Looking to do more with your SUP?
Water Skills Academy wants to give you some food for thought by offering amazing fully guided SUP adventures and expeditions to some truly spectacular locations.
Whether you are new to the art of SUPing, or have been paddling for years – a SUP adventure trip could be the next step forward. Many of us have been craving real interaction and travel for the past couple of years. Nothing beats the euphoria of an adventure. Travel, culture, like-minded people, being guided by some of the best paddle guides out there, and exploring untouched nature. That’s something that each and every one of us, is deserving of.
The Three-Day Effect
We are all aware of the endless benefits that nature provides for our mental health and wellbeing, but have you heard of the ‘three-day effect’? A term coined by cognitive neuroscientist, David Strayer, this is the proven theory that at the end of just three days in the wilderness, our minds - having wandered, rested and recovered from everyday life. We will be happier, healthier and better able to perform. Strayer, puts it perfectly, by saying ‘at the end of the day, we come out in nature, not because science says it does something to us; but because of how it makes us feel’.
This quote sums the SUP adventure up. We have all experienced the tranquillity that washes over us when paddling at our local beach, lake or river and how our minds immediately declutter and de-stress. So, imagine the wonders that embarking on a guided paddle adventure to the remote Scottish West coast could do for your wellbeing?
SUP Adventure as an Eco-therapy
“Picture a therapy that has no known side effects, was readily available, and improves cognitive functioning at no cost. It’s called interacting with nature, and it exists.” - Berman, Jonides and Kaplan (University of Michigan, 2008)
A SUP adventure is a seasonless retreat for your mind, body and soul – it’s what we call an eco-therapy. You are provided with top-quality kit and top-quality guides, both there to support you. Even your sleeping conditions will be an experience like no other, settled around campfire by the side of the Loch, and waking up to the sunrise on the water. A SUP adventure strips back the distractions and technology of everyday life, to just you and nature, leaving room for your mind to reconnect and breathe. One of the beauties of paddleboarding – as most of you know – is that you can be both an individual on your board and part of a group at the same time. During the adventure, your group becomes your community. A bond is treasurable, and often the beginning of life-long friendships.
Alongside paddling in some parts of the world rarely seen by most Western eyes, you’ll be stepping into some of Mother Nature’s wonders, and we – mindful of environmental ethics – always step back out leaving no trace. It’s a truly remarkable and spiritual experience.
Your Next Step
Do something for ‘you’. Go ahead and book that Water Skills Academy Guided SUP adventure in Scotland, (or wherever you fancy), immerse yourself in the culture and paddle where the mountains guide you.
Oh, and when you’re finished, treat yourself to a Scottish whisky at one of the authentic pubs. You’ve earned it!