first . My life has been transformed through adventure and the outdoors , and I knew I had a duty to protect the things that saved my life ; failing The Great Green Paddle was not going to be an option , but despite the difficulties of day one and had no idea of what was yet to come .
The following morning , I was up at 05:00 , and despite the winds coming in early , I tried my best to get closer to the needles , but there was no chance . I managed 3km in two hours , came to the shore , and took shelter . Despite my disheartening attempt , it turned out that my spot on the beach gave me plenty of opportunities to talk with people passing by , enticing more donations and spreading the message of the challenge . While sitting there , I realised how environmentally aware the residents of the Isle of Wight are , proud community members trying to do their bit . With that awareness and the wind clearing , I gave it my best effort to edge closer to the needles .
That evening I made it to a beach 1km short of the needles only accessible by SUP , which resembled a sense from the movie ‘ Castaway ’ and yet being so remote , it was disappointing to see how much rubbish had washed ashore , as usual , a plastic coke bottle .
Thread the Needles
The following morning I was up at the crack of dawn , prepared to ‘ thread the Needles ’. As I paddled closer , the cliffs running up to them were towering above me , making me feel so insignificant and remote , but there was no turning back , and with each stroke , the wind grew stronger . I struggled to hold my nerve , but with success , I passed by and continued my journey along the Isle of Wight ’ s ‘ wild west ’ coastline .
I still had 5km of cliff front to pass , and with the water rolling four feet all around me , I could feel the unease sitting uncomfortably inside me . If anything were to go wrong , I had no safe evacuation point and would be at the mercy of the cliffs staring down at me as they have been for millions of years . I was at such awe of the power of nature that surrounded me .
Eventually , I passed by the cliffs and could relax ever so slightly as I paddled to my next destination and out of nowhere , a rough wave wiped me out . Suddenly my fears and worries had all come true , and to escalate the problem ; I felt something ping from my leash . As I resurfaced , I looked to the shoreline and saw my board , equipment , and everything I had hurtling towards the beach , leaving me stranded about 700 metres out . All I had was my Yak buoyancy aid , my paddle and my radio around my neck .
I had just paddled around the needles
Me with the board the morning after losing my fin
I was in trouble ! This stretch of water is notoriously known for its rip tides , undercurrents and strong winds . With every ounce of my being , I fought hard to swim back to shore and retrieve my board . As I dragged myself out of the water , I was shocked and disappointed that on a busy beach during the summer , not one person came to see if I was alright . It was clear that something had occurred , and thankfully I was ok , but now the challenge was in jeopardy !
Donating a leash
Fortunately for me , the legends at Rapauni came to my rescue and donated a leash to continue this challenge , and after a good rest that evening , I knew I had to put in a big slog if I was going to complete this challenge in time .
The next day I took to the beach at Compton Bay with a good wind behind me and a strong tide , my spirits were high , and I was an unstoppable force ! Stroke after stroke , I was cutting through the water with such ease , and St Catherine ’ s point was fast approaching , an area of water I had not mentally prepared myself for . In the distance , I could see the white waters of two tides crashing in together , and the roar of the water was like nothing I ’ d ever heard ; there was no way I was getting around this , so
15 s t a n d u p p a d d l e m a g u k