If you asked someone about SUP a few years ago, you would likely have just gotten a blank stare. Lately, however, Stand Up Paddleboards seem to be on everyone’s lips, and under everyone’s feet.

The view from most beaches on St. John on a given afternoon usually includes at least one person perched above a wide board with a long paddle in hand. A December 2011 New York Times Travel Section feature story even detailed the wonders of paddle boarding around the island (although the travel writer included a lot of not exactly accurate information about local shark populations, but let’s not split hairs with the Great Grey Lady).

In any case, if you asked someone on St. John about SUP today, they could point you to at least three or four local companies that rent boards and provide lessons. Karen Jarvis is the latest to join the St. John SUP craze. Having been bitten by the SUP bug last year, she recently started her own rental and lesson company - Love City Paddleboards.

But even Karen was a little gun shy at first. When she first spotted a SUP last year, she didn’t want to try to it out.

“About a year ago a friend of mine got a paddleboard for Christmas and we were out at the beach swimming and people were taking turns trying to use it,” said the long-time St. John resident. “They told me to try it, but I was not a particularly athletic person and said, ‘No way; I can’t do that.’”

“At the end of the day, I finally got on the board and proceeded to fall off a few times,” said Karen. “But I got home that night and thought, ‘That was really cool.’ The feeling was amazing.”

Since that first paddle, Karen has purchased several boards, competed in a few regional SUP competitions, started her own business and shed more than 50 pounds along the way.

After gaining recognition first as a West Coast fringe sport about a decade ago, paddle boarding has exploded in popularity on both coasts and even down here in the Caribbean. The weather might have something to do with it. Ideal SUP conditions are small waves with little to no breeze — unless you like battling the swells and gales, which I personally do not. The islands afford a lot of light wind and small seas days, so if the weather is not right for sailing, it's a good time to grab a SUP.

In addition to Karen’s business, Arawak Adventures, Cinnamon Bay Watersports and Big Planet all rent boards and offer lessons on island too. But for Karen, her business is actually a way to finance her own paddle boarding competitions.

“After I went out a few times, I just couldn’t get enough of it,” she said. “Whenever I wasn’t working I was running out to the beach and paddling until dark and getting out there every single weekend.”

She has since competed in Puerto Rico, Tortola, St. Thomas and dreams about taking part in open ocean races one day.

SUP fans explain the sport’s appeal in two ways. There is the exercise element of SUP and, especially here on St. John, the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with nature in an amazingly beautiful environment.

“It’s really wonderful,” said Karen. “It’s a wonderful way to clear your mind and you are amazed by the nature you see here. Sting rays, tarpon, sea turtles have all skimmed right under my board.”

Paddle boarding is also a great workout, working the core muscles to stabilize oneself on the board and using arm strength to paddle.

“Every muscle in your body is required to stabilize your board before you even lift that paddle,” said Karen. An easy sport to approach, paddle boarding can also be tailored to different physical abilities and ages.

“It’s pretty easy to learn,” said Karen. “Just about anyone can do it. And it can be as physical or as easy as you want to make it. You can be casual and actually sit on the board or you can be aggressive and make it very challenging.”

And it's honestly a lot of fun. So see you out there for some SUP!