2020 has started off with a bang. We've had three back to back storms and now we're in the middle of a pandemic. Those of us that enjoy being outdoors and by the water (or on it), are beginning to go stir crazy.
This week I did something I never imagined I would do. I took an inflatable paddleboard, walked out to the water, inflated the board, got on it and paddled for about 40 minutes in 25mph wind. Full disclosure: I went on my own. I stayed close to shore, took all my safety equipment, dressed for immersion along with my buoyancy aid and told someone when I got on and off the water. Bonus: I managed a mini litter pick as plastic hasn't yet disappeared from our shores.
If you've been out at sea for months, let me catch you up. We're facing an unprecedented crisis globally and its called Covid-19. Its actually a tiny virus that seems to cause flu like symptoms in most people but can actually cause very severe respiratory distress in many. There's a lot of crazy stuff on the internet about this, so I suggest you take a quick look at what the World Health Organization has to say here :http://bit.ly/2U4xdxG. Since we need to either "self isolate" or "socially distance", going on kayaking trips is no longer a good plan. Many people have been telling me that a virus cannot get in the way of paddling. Well, it just did.
So what have I done? I stopped attending all club sessions in the pool or open water approximately two weeks ago. The government is a bit slow to react to scientists, so only advised we stop going out for social activities this week. I had a few sea trips planned in March, April and May; these have all been cancelled or postponed.
Why did I have to act early? If we had all acted sooner, we wouldn't be in this situation. From 5 cases, we have gone to over a 1000 cases in less than a month. I did some fast maths and decided I did not need to be a disease carrier. The virus can spread to vulnerable people via asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic carriers. Of course, I cannot know if I would have mild or terrible symptoms if I got this virus, but the main aim is to stop its spread.
Some people are carrying on paddling in smaller groups, with extra vigilant handwashing and a 2 metre distance between boats. The jury is out on how small the group ought to be, to comply with current social distancing advice. However, we must remember that your paddling partner may not look sick when you go paddling with them, but may get sick a few days later.
Going back to the paddleboarding and litter picking though, I felt like I was having an out of body experience. I actually managed to get on the water and not embarrass myself by losing my board or just being generally incompetent. I stayed near the boats, trying to avoid the wind which picked up speed once I launched and started to make me uncomfortable. At that point, I was less than 100 metres from my launch point and I returned safely. If you look at the picture above, you'll see the ripples in the water. Usually, I'd say that looks like a manageable wind speed, but it was around 25mph at that point which isn't great for a novice paddleboarder.
Lucky for me, I recently bought a second hand paddleboard from sealion boards, who manufacture sustainable boards and donate a portion of their sales towards Sea Lion conservation. The bonus is, their boards are absolutely gorgeous. I knew I wanted to buy a paddleboard because I currently don't have space to store a 16ft fibreglass sea kayak and I don't want to sacrifice the precious time I have now. Kayaking will always be my first love, but paddleboarding offers me so much more freedom right now that I can't stop raving about it.
Have you tried it yet? Maybe once the pandemic is over, it might be a good idea to give it a go with someone who can show you the ropes. I highly recommend
Liverpool SUP company, if you're looking for a great teacher who is knowledgeable and very cool. I don't think I can ever recommend going out on your own, but if you do take all the necessary precaution and try to avoid bad weather days. Stay safe everyone!