From Tracing Bird Migrations To Driftwood Collecting: 10 Unique activities to enjoy on your SUP board

SUP boards provide endless fun for those who love to paddle and explore the world while gliding on water. Whether you choose an inflatable SUP board or a hardbody board, SUP boards are the lightest and easiest to transport paddling vessels out there. This makes them an ideal vessel for those who like to get out on the water, but don’t want to spend lots of time strapping a boat to the roof of a car.

Many SUP enthusiasts never get sick of paddling out into the unknown, racing in contests, or going on longer touring adventures. But others might find paddling for the fun of it a bit redundant after a while. If you are one of these people, you might wonder what fun and unique activities other than paddling you can try on your SUP board that you haven’t tried or even thought of yet.

Some fun and unique ways to enjoy your SUP board include SUP yoga, meditation, and fishing. You can get SUP boards into hard-to-reach shallows, making them perfect vessels for nature photography, bird watching, and snorkeling in secluded spots. Try using your SUP board to hunt for driftwood and shells. You can even drop the anchor in a placid bay and catch a perfect tan.

Paddling on a SUP board is thrilling, and provides a great full-body workout. But getting a good paddling workout is just one of many ways to enjoy a SUP board. You can partake in many of the same activities that you can do in your kayak, and so much more. In this article, we will highlight 10 unique and exciting ways to use your SUP board that you may want to try to liven up your SUP routine.

10 Fun And Unique Activities To Enjoy On Your SUP Board

1. Find A Quiet Place To Meditate

If you are looking for a calming activity to enjoy on your SUP board that does not involve paddling or stress, try some meditation. Meditation has proven very effective for mental health. It helps reduce stress, anxiety, and can even improve your blood pressure. While it is possible to meditate pretty much anywhere, finding a beautiful spot in nature is ideal.

Meditating on your SUP board is great for a few reasons. For one, it is usually easy to quickly paddle away from noise and other humans. As long as you can find some calm water and a place to drop your SUP anchor, you can meditate with ease. The fact that being on a SUP requires some balance, and also keeps you in touch with the water are both beneficial to those looking for a meaningful meditation session.

2. Collect Driftwood For A DIY Project

If you are someone who loves crafting or enjoys beachy decor, you should consider hunting for driftwood on your SUP board. Depending on where you live, there might be a bay or cove that has some stellar driftwood. Rather than wake up at the crack of dawn to beat the other collectors who walk the beach, try collecting driftwood from the source - the water.

Driftwood collecting on your SUP board is a fun activity to enjoy with others. Simply scan the horizon and look for floating pieces. You may find other treasures as well, like coconuts, or maybe even spot some wildlife. Best of all, you have some great driftwood for your future projects.

3. Give SUP Fishing A Try

Kayak fishing is a popular activity, but did you know that you can even fish on a SUP board? Fishing on a SUP is a great activity for those who love paddling and fishing. You likely won’t want to go after any large fish, as they are likely to tow you out to sea as you try to reel them in. But you can definitely cast out for smaller fish in your SUP board.

SUP fishing is a fun activity for those who live in areas with shallows, or somewhere with mangroves that are hard to reach by boat. SUP boards offer the chance to get in narrow and shallow areas without bottoming out, and you can also often go undetected. Just make sure you are extra careful of sharp hooks if you are on an inflatable board, and don’t forget your cooler in case you catch something tasty.

4. Take A Stab At Nature Photography

Since your SUP board can get into hard-to-reach areas without much detection, it also makes it an ideal vessel for some nature photography. These days you don’t need a ton of fancy professional equipment to take great photos. You can just bring a new smartphone with a waterproof case and take some pretty incredible shots.

Just make sure you are still and patient. You are likely to get up close to some pretty elusive wildlife that can be quite challenging to capture in a loud power boat. Taking great photos while paddling can take some time to master, but it is a fun activity to enjoy from time to time when you want to switch up your SUP routine.

5. Enjoy Waterfront Concerts And Events For Free

Summer is filled with concerts, festivals, and events. For one reason or another, a shockingly high percentage of these events occur along the water. There is a good chance if you live near a body of water then you might be able to paddle out and enjoy a free concert every now and then.

There are Jazz fests, rock concerts, and even theatre along rivers, bays, and beaches. Join a group of paddlers to safely enjoy the entertainment for free by paddling near the venue. This is a fun and often epic adventure every SUP enthusiast should attempt at least once. Just make sure you aren’t trespassing or breaking any local laws in the process.

6. Trace Bird Migrations For Rare Bird Watching Opportunities

Bird watching is a fun and soothing activity for many, but it can also be an adventurous one for those looking for a challenge. If you are interested in seeing some epic wildlife sightings, consider looking into what birds migrate through your area.

Many migrating birds follow the same path year after year and arrive and exit like clockwork. They often stop along streams and on unpopulated islands. Their resting locations are often hard to reach by car, but easy enough to get to on a paddle board. Take a stab at tracking a particularly interesting type of bird as they make their way through your area. It is a great way to have a unique and memorable experience with these far-traveling species.

7. Anchor Out At Hard-To-Reach Snorkel Spots

If you live in a tropical climate then you have the benefit of being able to paddle throughout the year. While this is amazing for those who love paddling, it also makes it all the more important to find ways to switch up your SUP boarding routine so it doesn’t get stale. This is where chasing coral reefs comes in handy.

If you live in an area with great snorkelling, try seeking out areas that are close to shore, but rarely frequented by visitors or casual beachgoers. SUP boards are ideal for paddling a short distance to a reefs with few other snorkelers. They are also practical vessels for this as there is no chance of scratching the bottom of the board, even in shallow reefs, as these boards rest just below the surface. Just make sure you remember your anchor, mask, and snorkel, and you are bound to enjoy some pristine and unbothered tropical reef species.

8. Yoga

SUP yoga has exploded in popularity in recent years. There are organized SUP yoga classes all over the world, and instructors who make a living teaching yoga on SUP boards. But you don’t need to paddle out to an organized class to do yoga o your SUP board.

When you try SUP yoga on your board, be mindful of your equipment and location. Make sure you are in a still body of water, ideally somewhere with a safe and sandy bottom, in case you fall. Start out slow with some basic balancing poses. Sturdy and wider boards and long touring and tandem boards are the ideal boards for SUP boarding. But if you have a strong core and great balance then you should be able to do yoga on most SUP boards without much difficulty.

9. Turn Your SUP Board Into A Floating Tanning Salon

Another incredible way to enjoy the day on your SUP board without paddling and tiring yourself is by laying out and getting a tan. Beaches can be lots of fun, but you can end up sandy very quickly. Also, beaches can be crowded and loud. Some shorelines don’t even have beaches. Or if there is a beach, it may have rocky or sharp terrain.

If you take your SUP board out with an anchor, you can paddle out to a stunning and placid location and enjoy uninterrupted sun and bliss. You can jump into clean and unbothered water whenever you get hot. It’s also easy to relocate at a moment’s notice. Just make sure you bring sunscreen, water, and snacks to ensure a perfect day.

10. Enjoy A Floating Picnic

One unique and romantic way to enjoy your SUP board without paddling is by having a picnic on the water. A picnic can work great for those on a tandem board, or if you connect two boards. You might have to use a bit more balance on a SUP board picnic, but you will be hard-pressed to find a better view.

Bring food that is savory, salty, and easy to eat. Be sure to pack a cooler bag and something to put all your waste. Water is also essential, as you need to stay hydrated while you enjoy your luxurious floating picnic. SUP picnics might take a bit of planning, but they are a great way to impress your paddling partner and a memorable way to share a meal with someone special.