Tag: suping

SUP Derwentwater

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Although notably less holy (and probably less graceful) than Jesus, I felt privileged to experience my first time standing on water in this beautiful place. Derwentwater is cradled by mountains on all sides, punctuated by explorable islands and delightfully less touristy than other lakes.

A quick bit of Googling that morning narrowed my search for a lake to SUP on to Derwentwater or Windermere. We’d settled on kayaking Coniston Water and hire didn’t appear as readily available at other places – I would have loved to try Wasdale below Scafell Pike but could only finded guided SUP tours. (We were set on hire due to cost, time and a stubborn, “I can do it myself” attitude).

Well aware of Windermere’s popularity, I called Derwentwater Marina with a few preliminary (probably silly) questions (see Beginner’s Advice: Stand Up Paddleboarding) and booked two SUPs for three hours from midday for £22 each. We left Ambleside and arrived 45 minutes later. The marina people were friendly and gave us a quick safety brief and a basic map, but didn’t bog us down with  rules or admin. Getting sized up for paddles and buoyancy aids was quick and easy, and I was pleased to be on (not in!) the water within a few minutes.

I kneeled until we’d left the harbour area as instructed, surprised by how stable the board felt. I was pleased to find it easy to stand up and balance after an initial, slightly wobbly stage. Then I had to figure out how I was supposed to paddle.

Being used to a kayak, I expected to have to change sides every other stroke or so or end up going in circles. I’m not sure how you’re meant to do it but I found that I had a surprising amount of control over my direction of travel paddling on just one side. It might have something to do with the paddle entering at a steeper angle and pushing through the water almost vertically. You can alter your course by tweaking the “shape” of your pull – this means you can turn right even if the paddle is on your right.

Derwentwater is a glorious location. We passed about six other SUPers in total during our three-hour stint and a few more kayakers, but given the size of the lake this was nothing; most were paddling around near the marina, and we went over half an hour without seeing a soul. We travelled south along the west side of the lake, feeling like we’d found heaven under the clear blue sky, between the hazy mountains and above the calm, dark water. The sun was hot so I relished a dip when we stopped for lunch at a secluded, smooth-stoned beach. The shallows were warm and brownish algae made the stones super-slippery but it got deep and cool very quickly. I didn’t drown, get bitten by a pike or poisoned by algae, so I can also recommend swimming in Derwentwater.

From there  we headed off south east, past a tiny, one-tree island and towards a large, forested island with a child-ridden beach. We paddled around its east side and headed back towards the marina. As the last slog usually does, and given that we were pressed for time having enjoyed the water so much, this was quite hard-going. The headwind disturbed the previously flat water and the sun beared down on our sweaty backs. This bit showed me that SUPing is actually quite a  good workout if you maintain a decent pace for a while – it really works your core, back, arms and legs. Google reckons that a 75kg person burns about 500 calories per hour.

We got back on time and reluctantly returned our kit. Reflecting on my experience, it’s not at all what I expected. I had this idea that SUPing was like a slower, boring version of kayaking – why stand when you can sit? Actually I think it’s incomparable. Seeing the water from a few feet higher up gives you a wider vertical field of vision, a totally different perspective. I’d almost say it feels more liberating as you can move your legs, so have greater control over your body position. It’s easier to twist, bend and lean. You’re more likely to fall in, but neither Bertie or I did and if we had it would have provided respite from the relentless sun! I’m sure it would have been different if we hadn’t been so blessed with the weather (with temperatures in the early thirties for most of the day).

So my final verdict is that SUPing is great, I’ll be going again and I’d recommend it to anyone – particularly at Derwentwater. If you’re thinking of trying it for the first time, see my post Beginner’s Advice: Stand Up Paddleboarding…  Enjoy!

Endnote: Derwentwater marina is at the northern tip of the lake, five minutes from Keswick – a bustling town offering plenty of post-SUP beer. Or you could be like us and climb/scramble Helvellyn via Striding Edge immediately after returning the SUPs and have to rush back to Spoons (last place to serve food) to avoid starvation… But that’s another blog post.

Beginner’s advice: Stand Up Paddleboarding

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Taking advice from a first-timer is generally not best practice. However, two weeks ago I found myself wishing for some simple answers about SUPing from someone who wasn’t a) highly experienced and convinced I knew what he was talking about, or b) trying to sell me something.

Two weeks later I’m that person who can give simple advice, and I’d like to help anyone who is in the same exasperating situation that I was. This is aimed at those looking to try SUPing for the first time.

Here are some questions I wanted answers to:

Hire or tuition?

I had assumed that hiring a SUP was as commonplace and straightforward as hiring a kayak or canoe. You pay, they give a standard safety brief and kit you out, you paddle off into the sunset. When I looked into  SUPing I was surprised to find that lots of places offer kayak/canoe/boat hire and SUP lessons or tours, but not SUP hire. This made me wonder whether it was much harder, riskier or more complicated than it looks. Having found a place to hire SUPs supervision-free, I tried it and was not enlightened. It requires more balance than kayaking, but I wouldn’t say that it is significantly more difficult or dangerous.

Verdict: Unless you really struggle with balance or coordination, I’d say just hire a board and give it a go. It may help to Youtube the paddle technique and body position beforehand, but it’s pretty easy to pick up as you go along. It’s usually cheaper and you’ll have more freedom to explore where you like. (If you’re rich, feel free to buy all the gear – after taking proper advice – and learn that way and/or lend it to me…)

 

How do you do it?

The hire place will probably go through this, but just in case they don’t:

Place the SUP in shallow water with the front facing outwards, away from the beach/bank/slipway. The front and the back look similar, but the back has fins underneath that help you travel in a straight line. Climb onto the middle of the board and kneel with a wide stance, facing forwards.

Hold the paddle with one hand at the top of the shaft and the other hand about halfway down. Place the paddle into the water on the same side as your lower hand. I found that the best way to learn to paddle was by doing it, experimenting with stroke length, speed and angles. I’m definitely underqualified to give detailed advice on this!

When you’ve got a feel for the board and paddle, try standing up. Use your hands to steady yourself and take it slow. The work isn’t just done by the arms – you actually paddle mainly with your core, using your legs to stay firmly on the board.

 

How easy is it?

An impossible question to answer as it comes down to your balance, coordination, strength and confidence. I was surprised at how easy I found it – most hire boards are very stable (the bigger, the easier) and you can get the feel of it by starting on your knees. Some people will be standing up within ten minutes, but others have just as much fun paddling around kneeling down.

 

What are the risks?

Getting eaten, bitten or lost, drowning, being hit by lightning or crushed by a boat, missing the World Cup final, contracting an exotic disease or ending up on a deserted island with just a beaten up old volleyball for company. Maybe you should stay at home.

No seriously, you’re surrounded by water, exposed to other water-users (many with powerful engines and poor manoeuvrability) and at the mercy of the weather – the risks are self-evident. Just be sensible and listen to safety warnings and you should come out alive.

 

How does it compare to kayaking, canoeing etc?

When I first saw a paddleboard I thought something like “what’s the point of that, why not just get a kayak?” Then I tried it and realised that it’s totally different. You get an entirely different perspective of the water from a standing position, and I had a much greater range of movement which felt really liberating. I’ll write a separate post on my first experience SUPing.

 

Equipment: Do I need…?

Buoyancy aid:

No. However, like most water activities, you should wear one, and some places will require you to do so. Even Olympic swimmers drown if they fall unconscious; a buoyancy aid will ensure your head stays above the water.

Wetsuit:

No. If you’re comfortable enough you can wear whatever you like – I was fortunate enough to enjoy SUPing in 30 degree heat, bikini-clad and sun cream-smothered.

Other fancy gear:

No, unless the hire place says otherwise. You don’t need special shoes or gloves – just yourself, a board and a paddle. Swimwear advisable for legal reasons and drinking water advisable for you-really-don’t-want-to-get-dehydrated reasons.

 

I’d really recommend giving SUPing a go as it gives you a different perspective of the water, a decent workout and an opportunity to explore new places. I’ve covered pretty much everything I wanted to know prior to my first SUP adventure, but feel free to get in touch if you’d like any more amateur advice.