Paddleboard 3
Walking On Water - Paddle boarding - We Tried That
Stand-up Paddle Boarding (SUP) is the fastest growing sport in the world and it’s now not such a rare sight to see one or two people daily bobbing around on their boards on the Dart.
It’s undoubtedly one of those ‘cool’ sports like most things related to a surf board and I’d been keen to have a go for some time. First stop – Dittisham Boats/Dart Adventures in Dittisham. Go to them and they can organise pretty much any type of adventure on or alongside the Dart and paddle boarding is one of their most popular activities.
With our zero knowledge we decided to go with the option of a 2-hour session with a qualified instructor, the unflappable Piers Ballard and his trusty sidekick, Roxy the Border Terrier!
All we had to do was turn up on a lovely sunny morning at Warfleet Creek. Piers quickly supplied us with wetsuits, buoyancy aids, boards and the essential safety talk and basic instructions. My fears of broken limbs and concussion were quickly allayed when Piers assured us that the most common form of accident was a twisted ankle when jumping off the board near the shore.
We then set off out onto the water and surprisingly within 2 minutes I followed Piers’ instructions and found myself standing on the board – nothing short of a miracle. Then the only issue was maintaining my balance – much easier when you are moving I discovered. It became apparent why Warfleet Creek, at high tide, is an ideal place to hone paddle boarding skills - it’s nearly always flat calm and there’s enough space to practice the paddling and direction skills with just a few boats to dodge! I was amazed when Piers said that we were ready for the open waters of the Dart and Dartmouth Castle. Before long I was happily paddling along, hugging the coastline with Piers constantly cajoling and advising on technique and stance.
Piers knows the Dart as well as any other water-mad locals and with all his waterborne activities it’s amazing he doesn’t have webbed feet.
It’s apparent that ‘board’ sports are his thing and have been since he started on a skateboard as a child. He affectionately likens his boards (and he has a few) to “his aquatic dancefloor.”
It really is a local sport and well suited to Dartmouth and its environs. Even our boards came from a local company – The Red Paddle Company (based near Totnes) – who are one of the leading suppliers of inflatable paddle boards worldwide. You can coast upriver or paddle out to sea to explore hidden coves and miniature canyons – one of which Edward even ventured through under Piers’ guidance. I meanwhile sat down on my board outside Castle Cove and watched the world go by – a real treat to be uncontactable and bobbing about on the water. It has that strange magical feeling of walking on water – the alternative South West Coast Path!
Paddle Boarding, unsurprisingly, has Hawaiian heritage and has developed from regular surfing. The big advantage is you don’t need surf for paddle boarding and you can do it on any expanse of water with or without surf. Over the last 10 years the sport has developed hugely and there’s hope that it might soon feature in the Olympics. The Dart even hosts the largest SUP race in the UK – The Head of the Dart - with nearly 100 paddle boarders taking part this year - quite a sight! It’s organised by Dart Adventures and supported by Red Paddle Co.
Our biggest impression was it’s a lot easier than you think and amazingly neither of us fell off during the whole session. It’s also a great form of exercise as it uses pretty much every muscle in your body and is particular good for the much talked about core strength. My biggest problem was the aforesaid wetsuit – without falling in and in the heat of the midday sun I was a little warm!
We are now hooked by this new experience on the familiar River Dart. It is yet another way to see something different (we spotted the dolphin and seals) and suitable for locals as well as visitors. Instructors can take out groups of up to 6 people and if you’re feeling confident just hire the boards – though don’t forget to check the tides!
It’s no wonder that paddle boarders cant hide their infectious enthusiasm and addiction to the sport; we ventured off home full of ideas for future trips and after thanking Piers he declared, with a cheeky grin, that he was off to try out his new board!
see also www.dartadventures.co.uk/
First Published August 2013 By The Dart