Florida Panhandle Plunges

Do you have BIG plans for the 1st day of the New Year? Great....then you should join us at one of these two events supporting great causes. One's in Navarre Beach, FL and one in Destin, FL so we've got you covered on both ends.

Juana's Pagodas and Sailors' Grill on Navarre Beach, FL will host the third annual Penguin Plunge and Paddle. Participants will receive a long sleeve T-shirt and enjoy food, drinks and music from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. A 1-mile paddle board competition has also been added this year and will begin at 12:30 p.m. Proceeds to benefit Fisher House . For more information or to pre-register please visit: http://www.active.com/swim-meet/navarre-fl/penguin-plunge-and-paddle-2012

The Crab Trap Restaurant in Destin, FL will also be the host for this years Polar Bear Plunge/Paddle with all proceeds benefitting the Destin Junior Lifeguard Program. Event starts at 11:00am and cost is $20.00 and does include a T-Shirt! No pre-registration is available so come early and join the plunge for a great cause.

Both of these wonderful events are supporting a great cause so come on out and show your support on January 1, 2012.

Can't wait to see you on the water....Happy New Year & Paddle On!

Battle on the Bayou Stand Up Paddle Race

Be sure to mark your calendars for Dec. 10th and head to Scully’s on the bayou for fun on the water with BOTE Board. This is definitely a race you don't want to miss offering CASH prizes and some pretty awesome prizes for the raffle also.

You can pre-register at http://boteboard.ticketbud.com/battleonthebayou or call BOTE at 850.424.5010 for more information.

Proceeds to benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Battle of the Paddle Florida

Well it's that time again when our Florida guys head out to California for the Battle of the Paddle. This Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24-25, will be action packed with races all of types for the competitive at heart and I know our guys are gonna give it all they've got.

One of our local companies, YOLO BOARD, will have a nice showing on their new race boards and they are sure to take top honors with the speed of their team.

Here's a quick shot of 3 Florida guys you need to keep an eye on for sure. YOLO BOARD owner, Jeff Archer, in the center is ready to take his Team YOLO all the way. This crew took 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall in the GUSU Paddlesports Race this past weekend in Destin, FLorida.

14' Prowler YOLO Race Boards are ready to take the water (photo courtesy of Dave Meadows)

I wish I could mention all of our local riders, but I would hate to leave anyone out so I wish you all the best of luck.

Paddle On!

GUSU Panhandle Stand-Up Paddleboard Race Series

GUSU Paddlesports is holding a race series from July 16 Through October 8. Four races, four miles long...4 different locations! A 1 mile race has also been added which makes for a great day on the water for everyone.

The 1st race took place on July 16th at North Light Marina in Niceville and it was a great way to start off the series. Congratulations to the overalll winner, Phil McDonald, and to everyone who participated.

The next race dates are August 20 at Liza Jackson Park, September 17 in front of Pompano Joe's on the Gulf, and October 8 on the Destin Harbor starting on the dock of Electric Cowboy.

Register online at Active.com Panhandle Stand Up Paddleboard Classic Race Series or call Matt or John at 850-650-7999 for more information.

Paddle On!

BOTE Paddleboarding Destin

For those looking to spice up their fishing experience or add some flare to their paddleboard, look no further than the new paddleboard designed by BOTE Paddleboards. The new business opened their doors in November 2010 and takes claim to the world’s first stand-up paddleboard built especially for anglers.

The design includes a leaning post with rod holders, a Yeti cooler with a seat cushion and bungee tie-down system on the front where you can put fish or tackle.

The BOTE boards aren’t just for fishing, though as all of the accessories are fully removable.

Contact BOTE Paddleboards today at http://www.BOTEBoard.com

Sonic 5000 SUP Race

Left to Right: Packet Casey (Jimmy Lewis) 3rd Place, Matt McDonald (Team GUSU)1st Place and Justin Cook (Team YOLO) 2nd Place.


Matt's broken paddle

The Sonic City 5000 Race took place in Fort Walton Beach, Fl this past Saturday. It was a 15 mile downwind race that turned into an endurance race in the middle of a downpour. The weather definitely didn’t cooperate, but due to strong determination and dedication from all participants it was a race we’ll all remember.

Matt McDonald, representing Team GUSU, actually broke his paddle at the first 5 miles but continued the next 10 miles to finish the race in 1st place. Matt travels all over to race and has more will to train than anyone I know. Due to Matt's paddle breaking his hands were really messed up, but the only thing he complained about was not having his paddle to continue his training on Monday getting ready for his next race. Matt is an awesome racer, and highly recommends the products he uses to others. We have an awesome paddle community here on the Emerald Coast and we highly recommend this sport to anyone and everyone who enjoys the water.

Matt McDonald (Team GUSU) placed 1st, Justin Cook (Team YOLO) placed 2nd, and Packet Casey (Jimmy Lewis) took 3rd.

Way to go guys.....Paddle On!

Sponsor a Destin Lifeguard for the 2010 National Lifeguard Championship

The 2010 USLA National Lifeguard Championship will be held August 5-7 at Huntington State Beach, Huntington Beach, California. Destin Lifeguards assemble a team to compete in this championship each year, and they train very hard to make a name for our small town. This year Destin was chosen to host the Regional Championships which was to be held July 15-17. Due to unforeseen circumstances with the Oil leak threatening our gulf waters the competition was cancelled. Most of the businesses in the Destin area have seen a decrease in their profits over the last couple of months, so fundraising to support our lifeguards going to competition was put on hold.

Destin Lifeguards competed last week in relay races in Jacksonville, Florida, where they took 2nd place out of 17 teams. They actually placed 1st in 5 of the 7 relays so needless to say I think they are definitely ready to represent Destin in the National Championships.

Competitions can get rather costly when there is travel involved and the lifeguards pay for this on their own. They also train hard on their own time. Airfare, hotel, food, gas and misc. is needed for the trip to Huntington Beach. Some lifeguards will be able to fly, but some will have to drive so that they can get their equipment out there safely.

If you are interested in sponsoring a lifeguard to compete in the National Championships please give Beach Safety Chief, Joe D'Agostino, a call at 850-685-0408. Any donation is greatly appreciated and we look forward to seeing our Destin Team on Top.