All by myself

Well I promised I'd get back with details of new adventures on my Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP). And so here goes! I have managed 2 trips so far, both on the river Thames. The Thames runs through Oxford near my home, it's fairly wide at this point and so it seemed an obvious place to start. 

For my first outing I drove to Wolvercote, just North of Oxford City, and found a car park right next to a small tributary of the river. The perfect place to set off for my first solo voyage! First though I had to get my gear ready, and that meant a pre-SUP warm up.

When choosing a board I opted for a Red Paddle Co. Inflatable board. Now when I say inflatable, don't think it's like a big Lilo! The technology in these inflatable boards is fantastic. Once pumped up to between 15 and 20 psi, it is as solid as a rock, but still really light and easy to carry. I opted for a 12' 6" Explorer board. Once pumped up I realised just how big 12' 6" is!

The preparation of the board takes about 15 minutes and is the perfect warm up. All I need now was to squeeze myself into a full length wetsuit (I was expected to fall in!) and get going. Worth noting now that I was taking no chances with cold feet and was wearing 5mm wetsuit boots too!

Sliding the board into the shallow water I hopped onto the centre of the centre of the deck on my knees, and made my first few paddle strokes. Within a few feet I was in clear water with plenty of room around me so decided to try standing up..... Success! It seemed easier than I thought it would be, thankfully. And so I was off.

Just around the corner and I joined the main flow of the Thames, right next to where a large weir churns the water out past the Trout pub in Wolvercote. It's a pub I've been to many times, but this was a totally new view! And at 10.00am on a Sunday morning I was the only one there to enjoy the view.

The Trout Pub in Wolvercote

From here I decided to paddle down stream through Port Meadow. This is a popular place with dog walkers, runners and people out for a stroll. And there were quite a few people out enjoying the winter sunshine on this beautiful crisp morning. Strangely there were no other people cruising down the river on huge inflatable surfboards!!!

The only company I had on the actual river were a few coxless 4's out training from the local rowing clubs. It was really idyllic slowly paddling along the river, with just the occasional rowers passing me. The only other movement on the river was the graceful glide of swans as they eyed me up whilst passing, and the odd fish jumping out of the water. I was tempted to tell the fishermen on the banks, but didn't want to spoil their day!

A unique view of Port Meadow from the middle of the river

I paddled all the way through Port Meadow, as far as Binsey where I stopped for a short rest and a drink of water. From here I turned around and paddled up stream, which wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. It took a bit more effort, but with a steady paddle stroke I seemed to glide smoothly along at a nice gentle pace. I paddled as far as Godstow lock, where I decided to head further up river to explore.

Getting out and carrying my board around the lock seemed easy enough, and was welcomed by my toes that had got rather numb standing still for so long. Walking past the lock I stopped and spoke to a couple that were out for a walk and were interested in what on earth I was doing! I explained what paddle boarding was all about and they agreed it was a fine way to enjoy the river on such a beautiful morning!

I had the river to myself, blissful!

Up river from the lock it became very quickly quiet, and all of a sudden I was surrounded by nothing but fields and the river. I could have been anywhere. It was just me, my board, the sound of my paddle gently moving through the water, and a few ducks swimming by. I was all by myself and it felt magical! Such tranquillity and peace sometimes seems hard to find in our hectic lives now, but this was truly wonderful.

I paddled for another 40 minutes or so, until I reached another lock. I figured it was time to turn around and head for home, and the down stream paddle on this stretch of the river seemed effortless. Again I had the river to myself and it was beautiful.

I paddled for just over 3 hours that day, and at the end I felt utterly relaxed. I'd had the best part of the day with bright sunshine and clean fresh air, and best of all I didn't fall in once! As a maiden voyage for my paddle board, who I named Ella (The Explorer) I was pretty pleased, and eager to plan another trip soon.

Keep your eye out for my next river adventure, where I go further afield.

Cheers, Andrew.

Out with the old, in with the new

So, I've been trying new adventures this year. I've been hiking and wild camping, I've been cycling more, and found that hammocks can be very comfortable, once you learn not to fall out!

I also tried Stand Up Paddle Boarding recently, and it's safe to say I loved it. No sooner had I finished the 2 hour taster session I was planning how I could get myself into this sport as soon as possible.

Well I set myself the target of getting myself a board and getting out and paddling before the end of 2013, and I'm glad to say I have achieved it! I started looking into the cost of a board, paddle, life jacket etc and quickly figured out I was looking at an outlay of potentially up to £900!

And that was my first big hurdle. I certainly didn't have a spare £900 lying around.... or did I? I've had a few hobbies and interests over the years, and one of my great passions for a long time has been music. I spent a good part of my late 20's and early 30's buying records, yes records! The big round black things that old people used to have before CD's and MP3's were invented.

I amassed quite a collection of vinyl over the years, and I used to enjoy DJ'ing at parties and sometimes at club nights. To play my precious vinyl on I invested in a set of Technic's 1210 turntables. Anyone who has ever had an interest in DJ'ing will know they are the much revered and well loved industry standard tools of DJ's across the world, and they are still very much in favour now. Even in the digital age!

The thing about these bits of kit, and getting yourself started in the world of DJ'ing, is that it is NOT cheap! A pair of Technics 1210's will set you back hundreds of pounds. Much as they were a well loved possession they had sat boxed up safely in my shed/studio for the past few years and I've neither the time or inclination to play them. Seemed a shame to let them just sit there being unused.

Well I thought I'd have a little look on eBay and see if they were still worth anything. It turns out that you can buy a pair quite cheaply, as long as you don't mind them having bits missing and faults galore! If however you want a pair in good, clean condition, that are in their original working condition, that have been lovingly cared for and stored in a flight case their whole life..... you'll have to pay good money!

You can see where I'm going with this. I took a past passion and traded it for a new passion. Simple as that. Out with the old and in with the new. I thought it would be a tough decision and that it would be hard to say goodbye to my old passion, but i figured I'd had my time with that interest, and it was time for something new and equally exciting.

Since saying goodbye to my old friends and passing them on to an enthusiastic new home and the hands of another budding DJ, I have now found and purchased everything I need to get out and start paddling the rivers around my home.

It feels so much more than just selling some stuff and buying more stuff. It's more like saying goodbye to one passion and igniting the flame of another. I hope my new passion will bring me as much pleasure and fun as my last one, and I hope like music and DJ'ing I will meet lots of interesting new people. Well, that part has already begun! I'm now discovering a new world, with new people who are also passionate about paddle boarding. It seems they are popping up all over the place, which is great. More people to go for a paddle with!

If you are looking for a new passion, a new way to find fun and fulfilment, get out there and do it. Look at all the opportunities out there, pick one that catches you eye and go for it. It might be just the thing you need in your life to help make a positive change, to turn a new corner and open your eyes to a whole world of adventure.

Keep an eye on my blogs to find out how I get on with my new sporting passion. I'll be writing again soon.

Cheers, Andrew.