Stand-Up Paddleboarding from Above

Former Drone Video of the Week Winner DroneProduction.ru brings us this stunning drone video of stand-up paddleboarders on Russia's Volga River.  Shot at sunrise, the video was filmed near the town of Konakovo in the Tver Oblast, northwest of Moscow.  It's on a southern bend in the great river, which takes it to its closest point from Moscow before veering to the northeast and away from the national capital.  As you'll see in the video, the glass-smooth waters of Europe's longest waterway are perfect for stand-up paddleboarding.  

The growth in popularity of Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) stems from the simple fact that it's a relatively inexpensive, safe, and healthy way to enjoy the great outdoors.  Top contributor Uncle Damn used a drone to record his family SUP adventures on a trip to Greece.  They used their boards to explore the many beaches, lagoons, coral rocks, and other sights of the Greek coastline, even getting some SUP Yoga into the mix! 

In this very popular drone video by contributor Jaimen Hudson, he filmed a stand up paddleboarder cruising the waters off of Esperance, in Western Australia.  While it's not possible to know with certainty if the paddleboarder was aware of it, two giant whales are swimming just a few meters/feet underneath him.  The unforgettable bird's eye view of this scene is testament to the power of drones to look at our world from entirely new perspectives which would be otherwise impossible to see.

Christian Tinman ventured to Japan with his DJI Mavic Pro drone to cover a stand up paddleboarding event in Enoshima, a small island in Sagami Bay.  Situated on Honshu, the area is home to some of closest beaches accessible from Tokyo, which lies a bit to the north.  As you will see from his video, it's a beautiful seaside community, perfect for a challenging SUP race, with sandy shores and many rocks lying offshore.  

Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) is deceptively difficult, especially in conditions other than glass-smooth waters.  Staying upright and maintaining forward motion requires a surprisingly high degree of balance and coordination.   In this video, contributor 8 Fifty Productions used a drone to capture a group of SUP newbies as they get their bearings in a mild surf off the coast of the Florida Panhandle in the Gulf of Mexico.  

Kai Lenny is the closest thing to a household name in the world of Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) racing.  While organized SUP races have only been around for a few years, Lenny has taken more honors than any other SUP racer.  In this video, contributor Christian Tinman, who travels the world aerially filming SUP events, captured Lenny preparing for a Red Bull SUP race in the Pacific Ocean near San Francisco.  

One of the great things about stand up paddleboarding (SUP) is that it can be done almost anywhere there is a decent body of water.  This has facilitated the rapid growth of professional SUP racing circuits around the world.  In this video, contributor Georgiasphoto put together an excellent aerial montage of drone footage taken from a series of events on a European SUP racing circuit.  

Contributor Bananaway used a drone to film what has to be one of the best spots for stand-up-paddleboarding in Europe.  Lake Cerknica is situated in southwestern Slovenia, one of the country's born out of the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the early 1990's.  The size of the lake varies dramatically over the course of the year; at times it is the country's largest lake, while at other times it becomes more of a swampy wetland.  During the right season, its calm waters and extensive marshy areas make for some epic paddleboarding!

If you don't mind cold water, the famed Lake Geneva offers some fine opportunities for stand-up paddleboarding.  The lake, which borders both Switzerland and France, is one of the most beautiful in Europe.  It's surrounded by a gorgeous physical landscape as well as many castles and manors.  In this video, contributor Georgiasphoto used a drone to film a SUP paddleboarder working the torquoise blue waters of the lake near Chateau de Chillon.  

The comparatively calm waters of the western coasts of Florida make for some incredible spots for stand-up-paddleboarding.  While the Atlantic waters of the state's east coast are generally not conducive to SUP activities, the warm and almost placid waters of the Gulf coast can make for a SUP paradise.  In this video, contributor 6 Fiftyh Productions used a drone to arial film some SUP enthusiasts sharing these waters with a group of manta rays off the coast of Destin, on the state's Panhandle.  

As seen on a map, the Greek region of Chalkidiki resembles a three fingered hand where the "palm" is an oval shaped peninsula south of the city of Thessaloniki and the "fingers" are three narrow peninsulas pointing to the southeast.  The bays between these peninsulas have semi-protected and numerous small islands, which makes for a sort of stand-up paddleboard heaven.  You can check out this fantastic SUP scene from above in this awesome drone video by top contributor and drone pilot Uncle Damn. 

What better way to ring in the holidays then dressing up as Santa and jumping on a stand-up paddleboard to brave the waters of the Irish Sea in northern England?  Seeing is believing.  Check out this drone video by Stratus Imagery of the annual Santa Spirit event in Southport, a mid-sized port town in Merseyside (one of the counties which make up the North West England region).  The event draws funding for the local Queensport Hospice.  It should be noted that those Santa outfits are NOT wetsuits and that water is VERY cold!