The words England and exotic don’t usually get mentioned in the same sentence, but the Isles of Scilly certainly has the allure of a far-flung land. Made up of around 140 tiny islands, its sugar-fine sandy beaches, secluded stretches of coast and mild micro-climate make for the ultimate paddleboarding playground. Located just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly are the UK’s largest archipelago with only five inhabited islands, meaning it’s a natural sanctuary for marine life, wildlife and seabirds.
Keen to put our Red Paddle Co Compact paddleboards to the test and really hone in on the transportability of our smaller-size SUP, we searched for a destination that would give us a dose of adventure without the long-haul flight. The Isles of Scilly, it turns out, couldn’t be better suited. Offering up a Caribbean-style setting that is just a hop, skip and jump from the Cornish coast, this easy-to-reach location from the UK can be explored as a one-day SUP adventure, armed with nothing but a Compact paddleboard on your back - the perfect travelling companion pairing easy packing with uncompromising quality.
But if you’re keen to get a little more out of your stay, it also offers up some awesome island accommodation, with Recluver, in our opinion, being the best of the bunch. This historic house in the heart of St. Mary’s Bay puts you in a lap of luxury with its sleek self-catering surrounds and stunning sea views to boot. Plus, it’s also perfectly positioned to get the most out of island life being just a short stroll from the day-tripper boats and rib excursions that make regular trips to the different islands.
Let adventure begin!
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 40 - Mid Summer 2023-Ausgabe von SUP International.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der Issue 40 - Mid Summer 2023-Ausgabe von SUP International.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Turning Points
With spring in the air and the start of a new decade, thoughts naturally turn to what we can do differently in the name of betterment. Finn Mullen reflects on some changes to consider when looking to improve your SUP surfing.
THE CLOSE OUT- TREV'S GREAT BIRTHDAY ADVENTURE
I have had my fair share of great birthdays, usually coinciding with a national holiday in a country that I’m visiting. But this one was a bit different.
Paddle Science #18 - The Body Fortress. Boosting Immunity
At this time of year, the rate of infection for colds and flu normally tends to slow down as we enter warmer, springtime months. However, if you’ve been anywhere at all in the world recently, then there’s one word you can’t escape at the moment: Coronavirus. Infection rates, mortality rates and prognostic data are changing daily at the moment. As a new virus none of us have previously been exposed to it, meaning that currently, we have no immunity to it. It’s only through being infected by a virus that our bodies are able to make the right antibodies to not only enable us to recover but to also help protect us from any recurrent and future infection from it. If you’re keen to stay well and keep getting out on your SUP board this spring, then focussing on boosting your immune system is a positive step to take.
Ceylon Stories
Like a teardrop on the tip of the Indian sub-continent, Sri Lanka is a little tropical El Dorado of beautiful landscapes, rich cultural heritage and people with incomparable kindness. Thanks to its favorable exposure to the swells of the Indian Ocean, the has a large number of good waves along its incredible southwest coast where French pro Alexis Deniel and his partner Melanie had an unforgettable experience this winter. Discover their colorful journey through this dream destination sharing its jewels after decades of civil war and the tragedy of the 2004 tsunami.
Polar Bear
In 2019, the Polar Bear showed the world his teeth. After a fourth place in the toughest SUP race in the world, the Red Bull Heavy Water, the now 19-year old Christian Anderson became World Champion in November in the Technical Race at the ISA World Championships in El Salvador. He also won the U-18 title on the Euro Tour with an 11th place overall. What’s behind the young Dane's rise to power?
SHADENFREUDE
TEST REPORTS
Desire Lines
We were on the outskirts of Helsinki, scouting a new destination for our sup camps. Just 45 minutes’ drive from the city, the untouched nature of the Nuuksio National Park stretched out before us. Mirror-smooth lakes, wild herbs and an impressive fauna waiting to be explored over on board or on foot via the many desire lines made by the land mammals.
Magical. Mystical. Epic.
Alexandra is a club ambassador and SUP racer for Bray Lake; relatively new to the SUP scene she completed her first race season in 2019. She participated in her first international event, the Gla Gla, 2020, and placed 1st Brit, 8th lady and 81st overall, out of a mass start of 637 paddlers. Here she shares the highlights of her first Gla Gla experience.
Green Medicine
As a keen outdoorsman and busy GP, Paul Sampson has come pretty close to attaining the mercurial work-balance. When not busy with his patients, he can be found hiking, climbing, paddle boarding, wild swimming… anything that gets him outside soaking up the great outdoors and reconnecting with nature in the beautiful South of Cornwall.
Depth Charge
Many of us have are staying away from the beach for a while, some are confined to our homes, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still train for the surf. If you try the following for just one week you’ll see results, never mind three months…
