PADDLER 45
At Seaful, the UK-based charity dedicated to connecting more people to our ocean, we have an incredible group of volunteers who help us share the ocean and waterways with people who might not otherwise have had the opportunity. The feedback we receive from our beneficiaries is phenomenal – but if you’ re reading this, I don’ t think I need to explain to you just what paddling can bring to the lives of those who participate in it.
Living and paddling in the Highlands of Scotland is an incredible privilege. But despite a beautiful sense of community, social isolation has been identified as a problem among women here. I was absolutely over the moon when Palm Equipment asked if they could donate a portion of the sales of their new women’ s- specific PFD, the Tika, to Seaful to encourage more women to paddle.
A WOMEN’ S SUP COMMUNITY
I have been wanting to create a women’ s SUP community where I live for a while – a way for people to connect, make friends, and spend that all-important time on( and sometimes in!) the water, which is so very beneficial for our wellbeing. Exploring the ocean and waterways by paddleboard has been the catalyst and vehicle for much of my ocean advocacy as well, and being able to deepen others’ insight into our ocean is a passion of mine and a goal of our charity.
I was more nervous waking up on the morning of our first session than I was the day I woke up to paddle around Cape Wrath in overhead swell. A combination of thoughts was wracking my brain with anxiety – will they get cold, will the wind pick up, will they like it, will this put them off wanting to go anywhere near the sea ever again?
The Early Years Practitioner in the village had introduced me to a small group of women with young children, who had never paddled before, with whom to run a three-part programme. I tried not to overthink it – but that first morning I was flapping about how on earth I was going to teach them everything they needed to know about paddleboarding, the ocean, marine conservation … should I include an exercise from our Ocean Literacy programme, should I guide an on-water meditation or would that be a bit‘ too much’…
Thankfully, my ever-level-headed partner, James, reminded me that all I needed to do was facilitate a good and safe time on the water for them and help them learn a new skill. And of course, he was right.
I returned from the first session buzzing. The two women I had paddling with me were amazing, and they absolutely loved paddleboarding! Neither had done anything like it before, and both expressed nervousness around the water and a wish to be able to take their children into the sea, but that confidence was holding them back. They also told me that as mothers with young children, they couldn’ t remember the last time they had a moment to themselves, and for that to be on the water felt very special.
FORAGING, TOUCHING SEAWEED, AND SEABIRDS
I was so grateful for their trust in me. I had planned for us to build up over three sessions to a wee paddle along the coast to a secret cove where, in spring, wild garlic grows up the beach to the cliffs surrounding it.
Paddling with grins on their faces, partly because they hadn’ t believed that they’ d be able to stand up, we made it there in our first session! And I was able to share three of my favourite things – foraging, touching seaweed, and seabirds – incorporating some of the‘ mindful’ elements of Seaful’ s mission as well. I know not everyone will love seabirds to the extent I do, but I can at least try to get them excited about them!
At the jetty afterwards, we discussed wild garlic recipes, how the sea wasn’ t as cold as expected in wetsuits, and how excited they were to come back and do it again next week. I was over the moon.
During the following two sessions, conducted on beautiful lochs surrounded by iconic mountains such as Stac Pollaidh and Suilven, we honed skills, laughed, got cold, warmed up again, jumped in the water voluntarily, and always found beautiful spots to stop for tea and cake. During these stops, the participants reflected on how these sessions had encouraged them to get outside more in their own time, inspired
PADDLER 45