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Sully’s Start
Hi and what’s up? Let me tell you a little about me, I’m Adrian also known as Sully. I grew up near Plymouth, England before moving to Washington State also known as the Evergreen State in the USA.
A little background, Plymouth is a port city in southwest England, known for its maritime heritage and in 1620 was the city from which the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the new world.
With such rich maritime history, I am sure it comes as no surprise that there might have been some influence towards the ocean.
From infancy I have always found myself being drawn to the water, learning to swim before I could really talk.
The call of the water didn’t quit and only a little while later, with multiple sailing courses and water vessel certifications under my belt. I was competing in races and regattas on board both smaller dinghies and also much larger vessels thanks to the training received at the Torpoint Mosquito Sailing Club located in Torpoint, Cornwall.
From that moment on ocean would never let go of its grip on my heart instead it would only grip a little tighter.
Only a few years would come to pass and by then I had completed the internationally recognized NARS course on my path toward working as a beach lifeguard during the short and frequently cloudy British summers, Stand-Up Paddle Boarding or SUP as it’s commonly known had still never even entered my life.
Introduction To SUP
In July of 2022, I boarded a plane to paradise, the second largest island in the Hawiian archipelago. Maui also known as the “The Valley Isle.”
Ever visited Maui or any of the Hawiian Islands before?
If not, I hope that you get the chance, the smells or fresh Hibiscus not to mention the food is simply out of this world. Cheers to your future visit.
It was at Kapalua Bay Beach located toward the north western tip of the island, where I would be first introduced to Stand Up Paddle Boarding or SUP. What’s worse is I never even got on a board! Instead, I used up my time snorkeling and taking some amazing video of sea turtles with my GoPro.
Although I never got on a board while on Maui, the thought of gliding upon the water never left my mind.
First SUP Experience
Back in the Evergreen State I decided to give SUP a go, instead of doing what most people do and rent a board for the day from a kayak or SUP rental company.
Instead, I sank my first $1k into my very own board that I purchased at REI. A beautiful Pau Hana Malibu Tour Paddle Board.
I had already done some research and discovered some of the health benefits of SUP and knew that this would be a great way to start my journey to get back into a healthy shape both in my body and my mind.
I have always known the open water to be both therapeutic and calming so naturally I was excited to mix this with some exercise to get my body and mind some well needed exercise while discovering peace from my hectic lifestyle.
Certifications
Leave No Trace 101
This is an introduction to Leave No Trace and the actions we can collectively take to protect our planet. In this course we share helpful information with a simple framework of minimum impact practices to apply when spending time outdoors.
To enroll in this certificate, you can do so free of charge by using the link HERE.
Thank You
I would like to say a huge thank you for your support and being a part of this amazing adventure not to mention health journey, I can’t wait to hear how your SUP story started, let us know in the comments below.
I’m also very excited to meet with people like yourselves, if you’re ever near-by please don’t hesitate to reach out and let’s see if we can’t arrange something.
We’re always looking to provide you with content that you love, if you have a question you’d like to have answered or have a topic you think would make for an amazing article or video we would love to hear from you HERE.
For now, stay safe and check back frequently to see WhatSUP!