About

Who we are and what we do

ALOHA, we're glad you're here! East Coast Paddleboarding is the first and only dedicated stand up paddleboard outfitter and school in Savannah and Tybee Island. We are a nationally certified and fully accredited National Surf Schools and Instructors Association (NSSIA) Stand Up Paddleboard School, one of the few such schools in the country, the only one in Georgia. All of us have a deep love and respect for the ocean. Established in 2009, we provide paddleboard and surf instruction, rentals and sales, paddleboard tours and summer camps. ECP also carries a full line of stand up paddleboards, deck pads, paddles and accessories for all your SUP needs. Our instructors are nationally certified NSSIA Stand Up Paddleboard Instructors and Surf Instructors and are certified in CPR/AED and first-aid. We know paddleboarding and we know our equipment. We love paddleboarding, it's what we do best! Let us introduce you to the fastest growing water sport in the world. Whether paddling on flat water or surfing waves, this is an adventure you will not soon forget!

About paddleboarding

Stand up paddleboarding (SUP) is the fastest growing water sport on the planet. It is fun, easy to learn and a great way to get out and enjoy the beauty of nature. The whole family can enjoy this sport and for those desiring a great workout, the fitness benefits are remarkable. Stand up paddleboarding has been called "walking on water" and you will feel like you are when you are out paddling. Come experience it for yourself!

Stand up paddleboarding is a form of surfing where the paddleboarder uses a paddle to move through the water while standing on a board that resembles an oversized surfboard. The Hawaiian translation is Ku Hoe He'e Nalu; to stand, to paddle, to surf a wave. Unlike surfing however, SUP does not need a wave, it can be done in flat water or while surfing waves. Paddleboarding can be done on any body of water: lakes, rivers, or the ocean. One of the advantages of SUP is the angle of visibility, because you are standing over the water one can see both deeper into the water and further across the surface of the water. This allows for the better visualization of features that others lower to the water may not be able to see, whether watching marine life or the incoming swells, it's a view not to be missed.

Stand up paddleboarding has its roots in surfing and the Polynesian islands. The sport of surfing migrated from Western Polynesia to the Hawaiian Islands around 1000 A.D. Back then, it was much more than just a sport, it was a way of life, bordering on religion. The early Hawaiians viewed their surfboards not just as recreational playthings but as tools for worshiping the ocean. Riding the ocean's energy was a reverential act, an integral part of the ancient religion of the Polynesian islands. And while surfing itself was not specifically a religious observance, it was connected to the gods. Both commoners and royalty surfed, a person's board and where they were allowed to surf was an indication of their status. Surfing was one activity where all members of society could participate, surfing eventually became known as the Sport of Kings.

The modern sport of SUP has its origin in the Hawaiian Islands. In the early 1960s the Beach Boys of Waikiki, including the father of modern surfing Duke Kahanamoku, would stand on their long surfboards and paddle out with outrigger paddles to take pictures of the tourists learning to surf. This is where the term "Beach Boy Surfing" originates, another name for Stand Up Paddle Surfing. In the early 2000's Hawaiian surfers such as Dave Kalama, Brian Keaulana, Rick Thomas, Archie Kalepa and Laird Hamilton were using SUP as an alternative way to train while the surf was down and re-introduced the sport of paddleboarding to the modern world.

Today stand up paddleboarding is the fastest growing water sport on the planet because the sport offers something for everyone. Paddleboarders are doing long distance tours between islands in the Pacific, some are doing fitness classes and yoga on their boards, while others are fishing off of theirs taking advantage of the higher vantage point offered on a paddleboard. Stand up paddleboarders are paddling whitewater rivers traditionally run in kayaks and many surfers have converted to SUP because they can catch more waves and get a better view of incoming sets. Most people just go out to the nearest lake, river or beach and paddle for the joy of being on the water and close to nature. People are paddling with their kids, their dogs, their family, it's a great way to spend some time!