Chesapeake Bay Paddlefest coming to Gunpowder!

Soak up the sun and get physical!

Saturday, May 12 brings us an opportunity to try out some awesome outdoor hobbies, as Ultimate WaterSports www.ultimatewatersports.com presents the 12th Annual Chesapeake Bay Paddlefest at Gunpowder Falls State Park, at Hammerman Beach from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This will be a Paddle Sport Demo Day where attendees will have FREE access to 2012 kayaks and stand up paddleboards. There will also be used kayaks and SUPs from their 2011 rental fleet on sale that day. Food and beverages will be available for purchase and there is plenty of parking inside the park. Restrooms and showers are a brief walk from the waterfront.

Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) and kayak Demos, entertainment and clinics are FREE to the public. However, the Maryland State Park does charge a $3 per person admission fee for those arriving in vehicles with Maryland tags, and $4 per person for vehicles from out-of-state.

Appropriate shoes are required for all demos (they recommend water sports shoes, sandals, scuba/snorkeling booties or tennis shoes). Bare feet will NOT be permitted on demo gear and flip flops are NOT recommended.

Entry level students can participate in kayak and SUP dry land clinics at the following times: 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. To register, email info@ultimatewatersports.com with the following information: full name, age, lesson time and kayak or sup lesson. Please write PADDLEFEST CLINIC in the subject line.

Stand up paddle surfing (SUP), or hoe he'e nalu in the Hawaiian language, is a global sport with a Hawaiian heritage. The sport is an ancient form of surfing.  The popularity of the modern sport of SUP originated in the Hawaiian Islands. In the early 1960s, the Beach Boys of Waikiki would stand on their long boards, and paddle out with outrigger paddles to take pictures of the tourists learning to surf. This is where the term "Beach Boy Surfing," another name for Stand Up Paddle Surfing, originates. The sport offers a strong 'core' workout and is gaining in popularity as celebrities are sampling the sport, and crossover athletes are training with SUP.

This event takes place rain or shine, and I will be there with my paddleboard!

For more information on this event, you can call 410-335-5352.