The Bay Area of San Francisco is the largest natural harbor in the world. There’s so much water all over, from the delta, to the coast, to the small coves or the bays. Below is a list of our favorite spots for Stand Up Paddle Boarding in the San Francisco Bay Area. Over the next few weeks we will be completing the Spots description with Maps, Itineraries, and tips.

#1) Sausalito – Richardson Bay:

The charming little town of Sausalito is the one of the best gateway to SUP in the Bay Area. It is ideal for beginners with mild conditions in the Richardson Bay. It can be challenging for advanced paddlers with paddles to Tiburon or Angel Island. And it can be extreme paddling out of the Golden Gate, around Alcatraz or Angel Island.

For first timer, the best is to take a clinic, a private lesson or to rent a board at the Schoonmaker beach from our partner Sea Trek. From there depending on the wind, tides and current it is possible to cruise to the House boats, across to Strawberry or to downtown Sausalito.

For most advanced paddlers, it takes about 1h30 to go to the end of the Bay in Mill Valley. Watch for the tide because it can get pretty shallow water. An other trip is paddling to Tiburon and back and that takes about 1h20 total. It is also possible to paddle to Yellow Bluff and back, counting 1h20, it can be a fun and challenging paddle when approaching the Golden Gate.

For Experts and very strong paddlers only, full body wetsuit and lifejacket required. There are many options spiced with waves, currents, swell and surf. From Fort Baker back to Sausalito, Fort Backer to Point Bonita, Rodeo Beach back to Sausalito, Sausalito around Angel Island, or Fort Baker around Angel Island back to Sausalito.

#2) The Golden Gate

#3) San Francisco

#4) The Delta

#5) The Petaluma river

#6) The South Bay

Hunter moving the expedition

In the next few weeks the SUP THE BAY team will be testing and reviewing all the SUP gear one can imagine. Over the last few months we have been talking to the best boards, and paddles makers in the industry. We will be reviewing beginner boards, touring boards, race boards, surf boards.  Our reviews will evaluate various aspects from stability (flat water, chop, swell), speed, tracking…
Stay posted to find out more about:
• the new Tahoe SUP boards
• the innovative Imagine SUPs
• Boga’s surf boards
• M&M race boards
• Riviera’s race boards
• C4 boards
• Camelbak hydration system

and many more…

Bark 12.6"

Proposed course for April 16th

Saturday the 16th of April, Bluerush boardsports and supthebay.com are organizing the first Marin county downwind SUP race from Horseshoe Bay to Bluerush in Sausalito via Belvedere point (green buoy). The course is about 4.5 miles long, and it should take 45′ for the fastest paddlers. Open to 12.6″, 14″, unlimited and prone. That day the tide will be pushing us towards Belvedere and Tiburon. A fun and maybe challenging course depending on the conditions.

• Meet at 9am in front of the coast guard station for registration
• 9.45am safety briefing
• 10am mass start

Leash required and PFDs for novice. Call or email Bluerush or supthebay.com for more information.

This Saturday, January 15th, the SUP or Stand Up Paddle board series are returning to the Sausalito Richardson Bay. The series are open to anyone with or without SUP racing experience.  Meet at 8.30 at Bluerush Paddlesports in Sausalito (located in Clipper yacht Harbor).

Race starts at 9 am. Numerous prizes available. Are Fuller, Sarrazin, or Banfield going to win an other series?

The mythic Golden Gate Bridge, the link between the dynamic San Francisco and beautiful Marin county. How many of us have gone over the bridge looking at the sailboats, or the ships coming into the Bay? How many  of us have ever wondered what it would be like to be down there on the water?

I had gone under the bridge many times in the past in a Sea Kayak or SurfSki. But last spring I started experimenting Stand Up Paddling under the Golden Gate with the folks from Sea Trek in Sausalito. I’m now hooked, every time there’s some good swell coming in, I get out there to enjoy the Bay, the Bridge, the waves. Obviously it’s not “real” surfing but it’s tons of fun to catch some waves, surf the swell, fall in the water, play with the currents, go from one to cove to the other. One beauty of Stand Up Paddle boarding is really the combination of “surfing”, getting a workout and doing something adventurous just 10 minutes away from home. Continue Reading

Sausalito is now at the center front of Stand Up Paddleboard racing in Northern California. After the Sea Trek Regatta in October, the Richardson Bay is the terrain for the Winter Race Series. Four races are taken place on the second Saturday of every month. The racing distances are of 2 miles or 4 miles, the courses are fairly easy with little chop, and almost no current. The first races have attracted some of the fastest Stand Up Paddlers in Northern California and numerous beginner racers.

The next race is schedule for January 15th, the one after that for February 12th.
On your boards!

Looking for some training on SUP. Join the Sausalito SUP paddle group. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday at 3.30 pm at the Sea Trek beach in Sausalito. A typical paddling session lasts for 1-1.30h, and combines either more “adventurous” SUP sessions (to the Golden Gate bridge, around Angel Island) or interval training sessions.

The group is composed of men and women, racers and non-racers. It’s free of charge and geared towards training for local and regional races. If you don’t have your own gear, we can rent you the necessary equipment.