Self Rescue Techniques for Stand Up Paddle Board Touring
You know summer is right around the corner when Lidl brings out an inflatable stand up paddle board for only €300. While being great exposure for the sport, it also means that anyone can buy a cheap board without having to speak to anyone who actually knows what they are doing. It sounds like a…
June 13, 2020
Meet Oona Tibbetts, Co-Founder of Wild SUP Tours
I was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the Southwest of the USA. I was born at 7,000 feet above sea level in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. I was born in the desert. Yet, despite all of these things, perhaps because of them, I have always loved the sea. Where…
April 9, 2020
Trapped on the Dingle Peninsula – How I’m Not Paddling the Wild Atlantic Way
The hardest part of this journey so far has been the time I have spent not paddling. I arrived on the Dingle Peninsula on May 23rd. I’m looking to continue my journey tomorrow on June 24th, but I may not get more than a day out of it. During that month on land, I have…
August 1, 2019
Stand Up Paddling the Southern Peninsulas, except Dingle – Week 2
I saw my first whale! I’ve seen dolphins and seals. I’ve even seen porpoise, but I’ve never seen a whale before last week. In all seriousness though, this section of the journey had moments of pure elation and moments of complete frustration. The wind has such a huge impact on whether paddling is pleasure or pain. I know this, trying to plan sections of coastline in accordance with the wind, yet sometimes you just have to get on with it, grit your teeth and tackle the headwind. It’s frustrating, exhausting, and sometimes downright undo-able. It’s these moments when stand up paddling can become dangerous. It’s these moments when you are extremely glad to find an unexpected pier or landing site. The Mizen is the most southerly point in Ireland, striking out into the ocean, the first point of land for…
May 30, 2019
Stand Up Paddling the Haven Coast – Week 1 of My Wild Atlantic Way Expedition
As I was preparing for the launch of my unsupported paddle up Ireland’s West coast, I heard from various people, “that sounds like a lonely existence”. And the thought of it seemed just that. Paddling all day on my own, camping at night under the stars, on my own. It sounded peaceful yet lonely. As I was…
May 15, 2019
Why Am I Stand Up Paddle Boarding the Wild Atlantic Way?
Some of my fondest memories from my childhood are of my father reading bedtime stories to me and my brother. These weren’t just any old stories though. These were adventure stories! Our favorites were His Dark materials by Philip Pulman, The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, though the full list was much more…
February 12, 2019