The fourth instructor , Jess Philips , was on River SUP duty . This beginner session aims to give the paddlers a taster into a different SUP paradigm . The ladies were packed off for the day to explore the River Glass , a grade 1 / 2 river that weaves its way down from Glen Affric . The ladies armed with river fins , helmets and quickrelease belts were introduced to rapid running . They all returned with smiles , a few bruises and addiction to rapids .
My sessions were land-based and focused on planning your next expedition , the main goal for the weekend . I felt I wanted to arm paddlers with the skills to plan their expeditions , emphasising that expeditions don ’ t need to be multi-day events . An expedition could be just across a sea , lake , loch or down a river , 500m , maybe four miles , or 50 miles ; it all doesn ’ t matter , as long as the ladies are getting out there ! My session focused on navigation , reading the tides , and planning for the expedition . I talked about my successes and errors in the trips I organised . At the end of the session , I hope to have planted a seed !
And , of course , you can not have an event with a social . The Saturday night , we shared a bbq and drinks and listened to a discussion about Samantha Rutt ’ s epic paddle from Northern Ireland to Scotland . We were hopefully inspiring other paddlers to set themselves challenges .
Expedition
To conclude the weekend , we added a SUP expedition bolt-on trip . Organised to implement the skills the paddlers had learnt over the weekend . Everyone dreams of paddling and staying the night in the wilds , but doing it alone is sometimes daunting . After morning preparation and briefing , we set off to paddle across the other side of Glen Affric . Each paddler carried their tent and belongings . Heading up the glen with high spirits and a headwind , we paddled past the Glen Affric Lodge and made it to the other side . After an evening around a fire , started by a very able South African , Caryn Foster , we settled for the night . We headed back the next day after a brew , breakfast , and rapid bathing in the loch . The conditions back up the glen were captivating and provided the perfect send-off for the paddlers on the trip !
Conclusion
The weekend was a resounding success ; great friendships were made , stories and experiences swapped , and more importantly , we all left promising to do it again next year . The weekend was successful due to the support of the ASI academy of instructors , and the instructors present gave a YES as soon as I asked . More importantly , the success was down to the ladies who came to Scotland , from far and from not so far ; they came with their positivity and paddle vibes . A special thanks and mention to Pat Macdonald and Claire Scott for assisting during the weekend ! See you again next year !
The plan is to roll out three more Symposiums with a slightly different theme . SUP racing in Norfolk , ASI SUP Surfing in Ireland and French Symposium based in Finistere ! s t a n d u p p a d d l e m a g u k 30