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The wot-sup Team
We are Jay and Zoe, based in Essex, both SUP fanatics and the founders of ‘wot-sup’!!
Having spent the best part of our adult lives being avid water fans, into scuba diving, surfing and paddle boarding, we began our 'wot-sup' journey in 2019.
Like many people, when 2020 hit, paddleboarding became our way of getting out in a world where we were asked to stay in and throughout that year we got in as many SUP adventures as we could; local rivers, lakes and the sea, we had a beautiful day sightseeing along Cambridge’s River Cam ( Click Here to see the video ) and we took a road trip down to Newquay and SUP’ed the surf on Fistral Beach.
To document our adventures we launched wot_sup on Instagram and on entering 2021, still in lockdown and hungry for something more, we began to talk about how we would like SUP to become a lifestyle change for us.
We wanted to push our own boundaries of something we had previously just enjoyed recreationally. SUP had got us through some really tough times...and we wanted others to benefit from that too :)
We wanted to teach people the physical and mental benefits of paddle boarding and how, where and when to paddle correctly and safely! We wanted people to join ‘wot-sup’ the social group, for fun, enjoyable paddles, of an evening, after work or of a weekend! We wanted people to follow our ‘wot-sup’ adventures where we hoped to provide inspiration for others or create opportunities for people from different regions to cross paths, new places and create lasting memories. And so a BSUPA Instructor course and many months of teaching throughout 2021 later and our dream has become a reality!!
So, that‘s us!! 2021 was no less than AMAZING and our dream has only just begun!!
We look forward to having as many people ‘on board’ as we can, as our journey continues...
Zoe & Jay :)
Hi, I'm Simon and I live in Southend-on-Sea.
Having taken part in several watersports over the years I got my first paddleboard in the Spring of 2019. It was an awful, cheap and nasty board, like trying to stand up on a hammock, but it was enough to have me hooked.
I lived in North Wales for a few years, stationed there with the RAF, and return as often as I can, and paddleboarding has enabled me to explore so much more of Snowdonia without climbing mountains, something my knees are very grateful for.
I joined wot-sup at the beginning of January 2021, looking to learn more about paddling locally. And on bumping into Jay and Zoe on the Hullbridge slipway at the end of February, we enjoyed a lovely, leisurely paddle to Battlesbridge on the tail end of the incoming tide, chatting and getting to know each other. The return journey was into a strong headwind and choppy seas, the stuff of Viking sagas. People will sing songs of our epic journey and how our friendship was forged in adversity...at least, that's the way I tell it.
I was delighted when they asked me to officially join the wot-sup family and be a part of their plans. I've met some great people through wot-sup and had some good times, and I'm really looking forward to the future.
You'll often find me on the Chelmer, if you do, stop and say hello.
Hi I’m Mark and I’m from Maldon where I live right on the Blackwater Estuary.
I spent much of my youth on boats out on Estuary water, such as the Medway, Crouch and Thames and I am extremely knowledgeable regarding tides and weather.
I first got into paddle boarding at the beginning of spring 2020 as a way of spending time with my son whilst social distancing. Over the last year I found, like very many of us, that SUP has been a backbone in helping to provide positive mental health, a way to stay healthy and a great tool for socialising.
Throughout 2021 my passion for being on the water grew and I tried to spend as much time as I could out on my board. My life changed for the better and it helped me focus and gave me a new lease of life. Especially meeting others that have the same passion for SUP, and helping newbies build their confidence on the water.
I first met Jay and Zoe while they were preparing for a paddle lesson on the river Chelmer and joined wot-sup later that day. Joining wot-sup and being asked by Jay and Zoe to be a part of the team has been a game changer for me and given me the opportunity to be on the water more. It has expanded my social life and I love sharing with others the joy of paddle boarding, sharing my adventures with the Facebook group, giving help and advice to others and arranging social events for fellow paddlers.
I love doing long paddles and my longest so far is a 16 mile round trip. I have great plans to further explore the UK, trying to visit as many places as I can, touring on rivers, lakes and coastal areas, and I hope to bring fantastic experiences to the wot-sup group.