Goodbye Winter – Hello Spring!

It feels like it’s been a very long winter!  Not that we’re complaining, we’ve been blessed with glamour conditions for paddling as well as having some time to rest, rejuvenate and prepare for the change of seasons! So, what have we actually been up to this winter in the upper reaches of the Swan River, Perth?

Well…

Our Saturday SUP Fit session continued and changed slightly from a structured work out to an enjoyable low impact run to the Partisan Café for breakfast! To be fair, none of us particularly wanted to fall into the icy cold water but we still worked hard on our short boards. The social aspect of this session was the key to keeping it going throughout winter and the amazing scenic backdrop of the Optus Stadium and Matagarup Bridge is something we never get tired of.

The staff at the Partisan Cafe looked after us so well that we are continuing for as long as we can and have aptly renamed the session to “BURN & EARN”! Our popular instructor Tim Mulford will be leading the charge this spring so watch out for updates on facebook or head to the “Book Session” link on the webpage. As it gets warmer we may change the location due to wind and boat traffic.

Wednesday evening training also continued despite chilly conditions! Rather than our usual skills and drills routine we focused on endurance paddling clocking on average around 8 kms launching from Garvey Park, Ascot. From September we’ll be back at Claughton Reserve, Bayswater to resume the SUP circuit which we’re all hanging out for! Some of us have suffered niggly, frustrating injuries so a nice slowish lead-in to get back in form will be the way to go. As the weather really warms up, we’ll be ready for the usual antics and some new ones so be prepared for some fun and lot’s of “in the water” time! Regular updates are posted on Facebook or you can find out more by heading to the website.

One of the stand out moments for us was watching Tim Mulford and our fabulous Kelly Flaherty take women’s 3rd place in the recent Avon Descent SUP leg! It was a tough 15km paddle with no assistance from current or wind.  Kelly’s story from debilitating health to where she is now is inspiring to all who know her and it’s a privilege to have been part of her journey. Tim’s effort on his 12.6 board was exceptionally commendable and no matter what Tim is doing, you can be guaranteed of a great big grin! Next year we hope to have a few more of our crew in the event which was superbly run by Paddle WA and we’re stoked that SUP’s can now take part!

Our promotional SUP Tonic Hoodies were a hit with almost 50 sold so far! A big thank you to everyone who purchased one. I’m also especially grateful to Rod Gilchrist and Inksplash for being so incredibly easy to deal with. If you’d like to order a hoodie head to the Facebook Shop link for sizing details and contact us via messenger. I’m looking forward to the next round of merchandise coming soon!

The new PUPS on SUPS fit out has been ordered! We are going to stand out like dogs (you know what’s) and look super smart at all of our PUPS on SUPS events! Because we LOVE dogs SOOOOO much we went with black so when those cute naughty SUP dogs jump up on me and my table for cuddles, I won’t look like such a grub!! I’ve missed my doggie fix every Sunday morning and can’t wait for our spring launch on the 8^th September at Sandy Beach Reserve, Bassendean. I’m looking forward to seeing our regulars and new PUPS on SUPS paddlers for a SUP-er fun day!

To the grammar guru’s out there, you’d have noticed many post typos (actually anyone with basic English literacy would have noticed)! So many in fact, that I had to offer free sup vouchers to keep me accountable! I’m still yet to comprehend how I descended into such brain malfunction! I’d like to blame it on a computer glitch or some kind of hack but I can’t! Bless you Linda Ettridge – you tried to SAVE me by pointing out that they were “DELIBERATE” to test my readers, that was BRILLIANT – thank you! But, I have no excuse except that my eyes and brain just don’t function like they used to along with my aversion to using a mobile phone like a desktop computer – I just can’t do it! Anyway, if someone can recommend a good cerebrum workout please LET ME KNOW!

Moving on… BRING ON SPRING! It’s time to come out of hibernation and I can’t wait to see you all for the next round of fun, sun and stand up paddle boarding!!

Till then, stay safe and well.

M x

Cover photo taken by Clarissa Human.