Stand Up Paddle in Perth
Standup Paddle in Perth is really starting to take off.
There are many shops now offering a wide range of SUP boards to choose from; Starboard, Naish, Fanatic - and the full range of styles... SUP Boards for Waves through to recreational boards for Flatwater paddling.
So where to Stand Up Paddle in Perth? SUP for Perth Waves As any Perth surfer will tell you, we don't often get the kind of surf that places such as Bondi, Merimbula and Margaret Rive supplies. All due to Perth's outer reefs, and lack of point breaks. But, as a Standup Paddle boarder in Perth, you don't need screaming 10ft faces to have a good time; all you need to get started are gentle knee to waist high rollers, which most surfers will turn their nose up at. In fact, you'll find you're catching waves 6 to 1 against mal & long board riders with your SUP. Scarbourough, Cottesloe and Leighton are all candidates to SUP in Perth, check the Perth Weather pages , and Perth Swell Charts to get the check if the conditions are suitable. Why not get out of town, and travel south or north - use the map, and you'll soon find some great places. (Sorry, can't mention them here!) And please; do read the other Standup Paddle articles we have on offer giving valuable advice on how not to make a nuisance of yourself, how to takle wave, and keep other water users safe from you massive chunk of paddle board! SUP fitness & exploration in Perth Perth, like most great cities, has the fantastic swan river running through the middle of it. There are so many locations to explore on your SUP. You can get together with a crew & do a hell fitness session, or go exploring. Some great places, such as Matilda Bay, East Fremantle, the fantastic linestone structures at Point Walter, and of course, why not a sightseeing SUP in front Perth City itself - just lookout for the ferry & surfcats! For the flat water standup paddler in Perth, there are countless spots to take your board out for some fun, fitness and exploration. The Wind Effect on SUP in Perth If you're a newcomer to SUP, you may also be a newcomer to understanding the weather. If you're not aware, during summer, Perth has a phenomenom known as the Fremantle Doctor, which is an afternoon seabreeze. On some days, the Doctor can get up to 35knots (60-70km/h), but is usaully a little sedater than that. Point is, if you're going to SUP in Perth, and you're a beginner, beware of offshore easterlies in the morning (which may be too strong for you to paddle against when you're starting), and the onshore Seabreeze in the afternoon, which, if you're paddling the Swan River, will either hinder or help your journey. If ever you find yourself struggling against the wind, either alternately lie or kneel on the board (to reduce your bodies exposure to the wind) and keep paddling. Bottom line - Stand Up Paddle in Perth is awesome, and with the Swan River winding through so many changes of landscape, Perth is one of the most picturesque places in Australia to go exploring on your SUP!
Ardross, WA
