SUPsect SUP Club meets every Wednesday night throughout British Summer Time, from when the clocks go forward in spring to when they go back in autumn – if you have your own kit and know how to paddle it, it’s completely free of charge and you’re very welcome to just come along and join us. If you don’t have your own board, limited hire kit is available when conditions and route are suitable – as long as you have completed our Learn to SUP course or can prove competence on a stand-up paddleboard (email [email protected] to secure yours…)
We go every week throughout BST, whatever the weather, so conditions will dictate how tough / easy the evening will be and how long / short the route. Some weeks, particularly when it’s warm, sunny and still, we’ll call an ‘all-comers’ night that will be very relaxed and suitable for everyone. But other weeks, often when it’s windy and/or cold, we might call it a ‘challenging’ or even ‘hardcore’ night that will demand some experience and paddling strength / confidence to keep up with the group and therefore won’t suit first-time SUP Clubbers.
We paddle at various Essex SUP spots depending on tide times and conditions: some of our favourites launches include Two Tree, Chalkwell and Thorpe Bay on the Thames Estuary, Hullbridge on the River Crouch, and Mill House, Papermill Lock (where we teach our paddleboard lessons) and Hoe Mill Lock on the River Chelmer. After the paddle, which usually lasts from 90 minutes to 2-hours covering c. 6-9km, we generally fit in a post paddle pint – and often dinner at a pub or curryhouse too (although that’s absolutely not compulsory, everyone is very welcome to join us for either, both, or neither!)
While we try to keep SUP Club as relaxed as possible, in order for it to work safely and effectively we do need to operate within a few simple rules:
• Leashes are compulsory for all paddlers at all times.
• No late launching (especially if you’re pumping up, please arrive in plenty of time to make the published launch time).
• No chewing gum on the water.
• Respect the turning time / place (as per the call and/or briefing) so we all get back broadly together as a group.
• Please paddle responsibly and courteously – don’t endanger yourself or other water users by paddling unsafely.
Full details of SUP Club, which vary week to week depending on weather, tides and wind, are published Facebook page @SUPsectUK. (And below!) As the forecast develops we’ll give a heads-up of the likely location via Facebook on Tuesday evening, before calling the event for sure by Wednesday lunchtime.
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SUP Club special Spook Night! Thursday 31st October 2019
Venue: Baddow Road car-park, Chelmsford CM2 7PJ
Meet: from 7pm
Launch: 7.30pm
Although Wednesday evening SUP Club season is over since the clocks have gone back, we’re going to continue a tradition with a Halloween night paddle! Costumes encouraged but not compulsory (please no drowning hazards!) But ideally bring lights (as ever, please no bright whites.) We’re meeting from 7pm ahead of a 7.30 start, from the ‘long-stay’ car-park at Baddow Road, Chelmsford CM2 7PJ – where there is a £1 charge for the evening and a 2.2m height barrier. Bring a board you’re super-comfortable on: there are a lot of very low bridges to duck under, and we’re really not going far (c.4k) or fast tonight, just parading up and down through the city centre on both the Rivers Chelmer and Can. Then after, we’re aiming to hit the Fox & Raven around the corner for dinner – we’ll confirm numbers before we launch…