On a warm, clear late afternoon at Ala Moana Beach Park, Tara Soleta guides her stand-up paddleboard to shore with a series of slow, deliberate strokes.

End-of-day moments like this are invaluable to the Waipahu Elementary School language arts teacher, who says she finds peace and serenity gliding atop the glassy waters of the popular beach.

"When you're on the water, you just forget about everything," she says. "You can just focus on your thoughts and nothing is wrong."

Soleta is one of a burgeoning number of stand-up paddleboarders whose presence has drawn the notice, and at times the ire, of swimmers and other ocean users.

On May 2, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources will host an informal meeting to discuss how best to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the beach for all in light of its increased use by stand-up paddleboarders. The meeting is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon at Ala Moana Beach Park's McCoy Pavilion.

According to Meghan Statts, the O'ahu district manager for the state Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation, it's an issue best addressed before the start of summer, when traffic at the beach is expected to once again boom.

"Our idea is not to set up new rules and regulations but to work with the community and have the people who use the area work together to come up with a solution," Statts said. "We'd rather have that versus us setting new policies that would be very difficult to enforce."

Statts said her division received numerous complaints from swimmers and other beachgoers last summer, when the number of stand-up paddleboarders on the water began to peak.

"There were as many as 250 of them on weekends," Statts said. "Most of the complaints were from swimmers who thought that using any kind of board in the area was illegal."

Statts emphasized that there is nothing illegal about stand-up paddleboarding at the beach, but she said that it is important for swimmers and paddleboarders to come to some sort of understanding to prevent future problems.

"We want everyone to be good neighbors," she said.

Stand-up paddleboarding dates back to ancient Hawai'i as a variant to traditional surfing. It is sometimes referred to as beach boy surfing, a nod to the Waikiki beach boys who would paddle their boards standing up to keep an eye on novice surfers or snap photos for tourists.

SURGE IN POPULARITY

According to the stand-up paddleboarding Web site www.SUPGlobal.com, the contemporary form of the sport was popularized by veteran surfers and watermen such as Dave Kalama, Brian Keaulana, Rick Thomas, Archie Kalepa and Laird Hamilton, who took to stand-up paddleboarding as a way to stay in shape when the surf was small.

In the last two years, the sport has enjoyed skyrocketing popularity among serious ocean sport athletes and recreational ocean-goers alike.

"It's a great overall workout," said competitive stand-up paddleboarder Jennifer Koki, 26, of Punchbowl. "It's like a gym on the ocean."

Koki said she regularly paddles at Ala Moana Beach with her 5-year-old daughter, Lilly, and other family members.

"It's protected (by the reef), the water is flat and there's easy access," Koki said. "I can go out while my family lays out on the beach. And if Lilly paddles and she falls off the board, she can stand up in the water."

Koki said that while novice paddleboarders who have difficulty controlling their boards may pose an inconvenience to swimmers, she hasn't seen any real problems between paddleboarders and other ocean users in the area. She's even given lessons to curious swimmers.

"They'll come up to me and say, 'Wow, that's really cool. How do I get started?' " she said.

Koki suspects that it's a small minority of swimmers who have complained.

"Some people have been swimming here for years and then they see something new coming in," she said. "Just like any sport, there will be a few people who get grumpy and territorial."

Ala Moana Beach is a popular spot for competitive and recreational swimmers who appreciate its calm waters and convenient location.

'A FEW CLOSE CALLS'

Triathlete Thomas Mark, 60, of Honolulu, swims at the beach three or four times a week and has had "a few close calls" with passing stand-up paddleboarders.

"On a light day there may be 10 or 15 of them out here," he said. "On a heavier day, it may be 40 or 50."

Mark, a financial analyst by day, wears a bright swim cap for visibility and keeps an eye out for paddleboards whenever he swims. "You can't just put your head down and swim anymore," he said.

Still, Mark said he understands the paddleboarders have as much right to be in the water as he does. Mark said he hopes the state doesn't set aside a separate area for the paddleboarders, as is being considered because it would cut short his longer swim routes. If anything, he said, the state might consider setting a minimum distance from shore for stand-up paddleboard use.

"I'm not sure what they could do that would be fair for everybody," he said. "Everybody deserves to be in the water."

Sharon Mols, 58, of Palolo, swims at the beach every day and said she has never had a problem with stand-up paddleboarders.

"I like that they're out there," said Mols, a secretary at Palolo Elementary School. "Everyone is everywhere (in the water), but they're not in the way at all."

John Jones, a 56-year-old carpenter from St. Louis, also swims at the beach every day. He, too, has noticed the increase in stand-up paddleboarders but said there is enough room in the water to accommodate everyone.

"They're not a problem," he said. "They're standing up, so they can see me if they're close."

Soleta, the language arts teacher, said she's always aware of who is around her when she paddles and will change course if there are swimmers in her path.

"It's just common courtesy and common sense," she said. "It's not just swimmers. There are surfers and kids out here, too. Everybody has to be aware of their surroundings."

Soleta said she hopes that whatever problems exist can be resolved without formal measures.

"It would be a shame if they tried to ban or restrict (stand-up paddleboarding)," she said. "We're all here for the same reason — to enjoy the ocean."