A solid set of Advanced SUP Flatwater Skills is virtually certain to enhance your enjoyment and satisfaction with being out on the water on your board. And those skills are not hard to learn. More skills = more fun = more stoke. So what's been holding you back?  There is a certain misunderstanding, or even mystique, about so-called ‘advanced’ flatwater SUP skills. It seems that many entry-level or recreational paddlers may feel that advanced skills are beyond their needs, beyond their current abilities, or that advanced skills are just for racing or for elite performance paddlers.  Part of the misunderstanding I believe has to do with the misnomer that these are advanced ‘flatwater’ skills. And as such there is nothing really there for the aspiring SUP surfer, or river SUPer, or downwind paddler, or even foiler. But if this is your thinking then you are really missing out on a great opportunity to advance your skills, and your Stoke! Having coached canoe, kayak and stand up paddlers for a few decades now I can confidently tell you this - advanced paddling skills are not just for elite performers - they are for everyone! Although common throughout the paddling world I actually quite dislike the use of ‘advanced flatwater’ skills. And I’d like to encourage you to start thinking about them more as core or essential or fundamental skills that every dedicated paddler should know. So how does learning and honing these ‘core’ skills contribute to your enjoyment and satisfaction, to your stoke for SUP? Well here’s a few ways… Control of your board - understanding how to use your paddle and footwork to turn and maneuver your board at will, without sacrificing your hard-won forward speed and momentum, is an essential skill for controlling your board in wind, waves, surf,

From Your First Paddle Strokes to Exploring the Open Coast. One of the beautiful things about stand up paddling is that most anyone can stand up on a board and ‘make it go’. The gear is light, portable, and relatively inexpensive. It’s easy to get out on the water if even just for a half hour wind-down after work, to perhaps watch the sunset from the water on an autumn evening, or to dangle your feet off the side in the cool water on a sunny summer's day. But while Stand Up Paddling is perhaps the most accessible paddle sport of all, another beautiful thing about SUP is its versatility. A single board can take you from puttering around on your local waterway to exploring some of the most scenic and challenging spots in the world! From calm placid lakes and coves, to open ocean swells, whitewater rivers, remote islands, surf beaches, and multi-day wilderness expeditions, your SUP board can take you wherever you dream of going.  So… how do you get there?  The journey is not that hard and we have worked it out for you! Whatever your objectives are, we have a learning path to help you develop the skills, knowledge, and experience that you require to head out onto the water as a safe, competent, and confident coastal explorer. Let's have a look… If you have never had any formal SUP instruction our two hour Intro to Stoke program is the place to start. Even if you have been paddling for a while, we solidify your base with essential knowledge about ocean safety and awareness, work on developing your core paddling skills and begin to build your on water experience.  If your SUP adventure goals involve open water touring, paddle surfing, or river running our two-day Advanced

NHE Guide and Coastal Stoke Leader Tina Currie sits down with the Squamish Chief to share some tips on paddling in the winter. Have a read and let us know if you have any questions about what to wear or what to bring with you.