Every nook and cranny at the pull off  has a pickup, Subaru or other flavor of roof racked vehicle wedged into it. Just like any beach, anywhere, you can tell the surf is in. Except we’re in West Virginia… yep, that’s the landlocked state to the west of Virginia.

Ok. Let’s review that last sentence briefly…. West Virginia is a sovereign state. It is NOT the western region of the the state of Virginia. It’s remarkable how many folks are still wrestling with that concept.

It’s the STATE to the west. Of. Virginia.

But I digress.  Back to surfing in the Mountain State. The New River Gorge region is on the wish I could live there list of most any whitewater boater, but the state doesn’t exactly make the cover of Surfer, well, ever. Those of us who get labeled “boaters”, “river people” or even “river rats” seem to cross over regularly into the world of surfing. The cultural mindset is pretty similar and I believe it’s rooted in the go with the flow mindset shared by most that are at home on the water. My theories runneth over there, and it’ll certainly be a future post.

An avalanche of dogs, boards and gear tumble from the truck. My friend Spencer, a perpetually grinning, brightly blue-eyed Charleston, SC surfer girl (recently turned Mountain Mamma) flip flops her way down the one lane road to the rocky trail.

I find a half-decent spot to ditch the Chevy that will cost me a mirror to a rafting truck or bus later that day. (Gauley Season admission isn’t always free.) An avalanche of dogs, paddles and surf gear tumble from the truck. My friend Spencer, a perpetually grinning, brightly blue-eyed Charleston, SC surfer girl (recently turned Mountain Mamma) flip flops her way down the one lane road to the rocky trail. We can already hear voices and laughter floating up from river bank intertwined with wafts of hotdogs and steaks grilling on a wood fire. The regular cast of characters line the banks or float in the eddy next to the standing wave.

Surfer Steve, you can always hear him first. He’s the lifer, a retired Sewage Treatment Plant operator from Jersey. Formally known as Squirt Boat Steve he’s returned to his surfer roots and is a permanent fixture on the Gualey River – just like Pillow Rock.

Mel (a.k.a Melanie), the perpetually tan and sinewy former raft guide who’s leading a charge for women in the whitewater SUP world. (What’s SUP? Stay tuned)

Randy, a National Park Service River and Law Enforcement Ranger. This guy handles a surf board like he’s driving a car weather hes on a small standing wave or a pulsing 6 footer on a flood stage river. He recently became a BoardWorks ambassador spreading the love for one of the top SUP manufacturers.

And those are just a few of the regular, regulars… not mentioning the number of river pups lining the banks.

Many a bold, landlocked surfer has dared to try their hand at river surfing throughout the years.

side-mirror-down

We’re all here to surf the Gauley River in West Virginia. Truth is, this isn’t a new phenomenon. Many a bold, landlocked surfer has dared to try their hand at river surfing throughout the years. But, recently the spreading popularity of Stand Up Paddleboarding has sparked a new industry that supports this once outlaying water sport. Stand Up Paddleboards (S.U.P. ‘s for short) are basically high volume ocean surfboards that provide enough buoyancy to be stood on without the momentum of a moving wave. They’re a spin of off traditional long board surfing in Hawaii that integrates a long single bladed paddle for propulsion in lieu of the more common sprawl on the belly and paddle method. SUP’s rocketed into popularity in the past couple years because of the low to no challenge entry level of the sport. Well, on flatwater that is. They are so easy to manage and balance on that quickly folks started bringing their pooches along for the ride… or even performing yoga positions while afloat.

Of course it didn’t take to long for the boating world to try to run, and surf, rivers with these new paddle powered surfboards. And not too long after to start customizing boards specifically for river surfing. Seemingly overnight a surf culture was born in the mountains of West Virginia. Folks are sneaking their way down Rhododendron and moss covered trails or paddling miles down whitewater stretches to access the many incredible standing waves our river offers. We’ll explore this community more in the coming months, but for now I hope you enjoy a quick glimpse into the world of SUP.

Surf’s up, WEST Virginia.