Your 9th wedding anniversary is supposed to be celebrated by giving a Pottery gift. But in our house (with a husband nicknamed Mr Bump) that would not last long. Instead, for our 9th my husband gave me a Stand-Up Paddle Board. Random yes, but we had just moved house and now lived right by the Thames and there was a SUP marathon being advertised. I entered. Then wondered how on earth you paddle for 26 miles.
Jo’s book would have been wonderful at the time. But now it has come out maybe it will help me get back into Paddle-boarding as the board is deflated in the garage and it has been 7 years after finishing that marathon and I haven’t been on it since. All I really remember about the time training for that marathon is how different London looked from the river. I saw everything with fresh eyes. Paddle Boarding gives you a unique perspective on places we previously thought we knew well.
Jo’s writing and style in this book matches that unique perspective. She is definitely the right author to have written it. She is known as the go-to person on SUP with a Podcast called The Joy of SUP and advocates all over social media for the 2 minute beach clean to keep our beaches and water lovely to be in. She also seems to know everyone who is anyone in SUP.
The book has a glossy coffee table feel. It begins with the history and growth of SUP, how to get started, covers the equipment and kit required, safety, planning and the environment. Then we get into the places all over Great Britain that she suggests visiting to SUP – giving us 32 options.
She starts our journey round the country in Wales, then heads off to Scotland and finishes in England. In each section there is technical info, a diary type entry of Jo’s time there and who she meets and loads of extra helpful info like how to get there, where to eat and where to get instruction, guided tours or hire a board.
The photos are beautiful – though I was put off Oxwich Bay by the shot of an enormous Barrel Jellyfish! Hopefully fewer of those in Cornwall where I have booked our summer holiday and, inspired by this book, I have emailed the company she suggests there to set up some lessons. Cannot wait to go adventuring.
If you are considering SUP, or are already a boarder and want to go off and see Britain from a different perspective this is a great book to have with you. The book comes out at the beginning of June and you can get a signed copy from the publisher
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