GREY skies didn’t dampen the spirits of 12 intrepid paddlers in Port Stephens last week, as the annual SUP Newcastle Santa SUP came to Fingal Bay.

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Paddlers traded their wetsuits for the famous red of Father Christmas and hit the water to celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, and the year that was.

Routinely held at Newcastle’s Dixon Park Beach, unfavourable wind and weather conditions saw the event moved to Fingal.

“Of course the Southerly got us as always,” Dylan Henry, founder of SUP Newcastle, told News Of The Area.

“We didn’t get as many as in previous years, with Covid-19 and with the weather deterring a few people.”

Dylan said the Santa SUP was a good opportunity to bring local stand up paddle board riders together.

“It was great. For a rainy, southerly day to have 12 on the water we were pretty pleased,” he said.

“That was the fifth or sixth year that we have done it and it is just a chance to get together before the holiday period, go surfing and have a good time.”

Locals won’t have long to wait for more SUP action, with the Port Stephens SUP Weekend expected to take place in the area from March 12 to March 14, 2021.

The SUP surfing element of the weekend will be run at One Mile, Birubi or Fingal, with the technical section possibly at Fingal and the long distance event at Shoal Bay.

By Doug CONNOR