Last night’s chill-out SUP Club was a great chance to welcome several paddlers back from their winter hibernations. We took it really easy, just staying between Paper Mill and Mill House enjoying the vibes of a beautiful springtime evening, with many of us reacquainting ourselves with our waveboards before this weekend’s South Devon SUPsurf trip. Thanks again to the Willow Set for hosting and Six Bells for dinner and drinks after… 

Venue: Paper Mill Lock (CM3 4BS / w3w.co/encoded.narrating.switched)
Arrive: c.6pm (gates close at 6.20pm!)
Launch: after 6.30pm briefing
Finish: c.8.10pm
Level: all capable river paddlers

With such amazing springtime weather, we’re keen to run an  ‘all comers welcome’ SUP Club tonight – ideal for anyone just returning to the water this season, or fresh off a lesson from last season … but still not for beginners or incompetent paddlers. Although we won’t be taking on a route tonight, so no-one feels any pressure to ‘keep up’, for safety and enjoyment we do need to know that everyone’s a capable stand-up paddler. So please, if you’re not yet confidently steering, stopping and turning, a busy group at SUP Club isn’t the place to learn these essential skills – we offer lessons for that! And as always, please ensure you are licensed to paddle the river (renewals via www.waterways.org.uk)

We’re back ‘home’ to the Willow Set at Paper Mill Lock where everyone properly capable of stand-up paddling is very welcome. The Willow Set are again kindly allowing us in after hours, charging £3 from 5.45pm onwards when you use the password ‘SUPsect’ or flash our logo at the gate. Please get there by 6.10pm – and don’t be late as the gates are closing at 6.20pm then we’re planning to brief at 6.30, so make sure you have time to pump up before that… So we’re hitting the river at Papermill and won’t be going further than one lock to Mill House (so no-one need worry about keeping up with the group) and will instead play around up and down our stretch, working on technique, chilling out and taking advantage of the warm weather, maybe trying some tricks… (Although that water’s still not hot, so we’ll probably be avoiding it being too splashy a ‘splashabout’!)

So, setting up from c.6pm at Paper Mill Lock to gather at our ‘training zone’ by the entrance for a 6.30pm briefing ahead of a 6.40pm launch. We’ll be vaguely heading west tonight but sticking to the one stretch between Mill House and Paper Mill. It should be a good night to come out of winter hibernation, maybe try some new techniques, ideal for refamiliarising yourself with your waveboard / narrowest wobbleboard. While we’d recommend everyone dresses appropriately and brings a towel / change of clothing, we’re absolutely not going to force anyone into the water – in all honesty we’ll be better off staying dry as the water’s still got a springtime chill to it.

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 stand-up paddle confidently is very welcome… (As said: 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!)