SARAH THORNELY
Photos :
Will Reddaway
Princely ( adjective ) ‘ very grand ’
Born in South Wales , Brendon spent many hours in the local waters as a child – after obtaining his degree from Exeter University , he moved to the south west to teach at a boys ’ grammar school and remained there for 25 years . As the Head of Outdoor Education , a lot of his teaching was waterbased , with skills and safety in the water taught to thousands of young men .
Brendon is no stranger to adventure and perseverance , having travelled the world testing survival clothing in freezing waters in Iceland , ice climbing in the Alps , Himalayas and Rockies and kayaking on the massive Indus River . He ’ s also raised thousands of pounds by swimming , running , SUPing , kayaking and MTB in some pretty unique events .
As a SLSGB surf lifeguard , Brendon ’ s life was changed when as an off-duty lifeguard , he tried to rescue but unfortunately lost three souls on the north Cornish coast . This had such an impact on him that he decided to dedicate his life to teaching water safety education to all children and , perhaps more importantly , teachers of those children .
Brendon then set up the charity ‘ Above Water ’, which teaches water safety and drowning prevention theory , trains teachers , beach-based practicals , lifesaving , the mental health benefits of swimming and water sports , whilst being mindful of the charity ’ s impact on the planet . So far , they have reached over 100,000 children with their teachings .
Brendon has been stand up paddleboarding since 2008 , and whilst loving SUP surfing and racing , he is also pushing the boundaries of distance paddling . He has a wealth of ocean experience and believes this adventure will push his physical and mental limits to their boundaries .
THE LONG PADDLE 2021 has been launched to raise money and awareness for charities close to Brendon ’ s heart ; Above Water , SAS , RNLI , Surf Life Saving GB , The Wave Project , Christian Surfers UK and Andy ’ s Man Club . 50 % of all monies raised will also set up a free online interactive tutorial for schools , children and parents on water safety and drowning prevention .
Brendon has had this idea for a few years now and is hoping to set off in the third week of April , weather permitting – the plan is to circumnavigate Britain ’ s coastline , some 3,500 km of open ocean , something that he is incredibly familiar with .
He will start and finish in Torbay and travel in a clockwise direction . Many figures are flying around about ‘ how long ’. Brendon has a plan for under 90 days and hopes to smash some world records along the way . The trip is dependent on the support of the land crew and sponsorship . All admin , cooking and sleeping will be conducted from the vehicle .
For now , we wish Brendon every success at the start of his trip . Please do get in touch with him via the website if you can offer any sponsorship for a particular kit , land crew support , donations , or to be a friendly , knowledgeable local who can give tips and paddling companionship along the way . Watch this space for further reports …