Paddlesports can have wonderful benefits on our wellbeing. From busting bad moods to helping improve more serious issues such as depression and anxiety, paddling is great for your mental health.
The first Covid lockdown saw unprecedented sales of paddleboards as the uptake and demand to try this fast growing sport hit an all time high. Retailers such as Red Paddle Co experienced a 300% rise in SUP sales – and now, as we navigate lockdown 3.0, what’s the next step?
Water Skills Ambassador Stacey Smithson-Grey’s idea for ‘The Lake District 12’ came about after regularly seeing the question on social media groups/forums asking which lakes you can and can’t paddle in the Lake District. Read her diary of her stand up paddleboarding adventure across all 12 of these lakes in 2020.
The water has never been busier with paddlers. As a result of this increased uptake, Water Skills Academy has received a constant number of calls and emails, requesting our advice and opinion on safety equipment and working environments. One of the most popular questions has been about leashes and their use.
This month marks a new milestone for Water Skills Academy, as we have just been awarded full B Corp certification. It has been an interesting and eye-opening journey, but we are proud to be joining the likes of Patagonia, Jamie Oliver Group, Able & Cole, The Body Shop and almost 4,000 companies around the world, each measuring our impact across every facet of the business, and being held to a benchmark that’s a transparent and quantifiable standard.
Are you a passionate paddleboarder looking to turn your hobby into a thriving business? Look no further than our latest blog post, where we interview Caz Dawson (aka ‘SUP Lass’), founder of SUP Lass Paddle Adventures. Caz shares her personal journey in the stand-up paddleboarding industry, including the inspiration behind her successful SUP school and the challenges she faced along the way.
If you're a paddleboarder, you know firsthand the joys of being out on the water. But did you know that you can use your passion for paddleboarding to help protect the environment? By becoming a citizen scientist, you can make a valuable contribution to seagrass conservation and help to protect this vital ecosystem in the UK.
Becoming B Corp certified is hugely exciting. That huge sigh of relief you breathe when you first get wind of the news. Namely due to the sheer work involved in getting your business over the line. Truthfully, change is always uncomfortable. But it’s a hugely important element of bettering ourselves and our businesses. And in the case of B Corp certification, there is a huge warm, fuzzy feeling waiting for you, knowing you have carried your business over that all-important first line.
Here’s some of the advice we wish we’d received before we set out on our B Corp journeys.
Hiring SUP equipment offers a convenient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly option for individuals who want to enjoy the sport. But what should you be looking for when it comes to hiring the right SUP equipment to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable experience? We’ve pulled together the key things to look for when hiring stand up paddleboarding kit.
As a BCorp with a business model centred around the ocean, we are already acutely aware of the importance of sustainable business and ethics in our work, as well as in our everyday decision-making. Earlier this month we headed to The Blue Earth Summit in Bristol, to share in and learn from the thoughts and ideas from those putting people and the planet first.
The end of summer marks our business year end, and a time when we donate 1% of our annual revenue to like-minded environmental organisations and charities, as part of our ‘1% For The Planet’ membership. Our revenue is generated from our valued members through their membership, watersports courses we run across the globe, sustainable SUP holidays and events that we hold throughout the season.
As more of us seek to find solace in the outdoors, it's a love and appreciation for nature that takes us there. The humble wetsuit is already a global environmental problem in its own right. But as fast fashion outlets race to capitalise on surfing and the watersports world post-pandemic, are we about to see ‘single-use’ surf culture explode at a time when we all should be contributing to positive purchasing change?
Wetlands are one of the most threatened global ecosystems, so how can we, as a paddlesport community, do more to protect and preserve them? Our presence has a risk of upsetting the delicate balance of the ecosystems that thrive in these protected areas. By being mindful of some quick pointers is a step in the right direction, so we can practically and collectively do that bit more.
.jpg)
.JPG)
