Ma-halo.
After a stiff wind blew during Friday’s set-up, followed by an evening beach concert of energetic funk rock, conditions died down and the lake was placid by dawn on Saturday. Hawaiian dancers and drummers commenced the Aloha Spirit of the Ta-hoe Nalu. That joyful mana carried throughout the weekend. Though the event is competitive, it is also a celebration of the fortune we all share in one of California’s most exquisite natural settings. 
“Fun, Friends, Family and the Aloha Spirit” is the slogan on the poster. This year I was reminded again of the Nalu’s strong family character. The young and the old, and people of all skill levels can enjoy stand-up paddle boarding. It’s a very accessible sport, and that makes it a perfect group activity. It’s families that support and operate the local clubs around the lake. This year the announcer half-jokingly played up the competition between the South Lake SUP kids and the Tahoe Waterman (North Lake) clubs. The North Lake kids won the ramp race, which was determined to be a tiebreaker for the sand castle contest.
For the ASJ booth it was another weekend at the beach, working barefoot, sharing the perfect cover photo and articles for the scene, chatting it up about our sponsors who keep the roadshow going. Speaking of family, my brother and sister-in-law and niece and nephew live on the North Shore, and my parents also came up from Ben Lomond to join me. My daughter came as well, and we all shared the Aloha Spirit together.
