Most people would be able to point to Sardinia on an unmarked map, sitting as it does in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy, Spain, and Tunisia, just to the south of Corsica. Equally known are its beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear water, and amazing coastal drives. What you may not know is that Sardinia is also constantly hit by swells, which makes it ideal for those in search of wave stand up paddle havens.
Sardinia was love at first sight for us; we really enjoyed the nice people, perfect conditions and Italian food. We normally try to stay away from touristy places and go in search of quiet, friendly spots. It was also a great place for us to find a quiet beach to stay overnight with our Mercedes Marco Polo van, star gazing. It always fascinates me that when you look up and see what we call the Milky Way, you’re only seeing a part of it. In fact, all the stars we can see are in the Milky Way, our own galaxy.
There are many stand up paddle spots sprinkled all over Sardinia, but the west and south had the pick of the litter for us because we were able to kitesurf and windsurf in the afternoon. There is a vast choice of amazing beaches and bays to explore; you can go on beautiful flatwater tours and the coast offers easy wave conditions. Yes, the sand really is that white and the sea is the bluest blue. Our favorite spots are the following.
Porto Paglia For Surf This is the ideal beach for those who want to have an authentic experience in direct contact with nature, there are no restaurants or cafés on the beach. You will instead be met with the sound of the waves surfing up the golden beach, the dense growth of evergreen shrubs around the sandstone cliff reflected in the clear seawater. The seafloor is sandy and the waves are good for beginners and intermediate riders.
Denne historien er fra Issue 26 - Autumn 2019-utgaven av SUP International.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 26 - Autumn 2019-utgaven av SUP International.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Turning Points
With spring in the air and the start of a new decade, thoughts naturally turn to what we can do differently in the name of betterment. Finn Mullen reflects on some changes to consider when looking to improve your SUP surfing.
THE CLOSE OUT- TREV'S GREAT BIRTHDAY ADVENTURE
I have had my fair share of great birthdays, usually coinciding with a national holiday in a country that I’m visiting. But this one was a bit different.
Paddle Science #18 - The Body Fortress. Boosting Immunity
At this time of year, the rate of infection for colds and flu normally tends to slow down as we enter warmer, springtime months. However, if you’ve been anywhere at all in the world recently, then there’s one word you can’t escape at the moment: Coronavirus. Infection rates, mortality rates and prognostic data are changing daily at the moment. As a new virus none of us have previously been exposed to it, meaning that currently, we have no immunity to it. It’s only through being infected by a virus that our bodies are able to make the right antibodies to not only enable us to recover but to also help protect us from any recurrent and future infection from it. If you’re keen to stay well and keep getting out on your SUP board this spring, then focussing on boosting your immune system is a positive step to take.
Ceylon Stories
Like a teardrop on the tip of the Indian sub-continent, Sri Lanka is a little tropical El Dorado of beautiful landscapes, rich cultural heritage and people with incomparable kindness. Thanks to its favorable exposure to the swells of the Indian Ocean, the has a large number of good waves along its incredible southwest coast where French pro Alexis Deniel and his partner Melanie had an unforgettable experience this winter. Discover their colorful journey through this dream destination sharing its jewels after decades of civil war and the tragedy of the 2004 tsunami.
Polar Bear
In 2019, the Polar Bear showed the world his teeth. After a fourth place in the toughest SUP race in the world, the Red Bull Heavy Water, the now 19-year old Christian Anderson became World Champion in November in the Technical Race at the ISA World Championships in El Salvador. He also won the U-18 title on the Euro Tour with an 11th place overall. What’s behind the young Dane's rise to power?
SHADENFREUDE
TEST REPORTS
Desire Lines
We were on the outskirts of Helsinki, scouting a new destination for our sup camps. Just 45 minutes’ drive from the city, the untouched nature of the Nuuksio National Park stretched out before us. Mirror-smooth lakes, wild herbs and an impressive fauna waiting to be explored over on board or on foot via the many desire lines made by the land mammals.
Magical. Mystical. Epic.
Alexandra is a club ambassador and SUP racer for Bray Lake; relatively new to the SUP scene she completed her first race season in 2019. She participated in her first international event, the Gla Gla, 2020, and placed 1st Brit, 8th lady and 81st overall, out of a mass start of 637 paddlers. Here she shares the highlights of her first Gla Gla experience.
Green Medicine
As a keen outdoorsman and busy GP, Paul Sampson has come pretty close to attaining the mercurial work-balance. When not busy with his patients, he can be found hiking, climbing, paddle boarding, wild swimming… anything that gets him outside soaking up the great outdoors and reconnecting with nature in the beautiful South of Cornwall.
Depth Charge
Many of us have are staying away from the beach for a while, some are confined to our homes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still train for the surf. If you try the following for just one week you’ll see results, never mind three months…
