- Lifeguards and the Coast Guard are running more SUP rescues every summer
- Nine kids on paddleboards swept out in Limnos by 7–8 Beaufort winds
- In Lefkada, two SUP riders dialed 112 from their mobiles to get saved
- Union of Lifeguards wants a certification system for SUP users
- Main rules: stay within 500m of the coast, no paddling in bad weather or at night, wear a lifejacket (but almost nobody does)
From Yoga Pose to SOS Call
Stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) was supposed to be the chill hobby—sunset silhouettes, Instagram smiles, maybe a little yoga pose if you are feeling brave. Instead, Greece’s lifeguards are quietly turning into SUP Uber, fetching drifting riders who discover too late that the Aegean is not a hotel pool.
This summer alone, the Coast Guard launched operations in Lefkada, Xylokastro, Limnos, and Halkidiki. In Limnos, a whole flotilla of nine kids found themselves swept away when winds hit 7–8 Beaufort. Lefkada saw two SUP riders who had to use their phones to ping 112, essentially ordering rescue like a pizza delivery.
The Fine Print Nobody Reads
Are there rules for SUP? Yes. Does anyone actually follow them? Not really.
Giorgos Athanasiou, president of the Canoe-Kayak Federation, is blunt: “The main rule is that use is permitted only up to 500 meters from the shore. It is also forbidden in bad weather, at night, and with more passengers than the board allows. Lifejackets are mandatory, but we rarely see them.”
Translation: if you paddle into a gale at sunset with your cousins piled on, you are doing it wrong.
Marios Myronakis, president of the Hellenic Lifeguard Union, backs him up: “Every year, there are more rescues of swimmers who are swept away by currents or injured on the board. None have been fatal, because the board itself acts as a life preserver.”
Since 2020, lifeguards have been equipped with rescue boats and jet skis, making it easier to chase after runaway boards. Still, Myronakis insists: SUP should happen on organized beaches, not random coves where rescue means “call your uncle with a fishing boat.”
Coming Soon: SUP Certification Classes
With incidents piling up, lifeguards are pushing for a simple fix: a short certification course. A few lessons through local clubs, a safety briefing, and suddenly, people would know how not to treat their SUP like a cruise liner. “It will help fans of the sport get familiar with using it, and also understand the dangers and how to avoid them,” says Myronakis.
Until then, the tips are basic but lifesaving:
- Paddle at organized beaches
- Check the weather before you set out
- Don’t paddle more than 500 meters away from the shore
- Don’t paddle at night
- Parents, keep an eye on the kids
- Wear a lifejacket, even if it ruins your tan
Stand-up paddleboarding may look calm from the shore, but the Aegean does not care about your balance. It is less “zen meditation” and more “hold on to the board until the jet ski arrives.”
