When I introduced paddle boarding to my Dad as this new sport taking off, he laughed and told me he had seen a picture of my Grandad doing it in 1953. I asked him if he was sure about this, and sure enough he found a picture of my Grandad "Samuel Papworth Waite", flat water paddle boarding on a "race" shaped paddle board made out of wood, whilst on on service in Port Said Egypt. some 58 years ago. Could he have been one of the "real" first paddleboarders..?
Your Grandad looks like Action Man. Nice trunks too.
ReplyDeleteAny idea where he got the board from? Was it a home made special or were there others doing it in Egypt in those days?
not really sure, unfortunately I can't ask him. I presume there must have been others. But he must be the first ever UK paddle boarder that there is actually any evidence of!
ReplyDeleteHi, you need to get this photo and story to the British Surfing Museum in Devon
ReplyDeleteI might well look into that.
ReplyDelete