Venue: Paper Mill Lock (CM3 4BS / w3w.co/encoded.narrating.switched)
Arrive: c.6pm (gates lock at 6.10pm!)
Launch: after 6.25pm briefing (waterside this week, at the pool)
Finish: c.8.10pm
Level: Competent river paddlers

We’re back to our midsummer home of the Willow Set at Paper Mill for SUP Club this week, which won’t be entirely dissimilar to last week – although with a potentially stiff easterly wind tonight it’s likely to be harder going, and against the grain both ways as we’re heading out against the breeze and coming back against the flow. (Inexperienced paddlers might have trouble keeping up this week, so maybe not ideal for confidence building: please email us via info@supsect.com if you’re not sure!) The Willow Set are again kindly allowing us in after hours, charging £3 from 5.30pm onwards when you use the password ‘SUPsect’ or flash our logo at the gate. Ideally get there by around 6pm, and please don’t be late as the gates are planned to lock at 6.10pm.

So, setting up by c.6pm at Paper Mill Lock to gather at the pool (downstream of the lock: please allow newer paddlers and cruisers priority to position their boards: racier boards / later launchers can leave theirs upstream of the lock) for a 6.25pm briefing ahead of a c.6.30pm launch. An easterly breeze means we’ll be heading east tonight – up to All Saints Church, Ulting, via Rushes Lock and back.

As always, please ensure you are licensed to paddle the river (renewals via www.waterways.org.uk). Everyone licensed, with their own kit (including leash!) who can paddle confidently is very welcome… Tonight might feel like hard work for inexperienced paddlers though, as we’re going against the wind then against the flow. (And please, if you’re not yet competently steering, stopping and turning, a busy group at SUP Club isn’t the place to learn these essential skills – we offer lessons for that!)

After, we’ll be going for dinner and drinks as usual – numbers via a show of hands at the briefing.