Dean Dunbar ’ s paddleboarding journey paddleuk . org . uk
46
Please tell us more about your paddling experience
I had paddled in my late teens , often as one day out experiences . When my wife , Rhona , and I moved to Scotland in 2002 , we bought a kayak , and I mainly paddled on lochs . In 2014 , a friend suggested I try SUP . Six months later , we spent three days paddling the 92km Caledonian Canal . I was hooked and spent the next five years taking on various challenges , sometimes solo and sometimes with friends . In 2018 , I injured my foot during the 11-city non-stop race , so now I do prone paddleboarding , which I absolutely love .
What has helped or supported you the most to continue paddling ?
Being blind , it isn ’ t always safe for me to take on some challenges alone , so having Rhona or friends as sighted guides has made my bigger adventures possible . I also started racing , and the support I get from the organisers is invaluable . When I started doing extreme sports back in 1998 , I would regularly encounter issues when I mentioned the “ blind thing ”. GBSUP , SSF , and other UK event organisers have always been very positive and inclusive , for which I am very grateful .
Trust in your guide is a major factor and can take some time to build . I have a really good friend , Patrick , who has been my guide on several adventures . During a trip to St Kilda , we arrived at an island called Haskier to spend the night . Patrick told me that the only way to get onto the island was to leap up from my SUP , grab a narrow ledge that I couldn ’ t see , and then pull myself up onto it . I leapt at the cliff from my SUP , and as my
hands hit the rock face , it was flat , and I began to slide down it . Just as I ’ d come to terms with the fact I was about to take an early bath , my fingertips felt the ledge . I grabbed onto it and was then able to pull myself up .
What should people consider when supporting blind or visually impaired paddlers on the water ?
When I ’ m paddling with friends , I appreciate people describing the trees on the hill or the old castle . I also like it when they tell me about the state of the water , whether it ’ s lumpy or if there are boat wakes . For guidance , I work best with clock-face directions , such as “ Go to 11 o ’ clock ” instead of “ Go left a little bit .”
I have one friend who has used my blindness to our advantage when we were in a kayak race . He would tell me that a boat was catching us up and I needed to pick it up a gear . I later discovered that there was no boat , but he knew what motivated me .
Find out more about Dean ’ s story over on the Paddler UK website . https :// paddleuk . org . uk /