks up and things get frothy. Going out against the waves is as fun as trying to get pushed home by them. New boards run from $1400 – $3000 so renting is a fantastic option! Just a couple minutes from Granlibakken you can pick one up at Tahoe City Kayak starting at $18.
The stand-up paddle scene on Tahoe is growing exponentially each year. Every self-respecting kayak shop now has sales, rentals and some have tours – there are even SUP fitness classes. It’s the really low-impact workout combined with mellow water-time and Tahoe’s famous clarity that have made the sport blow up here. You can go as strenuously or lazily as you please. You can chat with the person next to you. You can test your balance while coasting among Tahoe’s famous submerged boulders.
A really fun way to experience the Stand Up Scene is to join in on one of the rallies. The next one is Tahoe’s biggest and it’s call Ta-Hoe Nalu on August 13-14. You’ll see venders, there are usually free demos, and you’ll get a good feel for this mellow watersport has many of us hooked.
The best sites for local info are tahoecitykayak.net, tahoepaddle.com, tahoesup.com, and www.tahoenalu.com.
The Big Blue Lake Family a couple years ago…