Monthly Round-up of SUP / August 2022

David Haze, a seven-time world record holding stand up paddle boarding adventurer completed the world’s first completely carbon neutral environmentally friendly expedition around the Isle of Wight in August.

Everything he used on his five day trip around the Isle of Wight from his equipment, to his clothes and food was ethically sourced, carbon neutral and environmentally friendly.

The trip did not go without difficulty as he battled gale force winds and five foot waves to raise money and awareness for a local charity. He used the challenge to raise £1000 and awareness for Surfers Against Sewage and awareness for the Big Plastic Pledge.

“The whole trip was a lot tougher than I expected. I had to sit on the beach all day Tuesday waiting for the wind to change. Wednesday I was hit by a wave and my leash snapped whilst 700m offshore, I lost the board and had to swim back. I found the board, sorted a new leash and paddled 56km the next day only to have the tides and wind change on me 5km from Cowes. When I came to the shore I realised the fin and Mount were missing, with no other choice I was going to have to leave it there but after spending a night on the beach I decided to walk the last 5km with the board attached to me through the water, it was epic. I’ve had such a great response to the point that all my future expeditions are gonna be environmentally friendly, carbon neutral. I’m off Iceland to attempt world record number eight in October, obviously I’ve got to fly there but I’m going to offset the carbon footprint by planting 70 trees in a prison. It’s just been such an educational journey for me. I’ve learned so much that, you know, I can’t, I can’t just stop here, I’ve gotta continue with this.”
– David

Source: Daily Echo

In August 2022, Karl Kruger became the first human to paddle 420 miles of the Northwest Passage on a standup paddleboard. What began as a single season expedition has evolved into something much deeper: a multi year connection with the land and people of the Arctic. 

Kruger set off from the small hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, in the Inuvik region of Canada’s Northwest Territories on July 25, heading east.

A west-to-east route allows for an earlier start because the ice along the Northwest Territories’ coastline melts earlier. However, the early start is offset by the risk of sea ice derailing an expedition at around the two-thirds mark of the journey, along the shores of Somerset Island. Those starting in the east must start later but have a better idea of the ice conditions they will face during that critical stretch.

Kruger had originally planned to SUP the passage three years ago. He headed north, with his SUP and gear packed, but eventually postponed his trip because of a combination of logistical concerns regarding food caches and the sea ice melting slower than he anticipated. His plan to start in July 2020 was undone by COVID and a one-year delay became three.