Come March, 2020, we can almost all admit we were all a little unsure on how the year was going to pan out. Is this going to be over by June? Am I going to be stuck inside all summer? From paddling off the coast to participating in my first slalom race, I kicked COVID to the curb and made this season one for the books.
Regardless of the pandemic, I really wanted to focus on building confidence on the river and advancing my skills as an instructor. Along with self improvement, I was looking forward to another season within the paddling community and introducing more people to SUP. My instruction style is more than teaching sweep strokes or pivot turns, it's about building relationships and instilling confidence.
2020 Highlights: A SUP Summer!
Paddling Highlight: Deep Cove & Tofino
Growing up I always envisioned myself living in a Volkswagen van off the coast, as do many teenagers. Instead I took the "I'm going to play hockey for as long as I can" route (no regrets). My parents probably had a "hallelujah" moment.
Back in August, my sister and I took a trip to BC to visit the beautiful Vancouver Island. Paddling Deep Cove was the first thing we did when we arrived to North Vancouver. It was amazing to see how many jellyfish circled your paddle board and the odd seal popping its head out of the water. Deep Cove was my first experience paddle boarding on the ocean, what a gem.
Deep Cove, North Vancouver
We've arrived to Tofino! We pumped up our boards and hit Long Beach. I wasn't entirely sure how this would pan out by looking around us and not seeing a single paddle board. Morgan and I embraced the consistent wipeouts and had such a fun afternoon. It was a "I can't believe we're here" feeling. The following day, we rented surf boards...
Hot Rods (Boards)
Kootenay Attain – Many miles have been put on the Kootenay Attain this year, specifically at Harvies Passage. It crushes through rapids and can surf like a charm. It's fast and easy to manage compared to other boards I've had the chance to demo this season. Trickier to learn on, but an excellent board in the long-run.
Kootenay Sustain - We've travelled near and far exploring many new places. My go-to board on any lake and Bow River trips. It's the perfect board for any paddlers wanting to experience lake and slow river paddling.
Paddling Highlight: Ghost to Cochrane (Bow River)
I know it's a local favourite, but I finally paddled the Ghost to Cochrane stretch! It only took three seasons working at Aquabatics... A couple of my favourite gals from AQ, Jocelyn and Chloe, invited me to tag along on an overnight trip at Wildcat Island. Hard to believe I haven't camped there before. We started at the Ghost Lake dam (luckily the gate was open) stayed the night at Wildcat, and continued down to Cochrane in the morning. I love this stretch because it's mellow, but has a few really fun rapids.
- Women's Coastal Short Sleeve
- Keeps me cool, protected from the sun. I’ve worn this short sleeve under warmer layers or just as a T on a hot summer’s day. The only complaint I have is that the logo ripped off the front. I just want to rep the Canadian brand!
- Women's Sally Neoprene Swimsuit
- Initial thoughts: I should have gone up a size. Meant to fit snug, but I struggled to pull over my shoulders first use. Over time it loosened up and became my favourite swimsuit in my dresser. Choosing the colour black probably wasn’t the best option as the neoprene already keeps me very warm, especially on a sunny day. Comfortable and looks snazzy!
- Women's Sombrio Neoprene Hoody
- My favourite of the haul. As an instructor, I’m always rocking this neoprene hoody. Keeps me warm on cooler days and is a very comfortable fit. The sleeves are a little long for me but no problem rolling them up.
- Compact QuickThrow
- I haven’t had the opportunity to really use my new throwbag, but I guess that’s a good thing? It’s compact (as stated) and I appreciate the option of being able to use it with my next haul item.
- Quick-Release Throwbag Belt
- I didn’t realize how handy throwbag belts were until I took an SRT course this season. Playing safe is a priority on the water and this belt allows me to act quick when a paddler is in need of a rescue.
That’s it for my Level Six Haul but a couple more items I snagged this season are my FCS Towel Poncho and my JayLife13 Sensu Backpack!
If you've paddled with me on the river, you know my towel poncho is the first thing I grab when I get to my vehicle. I drive away in this thing and lounge in it at home for hours. The hood adds extra comfort and the pocket is convenient to hold my phone (and snacks).
Towards the end of summer, I stopped by my friend Jay Hay's place to grab my Sensu dry-bag. Before I picked one up, my gear was extremely disorganized and scattered in my vehicle. Finally, all my gear is in one convenient place and quick to grab. Waterproof? I really put it to the test when I went canyoneering on Vancouver Island. After trekking through creek water for four hours, it was bone dry. Comfort wasn’t an issue especially with the waist belt feature. Perfect bag for any over night trips and I finally know my camera equipment will be SAFE!2021 Season Checklist
- Queen of the Valley
- Mid September, my sister and I participated in the first annual Queen of the Valley SUP race at Ghost Lake! This was my second race ever and Morgan's first. It was an unbelievably fun day hanging out with such powerhouse women. The event consisted of a 1000m slalom race and a 5000m sprint followed by a greatly appreciated yoga session from Mallory Chapman. Suitable for women of ALL ages, you NEED to participate next season. Event highlights from Cochrane Today.
- Harvies Passage Fall Classic
- Props to Adlai Majer from Kootenay Paddle for encouraging me to participate in the Harvies Passage slalom race with the Alberta Whitewater Association. The late September day consisted of many swims but I am extremely excited about the future of SUP slalom. (albertawhitewater.ca)
- YYC SUP Trainer Boot Camp
- Chris Prince, also known as "SUP Trainer", hosted a three week SUP boot camp at Bowness Park in June. The camp really allowed me to warm up for the season and brush up my paddling technique. Chris also runs other SUP clinics such as "Learn to SUP with your Dog"! (suptrainer.ca)
- Kootenay Night!
- Kootenay Night ran every Thursday this season at either Harvies Passage, Bowness Park, Bearspaw Dam, or Canmore Reservoir. If you'd like to sign up for newletters with Kootenay, including info on future nights, email kootenaypdl@yahoo.com.
- A couple of events I was bummed to miss out on this year were the Bow Valley Virtual Race at the Canmore Reservoir and the Wicked Witches of the West Bow River paddle... A valuable Facebook group to be a part of to stay up to date with SUP events is YYC SUP Crew.
