How far back does Stand Up Paddling really go...?

The Australian Aboriginals date back around 40,000 to 50,000 years ago when the sea level dropped enough between Australia and Asia/Papua New Guinea for people to make the crossing in canoes and this is were the Australian Aboriginal blood line is debated to came from.

Our trip to Papua New Guinea last year took us to some very remote regions of Papua New Guinea where we were some of the first white people to visit other than the missionary's.They had never seen a surfboard let alone a stand up but they were all surfing on Alai's and stand up paddling their canoes as they had from generation to generation.

All their traditional dances that have been past down over time contain a paddle. I think surfing and stand up paddling goes back way before Polynesian times.

These are some shots we took while we were there which I still find pretty amazing and back up my humble theory.



Paddling his canoe as they have for 1000's of years



Young PNG kids slapping the water and calling in the waves



Levi never been on a stand up before doing the kick turn from hell



The paddle dance


All the canoes have been built to stand on


No engine no problem


Don't drop in on me.

Interesting stuff, and great pictures. I am as certain as I am about anything that Hawaiians did stand up paddle SURFING. They were innovative as far as board design goes, the boards were certainly large enough, and they all were expert canoe paddlers. I can't imagine, absent some kind of taboo (very unlikely, taboos and laws are some of the main subjects of chants--the Hawaiian way of documenting history since they didn't have a written language) that they didn't put the two together frequently. If anything it's hard to imagine them paddling prone. Who would choose to use just hands when they have a paddle?

Try Peru

200bc as as used by fisherman

surf back in with the catch

interesting theory, many ancient/tribal cultures would have had this mode of transport and survival, further in the photos, all the men and boys look super fit and healthy, ie. absence of western diet and no fast food outlets for miles!.
When confronted with parochial attitudes by prone surfers in the lineup, we can always say stand up was here first... buddy.....

Was in new Ireland in 2009 and brought home a couple of those "dagger" shaped wooden paddles. This post has inspired me to leave the carbon spoon on the beach and give them a run. Will send pics and review if Hughey is kind over weekend. But I predict that there would be no rush in the market to revert to hand carved kwila. Those dugouts would rip with a carbon blade.
BTW how was Shaun, Shannon, Adam and the crew at NIR. Great to see that imfamous bar on the breeze What a mind-blowing location. And very well managed surf ecotourism with local benefits - classic win win.