My audacious challenge to promote water safety

Whoop, Whoop it’s good to be back and a joy to be sharing words of adventure about our watery South Devon world.   
My name is Brendon Prince, adventurer, nine-time world record holding waterman, Stand Up Paddle boarder of the year 2022 and passionate about getting people on, in or around water safely.   
The draw of the open sea has always captivated my adventurous spirit, beckoning me to explore its vastness and mysteries.  
This year, in a unique quest to promote water safety, celebrate the beauty of the South Devon coastline and highlight the benefits of ‘blue space’, I embarked on an audacious journey: living on a traditional flat deck stand-up paddleboard (SUP) for eight consecutive days. 
It was a harder challenge than ever expected both for mental endurance and the ability to hide from some horrible conditions, while underscoring the importance of understanding water safety along our enchanting shores. 
  
WHY is always water safety 
Before paddling into the 8 DAYS at SEA journey itself, it's essential to understand the driving force behind this and all my adventures: the promotion of water safety. I am a waterman who is on a life journey to spread the ‘water safety’ gospel.  Where water meets land is my happy place, a place of wonder but a place of dangers.  I want to promote & share this happy place, this ‘blue space’ but also help everyone understand and respect this environment. 
This venture was a personal challenge to achieve two goals; firstly, to inspire a deeper appreciation for the sea and to emphasize the importance of understanding the effects of weather and tide.  Secondary, to realistically comprehend, just how far you can paddle and be at sea before touching land? I aimed to lead by example, demonstrating that with adequate preparation, experience, respect for the water and a strong sense of adventure, one can experience the coastline in its purest form. 
  
Preparation 
The preparation was nothing more than I would normally undertake with one main exception, learning the balancing act of sleeping on a board!  
This takes a bit of getting used to, but you only need to roll off once and you never will again.  I practiced sleeping on a board in all conditions to understand the limits.  Obviously, you can’t just try and sleep anywhere.  I drop anchor in a place with no through traffic and clear sight in all directions so conditions and humans can be seen approaching.  I tried sleeping on many, many boards but the compromise between stability and ability to paddle efficiently was always the issue.  In 2022, whilst in Florida for the ‘Last Paddler Standing’ event I’d organised a visit to the ‘LIVE’ Paddle board factory near Clearwater.  There I met the enthusiasm and passion of John Cleckner, head honcho at LIVE.  I love anyone with a can-do attitude and that is what John is all about. No problem is a hurdle, everything can be overcome.  I wanted to check out the L4 Expedition board.  This 14ft x 34 “is a dual hull (catamaran style) board that is super stability with a load capacity of 700LBS or 320KG but can still paddle 5 to 6 km an hour.  Within seconds of paddling this unique board, I knew it was the board for the job and would be perfect for sleeping on.  LIVE paddleboards were awesome and had the first L4 to land in the UK flown over.   I’m excited to see how LIVE catamaran style shaped boards will become part of the paddleboard culture in the UK. 
  
Safety 
Paddle plans were established for various scenarios, including medical emergencies, equipment malfunctions, and extreme weather conditions. I would check in with my designed ‘angel’ every hour with mobile or vhf radio. I had a rota of ‘angels’ who could see my location and expected a text, call or grunt from me every hour. Paddle plans are designed to ensure safety and well-being, as well as the helping the successful completion of the challenge. 
  
Kit for 8 days 
  
Everything had to be carried from the start, no refuelling or picking anything up!  This had to include 35 litres of water, shelter, food, comms, emergency kit and batteries to keep everything powered up.  In all, approximately 100kg of kit with a paddler of 95 kg meant I was well within the capabilities of my LIVE L4. 
  
My meals were supplied by Base Camp Foods and were the best rehydration meals, which was important as looking forward to eating was a big motivator and form of passing time on the board.  I played a game to only eat which ever meal I pulled out of my drybag.  This worked well most of the time, but I did have curry for breakfast on three occasions. 
  
The Route 
  
The chosen route for this journey was totally dependent on the weather and as the start date fast approached it was clear that I wouldn’t be doing any sunbathing on this adventure.  Strong winds from the SW, rain, and potential thunder for most of the week.  With the whole point of this endeavour to demonstrate how a paddle boarder can work with the conditions and not against them, potential bad weather was ideal.  On the south coast of Devon, only strong easterly would have made the daily route difficult and sleeping conditions too dangerous.  With SW winds there would always be somewhere to hide, paddle and sleep. 
  
Focus 
  
The journey was a lonely one, solitude and isolation is ever present so maintaining mental focus, positivity, smiling and enjoying my surroundings, even when dark and thunderous, is an important skill. 1 am on the 5thnight I woke up knowing something was circling my board, you could let your imagination run away with you or prepare yourself for whatever was coming next? The wind was howling, and I was in one of the only sheltered spots on the south coast with the cliffs of Babbacombe towering over me.  At this point a seal leaped from the water and slid onto my board.  Once I’d got over the shock, I politely asked the seal to move on and seek refuse elsewhere.  It wasn’t overly happy about this and spent the next few minutes circling the board and grabbing anything not secured down.  I lost a glove, a beanie, and a bottle of water to this marine pirate that night. 
  
Daily Routine 
  
Living on a SUP board for eight days presented a unique daily routine that revolved around the ocean's rhythm and what the wind was doing.  I wanted to paddle as many miles as the conditions would allow as this would help pass the time.  Plus, the more exhausted I felt, the greater the chance of being able to sleep. Weather conditions, tides, and currents were continuously monitored to ensure safe navigation. I headed south on day one to hide in the Dart estuary from strong winds expected the next day.  After a few days in the Dart it was then obvious that the SW winds were strong enough to prevent any further paddling south.  It was time to head for the shelter of Torbay and Lyme Bay. 
  
Day 1- Torquay to Dartmouth 22.47 km (4 hrs) 
Day 2- Dartmouth to Totnes RTN 27km (5hrs) 
Day 3- Dartmouth to Brixham 18km (3hrs) 
Day 4- Brixham (Churston Quay) to Ansteys 15km (3hrs) 
Day 5- Exploring coves & caves from Oddicombe to Maidencombe 16 Km (All day) 
Day 6- Hiding from the constant wind and rain 15km (All day) 
Day 7- Nowhere to go, the weather was horrendous! 6km (All day) 
Day 8- Babacombe to Torquay 7km (2hrs 40 min against the wind) 
  
Rest and sleeping 
  
I stopped myself from taking any naps in the day as tiredness helped me to sleep on a rocking board at night.  The constant rain meant that everything not in a dry bag was wet from day one and a few capsizes from the strong wind tipping my board over when the shelter was up, meant I wasn’t particularly comfortable, but I was never cold.  Well maybe a little bit cold, when I decided to put my feet into a dry bag for some sort of protection from the wind and rain in the early hours.  I would sleep for 20 or 30 mins, before whatever part of the body I was sleeping on went numb. Re-adjust and then try again, I spent a great deal of time watching the surface of the sea.  My eye line was at this perfect height, and it seemed I would watch boats for hours as they crossed the horizon. Watching the sun set and rise every day is a momentous occasion when you are out there alone. The last morning, I was treated to the most spectacular sunrise after the storm the night before. It had blown itself out and I had 2 or 3 hrs rest bite before it all started again but this time I knew I had to paddle against an increasing wind to get back to Torquay.  I would have to land after 12 noon to complete the 8 days which gave the morning winds plenty of time to build. 
  
Coming home 
  
Living on a SUP board for eight days brought me face to face with the elements. The journey included exposure to a wide range of weather conditions, from one tranquil sunny afternoon to many blustery, squally, windy, rainy ones. Despite these challenges, I had an unwavering commitment to the mission.  This was helped by wonderful support by so many, big thank you to everyone who followed, encouraged, paddled out to me and shouted support from the cliffs.  Special thanks will always go to Wollens- Full Spectrum Law, McCarthys Contracting & Developments, GreenOverhead, Devon Rum Co and Vertu Land Rover Exeter for their continued support. The challenge seemed to resonate with many people, most struggling to understand how it is possible to eat and sleep on a board.  I finished the challenge after 8 days and 4 mins, paddling back into Torquay harbour.  The adventure had succeeded in not only setting a world record (still to be verified) but more importantly highlighting SUP water safety, demonstrating how to safely SUP with coastal conditions. Plus understanding the other challenge for this mission, how long is it feasibly safe to be out at sea on a flat deck board (no cabin)?  Well more than a week is difficult for carrying enough kit but it all comes down to the weather.  It’s impossible to accurately understand what the weather conditions will be beyond 3 days.  This means that anything beyond this time and you are gambling with your safety. This said, I’m excited to see just how far and what can be achieved with 3 days at sea… watch this space for 2024!