Over the last few years hasn’t this wonderful sport of stand up paddleboarding has exploded, with thousands of leisure paddlers joining the scene. The waterways, rivers and beaches have become more crowded on the daily.
Many of us who have been paddling for years - be it leisurely with our club mates, or racing with the ever-growing band of super-fast and enthusiastic paddlers - now want something more. Even those who are fairly new to the sport seek adventure and longer, more challenging trips.
“Adventure paddling is good for the mind, body and soul.”
Rewind a few years ago, and you had the likes of adventurers Fiona Quinn, Sian Sykes, Lizzie Carr and Cal Major warming-up our waters for the boys who followed on, pretty sharpish. Suddenly, adventure and expedition paddling has become a “thing”, and what a treat it’s been to be able to follow these paddlers.
Fiona Quinn
Image credit: David Altabev
In 2018, Fiona Quinn became the first woman to SUP across the Irish Sea and also paddleboarded the length of Britain on an inflatable board (SUP LEJOG).
Sian Sykes
Image credit: Chris Davies/Eastwood Media
Also in 2018, Sian Sykes became the first person to complete a solo-unsupported 1000km circumnavigation of Wales.
Cal Major
Image credit: James Appleton
In 2016, Cal Major paddled around the whole of the Cornish coast, in 2017 she paddled solo and unsupported around the Isle of Skye and in 2018 she also paddled LEJOG. Cal recently paddled 800 miles around Scotland’s coastline.
Lizzie Carr
Image credit: Lizzie Outside
Lizzie Carr was the first person to paddle the entire length of Britain’s waterways in 2016, in 2017 the first person to paddleboard solo across the English Channel and in 2018 became the first to paddle the length of the Hudson River in America. All these female adventurers have been raising awareness for great causes such as plastic pollution and the climate crisis and we have a lot to thank them for.
Jordan Wylie
Image credit: Supjunkie
Three men in particular also caught our eye and we start with one complete beginner, Mr Jordan Wylie – fresh from his plan to run marathons in the coldest places on earth, these plans were then thwarted by the C-word! He needed a new mega-challenge to raise money for a school he had promised to the children on the Horn of Africa and when you know this man, he is true to his word. His announcement that he planned to paddleboard around the whole of Great Britain certainly drew in some breaths and raised a few eyebrows but many of us held the faith.
The great link between many of these expedition paddlers is their willingness, and indeed necessity, to learn to paddle in all sorts of conditions and get expert help and that is where the Water Skills Academy has come in. It seems to be the go-to place for advice and training to deal with the high seas and potentially life-threatening weather and water conditions.
Jordan’s go-to for this invaluable help was indeed the WSA and one crash course later, he set off in July 2020 on his journey around Great Britain. He had a plan, he had a team, he had a boat (although not for long!) and boy, did he have the mindset and determination. He has this in abundance but paddling skills were learnt along the way – The Great British Paddle certainly kept us all enthralled for 5 months and I for one was completely invested in the man, his journey and fund-raising attempt for those children.
After some breathtaking images of Jordan’s journey around the coast but particularly from Wales, over to Ireland, back to mainland GB and up the West Coast of Scotland he managed to paddle around Cape Wrath – the seas were massive and full respect to Jordan for surviving those gnarly waters. Fast forward to just before Christmas after months of being quite literally on the high seas, Jordan’s attempt was cut short by the Scottish Government – Covid shut him down just shy of John O’Groats. After those tentative first few weeks of watching Jordan learn to paddle, none of us could have had any doubt that he would have made it around Great Britain and the silver lining was that he did in fact raise those funds and build that school but more importantly got to spend Christmas day with his beloved daughter.
In the words of Jordan, “Adventure paddling is good for the mind, body and soul” - hear, hear! Jordan has been honest about his struggle with mental health and how that is managed on a daily basis – we all now know the benefit of blue water therapy for our minds and from the moment Jordan stepped on the water, he was able to cope without medication – we really do all need to spend more time near the water.
I remember the first day we didn’t have Jordan to follow, I felt a bit bereft. Who could I follow, share, help, encourage, be invested in, in a really positive way? Step forward one Brendon Prince. Who was this new upstart, planning to do what our very dear Jordan had not been able to achieve through no fault of his own?! Brendon could well have been Jordan’s brother from another mother, full of positivity, a good man with a great heart but one thing he had over his “brother” was a huge amount of experience on the water.
Brendon Prince & Sarah Thornely
Image credit: Supjunkie
Spending his whole life in, under and on the water, Brendon could not have been a more “suited” paddler to attempt to paddle around Great Britain. A Surf Life Saving GB lifeguard, a career spanning 25 years of teaching young men all water sports and a passion for water safety education. This time, the funds were being raised to build a water safety App and support many charities close to Brendon’s heart including men’s mental health and wellbeing, water safety, helping children and coastal environments.
Brendon may have been better prepared but as usual the weather gods had another say in the matter and this challenge was going to take longer than the 3 months first suggested by Brendon. Again, more sharp intakes of breath at the confidence of the man! The nation and SUP community were once again enthralled by another man’s endeavour to do the unthinkable but after 140 days on the water, Brendon finished in his home town of Torbay to a throng of about 500 supporters, national news cameras and me! The stars aligned for me to be able to paddle the last few kilometres with him, to be part of those 100 or so on the water guiding Brendon in – such an emotional day – World Records were made on that day in front of his family, friends and supporters.
Such a remarkable achievement with only land-based support which meant that Brendon had to be able to plan to find somewhere to land every time he went out on the water. No mean feat especially on that West Coast of Scotland. He positively flew down the East Coast and before we knew it Brendon was paddling fast along the South Coast where he enjoyed being able to stop on any beach he liked, and it was where we first met him. A pit stop and supper with like-minded folk like Jordan, Phil Williams from Christian Surfers UK, Mark Short from Shoretees and Brendon’s right hand man of the moment Harry Thompson, meant for a very uplifting evening.
One of Brendon’s biggest supporters through his time on the water was in fact Jordan. The “brothers” had indeed become joined emotionally at the hip having both understood what each other had gone through – such a joy watching the bond between them both. Massive congratulations to Brendon for breaking multiple World Records and achieving his dream.
Charlie Head
Image credit: Julie Stitchell/Idyllic Islay
One man who certainly cannot be left out of this blog is Charlie Head. Having followed Charlie for about 10 years since my journey in SUP started, he certainly has a different way of doing things than the aforementioned paddlers! Charlie is an enigma, almost sneaking off to do it HIS way, totally unsupported and solo, with little or no money and often barefoot – certainly no team or media for Charlie which, in my eyes, makes him a very special man. His path crossed not only with Jordan but Brendon too whilst they were in Scotland, paddling in opposite directions, fleeting moments of good luck, and God speed around gnarly West Coast Scottish waters.
Charlie’s journey has spanned some 9 years, broken into sections as to when his mind and body would allow him to continue. He would drift out of your mind as you knew he was not on the water and then suddenly there would be a very lovely, quirky and humanely real video highlighting his dream and vulnerability and he was on his way again.
Charlie also successfully completed his around Great Britain by paddleboard expedition and we then had the pleasure of his company at the Water Skills Academy SUP Symposium in 2021 to hear him talk about it – such an incredibly interesting man. Again, raising awareness and funds for a men’s mental health charity very close to his heart, Dare2Express.
What these men have taught me over the last couple of years is our own place in SUP – we love the race scene with a passion but adventure is becoming a big part of what we love too. Supporting those who support others has become our new mantra – the joy we have gained from getting to know these epic adventurers, sharing their stories and supporting them in any way we can, has been incredible.
They have inspired us to re-think our own paddling, changing from constantly being on the water to train for something to just being on the water for the sake of paddling and adventure - exploring our own more local waters and those further away. This lightbulb moment came to me whilst paddling around Beachy Head with Jordan, paddling further than I ever had on the ocean at a gentle pace, with stops for refreshment and a swim and it taught me there is more to paddling than just racing and training.
So, I do feel truly honoured to be part of the Water Skills Academy family – I now know this really is the right home for me and my paddling, my learning, my SUP journey. I am being inspired by some awesome paddlers who have connections with the WSA but also know that the skills I wish to achieve are here too. The WSA can prepare me for my life of SUP adventure with many courses available from learning to paddle, safety on the water to SUP Expedition Guiding and everything in between.
I know my limitations too; I, myself, am not interested in paddling around Great Britain but would love to be self-sufficient and knowledgeable enough to plan my own micro adventures and be safe whilst doing so. I can admire and applaud those ladies and gentlemen who take on the bigger, more epic challenges and will help them all I can, but don’t ask me to come along for the ride thanks!
This is really just a snippet of what these adventurers have achieved. If you are inspired by them to have a go yourself, please make sure you are well equipped to do so safety-wise, and get the best help you can before you set off.
Happy adventure paddling!
Sarah Thornely | Supjunkie