Seaful : The best day ever at Chelmarsh Sailing
As I mentioned in the introduction , I am a proud ambassador for the charity Seaful , founded in 2020 by Cal Major . You may have watched her beautiful threepart documentary Scotland Ocean Nation on STV Player , featured in last month ’ s SUP Mag UK . If not , do treat yourself !
Seaful aims to inspire , educate and empower . They want to engage more people in the conversations around our blue planet . The charity was founded in response to a growing awareness that , as a society , many of us have become disconnected from our ocean . As Cal told me recently , what ’ s out of sight is often out of mind , and Seaful ’ s work is about reconnecting us to our oceans and waterways .
One of their Vitamin Sea projects in 2022 included giving over 100 primary school children from around Wolverhampton the opportunity to spend the day at Chelmarsh Sailing Club , where they took part in SUP , nature walks and mental health workshops . For many of them , this was their first time being on and around water in this way , and some were initially unsure . Craig Jackson of SUP Shropshire , who had organised for Seaful to visit Chelmarsh , said that by the end of the day , the children told him , “ I ’ ve had the best day ever !”
Seaful is looking to roll out more opportunities like this as a charity . If you run a water-based activity centre , are a qualified instructor or would like to be involved in a voluntary capacity , go to www . seaful . org . uk , or you can email the team at hello @ seaful . org . uk . Th is is also the email to use if you wish to take part in a session or refer a group or individual .
Tackling invasive non-native species : what we can do to help !
Photo : British Canoeing
As paddleboarders , we have a unique opportunity to enjoy our inland waterways , be that canals , rivers , lochs or lakes . As spring has arrived and with more of us out on the water , ensuring we don ’ t transfer invasive non-native species ( INNS ) from one body of water is very important .
INNS are plants and animals that have been introduced into our waterways , intentionally or unintentionally , from outside their natural geographic area . Many are harmless , but some can create significant environmental damage , kill native wildlife and cause biodiversity loss . British Canoeing estimates
Photo : Craig Jackson
the number to be 2000 plants and animals from all over the world . If you have ever tried paddling through floating pennywort , you ’ ll also know it ’ s not fun ! There is also Himalayan Balsam , Giant Hogweed , water fern and Parrot ’ s Feather . Killer shrimps and Signal crayfish pose a risk to native invertebrates , fish and plants .
How can we help ?
A ) Make sure we follow the Check , Clean and Dry guide every time we leave the water , including removing anything on our boards before we leave the site . Did you know some species can survive for up to two weeks in damp conditions ?
B ) Volunteer with British Canoeing , the Angling Trust , Canal & Rivers Trust , or a local SUP or canoe club to remove INNS from your local waterway .
For more information , go to https :// www . britishcanoeing . org . uk / acc ess-and-environment / invasive-nonnative-species or www . canalrivertrust . org . uk
Until next time , happy and safe paddling ! Jo x
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Seawilding – Seagrass and Sea Lion Boards working together
Seawilding , founded by Danny Renton , is a charity pioneering Scotland ’ s first communityled seagrass marine restoration at Loch Craignish , a sea loch on the Argyll coast . So why Seagrass ? Seagrasses are the only flowering plants able to live and pollinate in seawater . They absorb CO2 from the atmosphere , helping fight climate change , and also provide vital habitat and spawning ground for fish and other marine species . Growing in large groups likened to an underwater meadow , Seagrasses have been called the ‘ lungs of the sea ’, responsible for 15 % of the ocean ’ s total carbon absorption . However , they are under threat from the many pressures affecting our oceans .
From 2021 – 2022 , the Seawilding team planted ½ hectares of seagrass and is committed to planting more this year . Loch Craignish has ten small seagrass meadows , and Seawilding believes around 80 hectares of the seabed can be restored .
Sea Lion Boards are supporting Seawilding with a financial donation from each board sold and by giving the team paddleboards to conduct their work . Founder William Marsh told me why , “ With seagrass having such an important role in biodiversity and overall sequestered CO2 on a global scale , it was an easy choice for us to make our contribution . We saw Seawilding as a fantastic opportunity to help a community of passionate people wanting to make a change and protect their local environment . Loch Craignish is a stunning location , and due to the rocky coast , getting out to certain areas for mapping and planting wasn ’ t easy for the team . That ’ s where we came in with our boards and donated them to the team , allowing them to reach areas quietly and safely without disturbing the under or above-water environments .”
On 5-6th August , Seawilding is offering guided SUP sessions over the seagrass meadows as part of their Wild Seas Weekend . To find out more , including beautiful merchandise and take part in the nationwide Great Seagrass Survey , go to www . seawilding . org
Photo : Seawilding