Walking on water

It’s an interesting sensation the first time you find yourself standing out on the calm, glassy waters of Howe Sound a few metres off the shores of Nexen Beach.

It’s a novel perspective to be upright, knees bent, feet spread wide apart 

just an inch or so from the still ocean on a stand up paddleboard (SUP).

 It offers a different way to relate to the scenery than when seated 

in a canoe or kayak, and unlike sports such as kiteboarding, 

you don’t need the help of wind. “It’s the closest thing to surfing in this area,” 

said Taylor McKechnie, a Squamish local who, along with fellow paddlers 

Jay Butler and Diana Frederickson, is going out on on a SUP tour 

from Nexen to Britannia Beach. You have to get out early, even before 

the sun peaks out from behind the Stawamus Chief, if you want calm 

waters on the ocean, though. The three have tried the sport before, 

and are now here at 7:30 a.m. trying to make up their minds about SUP.

 “The goal is to see if it’s worth buying one,” said McKechnie. 

While they start their journey down Howe Sound with Ico Schutte, 

a guide from Sea to Sky Adventure Company,  Jessica (Jessi) Stensland,

 the company’s director of adventure, stays behind to chat about 

the growing popularity of SUP. It’s a great sport that’s easily accessible,” she said. 

“Almost anyone can get on a board and experience SUP. And people these days, especially in a place like Squamish, are always wanting to try new things"

.But SUP is anything but a new sport. 

The history of stand up paddling is hard to confirm. 

There’s evidence that for 3,000 years Peruvian fishermen have used a small woven reed craft propelled 

with a long bamboo shaft shaped like a kayak paddle. 

In fact, many ancient cultures from Africa to South America

 used boards, canoes, and other ...more