What SUP?
Our first go of Stand Up Paddleboarding was an immediate success! SUPing is a fun way to get out on the water without requiring a huge amount of strength or skill to manoeuvre around – and the closest and easiest access for Melbournians is Monkey Business SUP on Elwood Beach.
When: Summer holidays Monday – Friday 7am – 1pm, Saturday & Sunday 7am – 3pm
Where: Elwood beach, 63a Ormond Esplanade, ELWOOD (Sometimes they move to Brighton Marina due to weather conditions. Next to the middle Brighton Baths, 253 The Esplanade Brighton, check the Facebook page for updates)
Cost: Different options from $30/hr to $150 for 10hr membership. Click here for more information.
Have you tried Stand Up Paddle boarding? It’s lots of fun – and it’s pretty easy to get the hang of, even for someone unsporty like me.
Charlie (6) was able to paddle himself about easily – he wasn’t quite confident enough to stand up on this his first go, but big sister Immi (9) was off from the get go. Once she paddled out about 20m on her knees she was ready to hop up onto her feet. Even totally uncoordinated me was up on my feet within minutes (although there was one moment where I tried to change direction a bit too fast and fell to my knees, I managed to stay on the board though).
SUPing is great for your core and it’s a great way to get out on the water. Regulars to Monkey Business SUP paddle to Brighton or St Kilda and have a coffee as part of their mornings exercise (this sounds like the perfect sport for me!). Some crazy fit coordinated people even do yoga classes on paddle boards!
It was seriously beautiful out on the water in Elwood – the water was clear and clean and the kids saw turtles, jellyfish and plenty of fish. Monkey Business owner Kate told us that a playful pod of dolphins is also often spotted within close paddling distance. When the kids came back into the shallows they were happily jumping off their boards into the water for a swim.
Children under 12 are required to wear a life jacket (provided by Monkey Business SUP) and you can also borrow a wetsuit if it’s a cool day. I went in bike shorts and t-shirt when we went. The boards are very stable and Monkey Business SUP has an amazingly huge board which the whole family can go on at once – fantastic fun and a great way for parents to take younger kids for a glide across the water. They can just sit on for the ride, or grab their own paddle and join in too!
On a beautiful morning when the air is still, you can bet that every man and his dog (yes even dogs like SUPing) will be down at Elwood wanting to hire a paddle board so it’s wise to book in advance. Also if you need a lesson (if you want to paddle properly and not just splash around) speak with Kate, or one of her team at Monkey Business SUP, and she will advise the best package/lesson for you and your family.
We can’t wait to go again. The kids are busting my chops. Looking at these photos I can see why.. and if I can work up to a level where I get to have a coffee while we’re out there then there can’t be much better motivation to get me moving.