Today, the Waterfront is Santa Barbara’s crown jewel - a prosperous fishing industry, a busy harbor bustling with boats, gentle surf perfect for water sports, beaches stretching up and down the coast, shopping, restaurants and tourist attractions for all ages. It also has a long history rich with Maritime culture and a few individuals whose influence changed Santa Barbara forever.
Read MoreAdam Nagler is one of the most astoundingly determined and meticulously health conscious people you’ll meet in the harbor. He’s been a part of Santa Barbara’s local community for the last 18 years now, and a dedicated Paddle Sports Center Member. Coming from the “big city” lifestyle and growing up in New York, the community in SB surprised him. It has been a refreshing change of pace and an important inspiration to him.
Read MoreThe word calls to mind many things. To proceed readily. To have smooth continuity. To hang loose and billowing. To deform under stress without cracking ---used especially of minerals or rocks. Or, “flow” can be a particular way of thinking and feeling, more than anything else. It’s liquid quality leaks looseness, portraying it’s peaceful properties, calling to mind sheer seaside serenity.
Read MoreIt was late June and a warm night was about to fall. I had let the rest of the staff go home and I stood behind the counter, counting the sales for the day. I heard a group coming through the back door and looked up to see a gaggle of guides, mermaids and friends mosey through the back door. They shouted their hellos and set about socializing and putting on gear. I watched the group from the safety of my well worn shop stool and started to pack up for the day. I hiked my backpack up onto my back when the co-founder of CIO asked me where I was going. With a matter of fact tone I told him, “home” to which he replied something along the lines of “suit up”. They were heading out for a group paddle on the full moon and I could not have been more thrilled to be invited. Unprepared to paddle at night, I had not brought along a white waterproof light, so became paired in a tandem with a new friend.
Read MoreStand-up Paddle Boarding (SUP) is for everyone. Well, it can be for everyone. Sadly, there are those who become deterred after their first paddle and sign off on the ocean sport. So what exactly goes wrong for that percentile of potential paddlers? Is it the cold wet element or the sore muscles the morning after? There are countless reasons this comes about, but what it boils down to is the sport is more technical than it looks. If you have never stand up paddled before, then you my friend, are a beginner. I have accumulated the top mistakes I see new paddlers make in order to give you a jump start on your paddling experience.
Everyone knows that with regular exercise comes a slew of health benefits ranging from weight loss to lower cholesterol and feeling more energized. Not everyone knows that you can amp up all those benefits by taking your workouts to the ocean. Paddling on the water ties in the sun, the ocean vibes, a full body workout and a relaxed state of mind. Here are five reasons you should be adding paddling to your workout plans.
Read MoreStand-up Paddle Boarding (SUP) has vastly grown in popularity in recent years. With this surge of interest and ease of accessibility to rent or purchase a board, a large volume of people are experiencing the ocean from various skill backgrounds. While the majority of our renters are members who frequently paddle, we still find a significant amount of paddlers that come to our shop are first time SUP'ers. When Paddle Sports Center first brought kayaking to the Santa Barbara Harbor in 2001, it was met with strong resistance. Our business taught a large volume of lessons in the early years as newcomers became familiar with kayaking.
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