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SUPsect SUP Club downwinder / down-tider – Old Leigh to Thorpe Bay, July 2025

03/07/2025

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© SUPsect 2026 – SUP South Essex Club & Tuition. Stand-up paddleboarding school, tuition, coaching and club in South Essex, based between Leigh-on-Sea on the Thames Estuary and Paper Mill Lock on the River Chelmer. No reproduction without written consent.

Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, UK

07770 488846

info@supsect.com

supsectuk

Well, that was busier than expected… After a damp

Well, that was busier than expected… After a damp autumnal morning, the sun came out and yesterday afternoon hotted up, so somehow over 20 workshy layabouts made Paper Mill Lock c.5pm for a couple of locks up to Stonham’s and back before dark. Huge thanks to the wonderful Willow Set and @sixbells_boreham for looking after us so amazingly all season… (And hopefully we’ve got a month left in us yet, weather and impending darkness allowing!)
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome.

Just one quick snap from the end of SUP Club last

Just one quick snap from the end of SUP Club last night – when sadly the gridlocked roads prevented many of our regulars from getting into Southend. But the few of us who could took on a fun little downwinder from Chalkwell to Thorpe Bay before dinner at the Elms…
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome.

A smaller (but perfectly formed!) group of SUPsect

A smaller (but perfectly formed!) group of SUPsect Water Wombles braved the strong winds on Saturday for this month’s litterpick – again on the top of the tidal River Crouch, but this time from Hullbridge. The allegedly big springy tide didn’t flood quite as high as predicted in the end – but we still got onto the banks to collect plenty of bottles, cans, plastics and random debris. Including so many K Cider cans, a fair few more rubber ducks – oh, and of course an owl…
#supsect #waterwombles #riverclean #litterpick

Although we took on the same route as last week at

Although we took on the same route as last week at SUP Club last night, with no wind and a duskier feel, it felt quite different. Another big group cruised upstream from Paper Mill to Stonham's and back for dinner at the ever-awesome Six Bells Boreham…
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome.

Autumnal vibes at SUP Club last night – a windy ol

Autumnal vibes at SUP Club last night – a windy old evening, but a big group charged upstream from Paper Mill to Stonham's Lock and flew back for dinner at the fantastic @sixbells_boreham…
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: there’s still a few spaces left at the end of September at www.supsect.com

Hang on a minute – did we just complete paddleboar

Hang on a minute – did we just complete paddleboarding?!?
#supstock #downwinder #rivercrouch #supsect

We caught golden hour at last night’s SUP Club – c

We caught golden hour at last night’s SUP Club – cruising a lock each way from Paper Mill, down to Rushes then up to Mill House and back. Followed, of course, by dinner at our favourite local pub…
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: there’s still some availability in September at www.supsect.com

Our SUPsect Water Wombles enjoyed a super-producti

Our SUPsect Water Wombles enjoyed a super-productive litterpick on Saturday on the top of the tidal River Crouch from Battlesbridge. A big spring tide allowed us to get onto the marshes and collect plenty of bottles, cans and debris we can’t normally get to – plus of course some leftfield extras, this time including a fire extinguisher, rubber duck and half a dozen lost shoes…
#supsect #waterwombles #riverclean #litterpick

While we’re still not completely sure quite what t

While we’re still not completely sure quite what the eclipse was all about (!) we had a lot of fun at SUP Club last night with a full-on freshwater splashabout up on the River Chelmer from Paper Mill Lock Technique, tricks, cruising and colanders before dinner for 30+ at the incredible @sixbells_boreham. Thanks everyone for a blinding night.
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: August’s almost fully booked now, but there’s still availability in September at www.supsect.com

Whoa, that was windy… SUP Club overlapped with a l

Whoa, that was windy… SUP Club overlapped with a local windsurfing legend last night as we set off from Chalkwell on a 'spicy' little downwinder to Thorpe Bay. We ran a quick self-selection splashtest first, waited as late in the tide as we could, before 15 of us flew down with the westerly wind gusting well over 20 knots. Thanks to everyone – those that made it, and those that sagely sat this one out. (Will be a quiet one on the river next week for sure!) Thanks too to The Elms 'spoons for key recovery nutrition afterwards.
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: August’s almost fully booked now, but there’s still availability in September at www.supsect.com

SUP Club returned to the River Chelmer on Wednesda

SUP Club returned to the River Chelmer on Wednesday evening for a cruise upstream to Stonham’s Lock and back from Paper Mill Lock. Of course at this time of year, photosynthesis happens so there was a healthy bit of duckweed to get through at the locks – but it was a great way to chill out in the latest heatwave. Thanks again to the Willow Set for hosting us and the Six Bells Boreham for feeding us afterwards…
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: August’s fully booked now, but there’s still availability in September at www.supsect.com
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We opted for a challenging SUP Club last night, as

We opted for a challenging SUP Club last night, as we hit the Crouch Estuary from Hullbridge to Battlesbridge – nice and easy on the flood tide, then quite a push home with the ebbing tide against a solid easterly breeze, before a kebabbie dinner and drinks at the Smugg. Thanks all for another great night.
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: August’s booking, but there’s plenty of availability in September at www.supsect.com

Big thanks to the SUPsect Water Wombles who turned

Big thanks to the SUPsect Water Wombles who turned out for July's litterpick on Sunday – ‘our stretch’ wasn’t in too bad a state, but plenty was collected on a lovely afternoon between Paper Mill and Stonham’s Lock on the River Chelmer… (We did ask permission to paddle into the lock, just to unload as near the bins as possible – it's not something we make a habit of!) Keep an eye on www.supsect.com/paddleboard-litter-picks for details of our August pick...
#supsect #waterwombles #riverclean #litterpick

It was never going to be the busiest of SUP Clubs

It was never going to be the busiest of SUP Clubs last night – so actually, 14 was a pretty healthy turnout in very breezy conditions. And it was a beautiful evening for a mellow cruise upwind to All Saints Church, Ulting, and back from Paper Mill Lock. Massive thanks as always to the Willow Set for hosting, and the @sixbells_boreham for dinner and drinks after.
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: July’s fully booked, but there’s plenty of space through August at www.supsect.co

Although we've only got these blurry excuses for p

Although we've only got these blurry excuses for photos to show for it, we had a ridiculous amount of fun at SUP Club last night. Water on the burner phone lens came courtesy of a full-on heatwave splashabout at a whole new venue down on Canvey, to tuck out of the easterly breeze – where who knew paddleboard netball would be a thing?!? (Non-contact and courteous, of course ... well, mainly!) Then just off the island, Gambero D'oro Benfleet made our night with a truly amazing 3-course Italian meal.
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: July’s fully booked, but there’s plenty of space through August at www.supsect.com

SUP Club headed off down the Ray from Two Tree on

SUP Club headed off down the Ray from Two Tree on one of our favourite routes last night – fully prepared to pay the price with a bit of a headwind home, as per worst case scenario on the forecasts. But a suitably strong group of 25 pushed back into the sunset to end a classic evening. And we earnt our late supper for sure, amidst the post-footie carnage at the filthy Elms!
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesdayKeep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: July’s fully booked, but we’ve just scheduled into August 2026 at www.supsect.com

Thanks to the good people of Love Your Chelmsford

Thanks to the good people of Love Your Chelmsford / Chelmsford City Council, our SUPsect Water Wombles enjoyed a beautiful morning litterpicking the Rivers Chelmer and Can through the town centre on Saturday as part of this year's LYC Riverclean. Of course we got a few of our bingo card favourites, a few shopping trollies and traffic cones as well as the standard bottles and cans and plastics – but it's testament to everyone's great work over the years that the city centre rivers are looking in better condition every time we pick there...
#supsect #waterwombles #riverclean #litterpick

What football?!? We found plenty of space and tran

What football?!? We found plenty of space and tranquility on the water for SUP Club last night as we headed out upwind from Paper Mill Lock (thanks again to the Willow Set for hosting us) to Stonham’s and back in perfect midsummer conditions, before another magic meal @sixbells_boreham.
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: summer 2026 booking out fast via www.supsect.com

Well, we didn’t have a lot of choice for SUP Club

Well, we didn’t have a lot of choice for SUP Club last night – with thunderstorms about, we couldn’t take on a route, so instead tried to tuck out of the breeze just off the beach at Shoebury East and kept our eyes on the skies for any approaching lightning. And it worked out that we caught a perfect 90-minute break between downpours for a fun little splashabout beneath the rainbows … comprising our first trial of a new game, working title: ballSUP?!? Then our favourite ’spoons for affordable fodder and drinks after.
#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday
Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. If you need to learn, it just takes one lesson: summer 2026 bookings filling up fast via www.supsect.com

And done... 33 paddlers (not all pictured) complet

And done... 33 paddlers (not all pictured) completed the 2026 Chelmer Challenge. Today, SUPsect went blue and yellow to help provide information, advice and support for everyone affected by a parent’s drinking. Please give generously via www.justgiving.com/page/supsect-chelmer-challenge-2026 for our 6th annual Chelmer Challenge, paddleboarding the full (or half) 22km length of the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation from Chelmsford to Heybridge Basin in aid of Nacoa (The National Association for Children of Alcoholics).
#chelmerchallenge #nacoa #supsect #charitypaddle

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SUPsect

2 weeks ago

Well, that was busier than expected… After a damp autumnal morning, the sun came out and yesterday afternoon hotted up, so somehow over 20 workshy layabouts made Paper Mill Lock c.5pm for a couple of locks up to Stonham’s and back before dark. Huge thanks to the wonderful Willow Set and @sixbells_boreham for looking after us so amazingly all season… (And hopefully we’ve got a month left in us yet, weather and impending darkness allowing!)

#supsect #supclub #sup #wednesday

Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. ...

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SUPsect

4 weeks ago

Just one quick snap from the end of SUP Club last night – when sadly the gridlocked roads prevented many of our regulars from getting into Southend. But the few of us who could took on a fun little downwinder from Chalkwell to Thorpe Bay before dinner at the Elms…

#supsect #supclub #SUP #wednesday

Keep up with our free Wednesday evening SUP Club via www.supsect.com/sup-club – all competent paddlers welcome. ...

View on Facebook (opens in a new tab)

Share on Facebook (opens in a new tab) Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab) Share on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab) Share by Email (opens in a new tab)