This weekend it really hit home to me how much the surfing community hates stand up paddlers. I surf at the very crowded Manly Beach and we are starting to get the nice autumn swells and offshore winds. On Saturday morning I went out before dawn and had a nice break to myself for about 15 minutes. Then lots of surfers came out and one old guy, wazza, told me I had no control, was dangerous and needed to move away.

I gave up the break and went to the channel next to it and managed to catch a few of the fuller waves.

Sunday morning, same thing. This time there were about 4 sup surfers out plus lots of surfers. I went and sat down on my sup with "Wazza", asked him if he could stop screaming at me to have a discussion about the issue. I said I also thought it was dangerous to have 4 sups in such a crowded place and suggested that we all agree that one part of one break be given to the sup surfers. The surfers would have all the rest of the many breaks.

"Wazza" was having none of this and just kept saying how much sup surfers were despised by everyone and should not be allowed in the water.

Talking to him was a waste of time so I headed off to find a safe spot. On my way another surfer reached out and gave my board a shove causing me to fall off.

I had a good surf after that not caring a hoot for the surfers.

When I got home I thought it would be nice to go on a sup surfing trip somewhere so I looked up surf safaris, the big surfing holiday site. They said they did sup surfing trips but would not take sup surfers to the surfing spots overseas because sup surfers "should not be in the line up". Instead they go to "spots where the waves are not good enough for the surfers"

To top it off I was wondering why one of my friends who is a surfer never asks me surfing now I ride a sup.

Is there really an issue with sup surfing or are surfers just selfish angry people.