Even the Goldy waterways are crowded these days, zoom in on the pic, even more on the other side of bridge. Those that say the future of the sport is not flat water, well their Wrong!
Busier than the surf banks haha.
But i reckon 99% of the people in that picture are never going to take it up as a "sport" and will never get on race boards.
They are just doing it as a social hobbie type activity.
$10 hire there isnt it? - why wouldn't they give it a go, but yeah like AndyR says, I agree most wont take up the sport and see themselves on race boards.
Select to expand quoteKierannq said..
$10 hire there isnt it? - why wouldn't they give it a go, but yeah like AndyR says, I agree most wont take up the sport and see themselves on race boards.
Not being negative fellas but is it necessary to "take up the sport"?
I have SUPped for nearly ten years, was one of the original Noosa converts, have been through a succession of various boards of all types and love it.
I have 14', 11'6" and 9'6" boards. but I have no intention of competing.
I believe SUP is an extension of my surfing lifestyle and not a stand alone "Sport".
Just my thoughts, not looking for an argument, but it is lifestyle not competition in my opinion, to each their own.
Enjoy.
ET. 
Thats a nice photo Teatrea and I agree with you but that photo does not capture a busy day.
Often I see a hundred or so paddling as I cross the bridge.
Yeah thats a average day at this time of year!!
That's why we keep it at $10 PH for hire i would much rather see all these families enjoying time on the water than sitting inside watching the TV. We love the fact that a whole family can come down and enjoy some water time and not break the bank doing it.
Select to expand quoteE T said..Kierannq said..
$10 hire there isnt it? - why wouldn't they give it a go, but yeah like AndyR says, I agree most wont take up the sport and see themselves on race boards.
Not being negative fellas but is it necessary to "take up the sport"?
I have SUPped for nearly ten years, was one of the original Noosa converts, have been through a succession of various boards of all types and love it.
I have 14', 11'6" and 9'6" boards. but I have no intention of competing.
I believe SUP is an extension of my surfing lifestyle and not a stand alone "Sport".
Just my thoughts, not looking for an argument, but it is lifestyle not competition in my opinion, to each their own.
Enjoy.
ET.
Fair point ET, I guess I look at it as a sport when I'm out in the ocean learning to DW etc on my 14', doing flat water TT's etc. I also have a wife and daughter (6yrs) who paddle and don't think of it as a sport, wife has zero intention of learning to DW or race, she prefers the flat water social side of things on her 10'6.
So no it's not necessary to "take up the sport" as we put it, but geez it's good seeing big numbers of people getting out on all sorts of boards with their families whether that be racing, or socially cruising around.
Yeah and that's only currumbin creek, if you look at the biggest races in the world most seem to be flat water, Paris crossing, cattajack, Tahoe, that crazy one in Holland the list goes on. Anyhow good to see, the sport hobby has come a long way in a short time. Lol I remember seeing Jacko and a few others doing it, and thought WTF I have to try that. Went out next day and purchased the old Kalama 11.6 tanker and in no time at all managed to snap it in half, lol. Been hooked ever since.
Select to expand quoteE T said...Kierannq said..
$10 hire there isnt it? - why wouldn't they give it a go, but yeah like AndyR says, I agree most wont take up the sport and see themselves on race boards.
Not being negative fellas but is it necessary to "take up the sport"?
I have SUPped for nearly ten years, was one of the original Noosa converts, have been through a succession of various boards of all types and love it.
I have 14', 11'6" and 9'6" boards. but I have no intention of competing.
I believe SUP is an extension of my surfing lifestyle and not a stand alone "Sport".
Just my thoughts, not looking for an argument, but it is lifestyle not competition in my opinion, to each their own.
Enjoy.
ET.
ET i guess its the way I see things. I would think that SUP is ur sport. You don't have to compete to make it your sport of choice. I see the general public who hire a board for some fun every now and then as a hobby.
I hardly compete and if i do its just in local qld racers. My preference is to do long ocean down wind paddles often on my own or with a mate or two. I'm hooked on it and even train a little to improve my paddling so I treat that as my choosen sport.
I tried the $10 sup hire in Currumbin creek and a year later I bought one and now I struggle to find excuses to take the prone boards out In the surf. I do tend to find most in the creek are using their board in a most uncouth and perculiar fashion, like paddling on their bum or towing 3 children on a leg rope like shark biscuits.
"Turn your paddle around " is the most commonly spoken words out there.And that picture is of fairly average day,it gets very busy at times. 
I know a few that tried paddling up there recently on their typical australian family trip to the goldcoast. They loved it but had a heart attack at the price of boards and probably will never do it again. Unless its in that situation.
Can't say I be really unhappy if everyone decided flat water was the way to go down this way 
You guys should try working on the creek with 17 year olds learning how to drive boats and sail lasers.
If I had a dollar for every person I have told to turn your paddle around I could probably buy myself a new SUP
Have towed a few back to the bridge whose ambition didn't match their ability (mainly the ones in Bikinis)
See some interesting participants on the creek over the past 9 years
Of course the bikini wearing paddlers are going to struggle when your buzzing them with your tinny
A couple of weeks ago I loaned my 12 footer to a female workmate and her family to try. They went down to currumbin and had a ball. 1 week later they had sold there kayak and bought there first board, a week after that the husband decided he wanted his own and purchased board number 2, another week on and they are now looking for one for there son. All they want to do is cruise the waterways together. These are the people that are helping to keep the industry alive. Its not all about getting somewhere fast. Slow and steady is also healthy and fun. In saying that I love my race board!
before the rain around the forster area Wallis lake was full of sups. kids, mums and dads,dogs ha...it so good to see just everyday people enjoying themselves on paddle boards...it's kinda cool to hear 10 year old kids hassling their parents to go sup
I was involved in a "sport" for 30 odd years, then I started buying sups and found intrinsic motivation. Have never been happier
Definition below,
Intrinsic motivation is when I am motivated by internal factors, as opposed to the external drivers of extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation drives me to do things just for the fun of it, or because I believe it is a good or right thing to do. There is a paradox of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
