If you're in the UK, you've probably noticed that everyone is now into stand up paddleboarding or SUP. A trip to the local canal, river or beach will award you with several people furiously pumping air into their brand new toy with huge smiles on their face. The combination of the pandemic that completely changed our lives, brilliant warm weather and the relative ease of starting paddleboarding has probably fuelled the popularity of the sport this year.
To be honest, I've been busy paddleboarding myself! I swapped my usual week long sea kayaking expedition in Greece with paddleboarding in the Lake District and Snowdonia this summer. I managed to get out on the water 3-4 times a week locally and I honestly never felt happier, despite everything else going on in the world.
Stand up paddleboarding has allowed so many of us to feel happy, even if just for an hour in the middle of a busy work day. We've been out in large numbers doing litter picks, advocating for physical and mental health, promoting water safety and even campaigning for more diversity in paddlesports. Perhaps this is why we all love paddleboarding, there is so much good for us and others while enjoying this sport.
Litter picks
If the pandemic didn't fill your quota for doom and gloom, this year saw an unprecedented increase in littering across the UK (and I think outside too!). I've never seen so many plastic bottles, plastic wrappers and balloons in our waterways in previous years. A councillor in Dorset shared her horrifying photos of the stunning local beaches full of litter left by visitors from all over the country. I still can't get my head around why littering is popular again, but its prompted a huge increase in awareness of the dangers of single-use plastic. Canal and River Trust are asking everyone to take a "Plastic Pledge" and pick up one piece of litter when you're out and about. I'm asking people to go one step further, please identify how much single-use plastic you have in your home and try to swap it for a non-plastic alternative, if possible. There is a lot of information on easy swaps here.
Physical and Mental Health
Before the pandemic, my local pavements were fairly empty and my local waterways were sparse barring a few kayakers/paddleboarders getting on the water once or twice a week. Once we went into lockdown, daily exercise became an important part of our day. Emerging from lockdown, I noticed many more paddleboarders out and about on local waters. I'd like to think we became more conscious of our physical wellbeing, but I noticed how much more commonplace it had become to talk about our mental health. When I started kayaking five years ago, I always thought it was a great escape from my extremely busy life and a way to socialise. As time has passed, I find that being on the water in my kayak or paddleboard is more than just old fashioned escapism, but more on that in another blog post.
Promoting water safety
We can't talk about paddlesports without promoting water safety. Sadly, many people this year took a few risks while paddleboarding and the RNLI recorded their highest call-out numbers this year over the last four years. Its easy to get caught out trying something new like paddleboarding, especially out at sea. Our seas can be rather unforgiving, so many paddleboarders spread awareness about how to stay safe when you're out on the water. Its really helpful to get a lesson or two to understand what safety equipment might be needed and how to use it if you get into trouble. I always tell people to wear a buoyancy aid and leash when going on a trip on flat water. There are several types of leashes out there, so its a good idea to check which one's right for you.
Campaigning for diversity
Has anyone else noticed that we're talking about diversity a lot more this year? "Black Lives Matter" is an organisation that initially started in 2013 to raise awareness of the continuous injustices faced by black people, ignited a much bigger conversation about race and ethnic diversity all over the world this summer. I'm very grateful for people who asked me what I thought about the lack of racial diversity in paddlesports. I'm often the only female or the only non-white female when I'm out paddling and sadly, I've become accustomed to it. It never struck me as odd, until someone asked me how I felt about racial diversity in paddleboarding. We talk about gender diversity so much more, its easy to forget there is racial diversity and neuro-diversity to make our sport safe and inclusive. Lack of role models plays a big role in this and I'm hoping I can do something to change that in a small way.
To me, stand up paddleboarding is more than just a sport. In about 30 minutes of paddleboarding, we can get fresh air (we need oxygen), low impact exercise (combat sedentary life), enjoy endorphins and nature (mental wellbeing), litter pick (to be kind to our environment) and fundraise for a cause of your choice! When you can have such an impact on yourself and others while paddleboarding, why wouldn't you get hooked? :-)