Lake Isle of Inishfree

Stand Up Paddle boarding. Sounds like something you'd do on holiday or something you wouldn't necessarily see yourself doing. Fortunately for me, in my degree of studying Tourism, one of the

things my class gets to do is weekly trips to different types of adventure tourism.
This week on our itinerary for Adventure trips was "Stand Up Paddling" and anyone who has heard of what Stand Up Paddling is, it wasn't so much "Oh this will be so fun" it was more "It will definitely be me who falls in the water" so initially it seemed a slight bit daunting to not only me, but a few others in my class.
Up until the day, the weather in Ireland has been very hit and miss. You could most likely see all four seasons in one afternoon, so the thought of being out on a lake with who knows what kind of weather was not the most inviting idea. Coupled with the thought of falling in freezing water and all these different mindsets, it was quite apprehensive.
This morning (13/April/2016) came about and when I opened the front door, it came as a bit of relief. There was some sun in the sky, it wasn't windy and not a raindrop in sight. I popped some sunglasses in my pocket but still put on like, ten layers because of Ireland's unpredictable climate. So that was one less thing to worry about.
Wednesday mornings start with the theory of Adventure tourism, and as if getting in the water on a paddle board wasn't scary enough, today's topic was on risk and how to assess risk during activities and adventure events etc. So knowing what could go wrong left me thinking "I'll be the one to drown" "There'll be a fatality" "Will I suddenly get some medical condition and like, die in the water?" It was mentally freaking me out.
We got the bus at 11:30 and made our way to the Lake Isle of Inishfree. The road trip towards the

lake itself was so pretty going down the rural roads just off the town and driving around the lake. The hills and mountains gave a valley-like effect to the area and gave one of the most visually perfect landscapes. Through the countryside we went until the bus couldn't go any further, so off we got and walked the rest of the way towards the lakefront. The walk was a nice little stroll and gave us some leg warm ups before getting in the water. There was nice scenery, cool landscapes and an unusually colored cottage. It was a lovely preface for what we were about to do.
We made it to the lakefront and immediately were introduced to the activities we were about to do. Dave O'Hara, the instructor, made his way to the water to explain the drive, passion he has and trends on SUPing. After a few words, he mentioned his co-workers, including the star of the day, José. José, the little Jack Russell dog ran and lept onto Dave's paddle board, winning everyone over with his cuteness. It was interesting to see how he manoeuvred the board and interesting to hear the history behind his introduction of Stand Up Paddling strongly in the Sligo Region and how much not only SUPing itself but how we can help make Sligo a real Adventure Capital, through inspiration of Queensland, NZ.
After initial introduction, there was no hesitation to get life vests on and split the class up. Some would start of Paddle Boarding and the rest would take a look at the surrounding areas and how

scenic the who Lake Isle of Inishfree actually is with a speedboat trip on the lake. I found myself on the first speedboat tour of the area. The boat had made its way all the way from Sardinia and looked like the kind of boat seen cruising on the Mediterranean. Declan, the driver of the boat, gave what I can only describe as a whirlwind experience of the lake, including stopping to take a look at Parke Castle along the lake edge. It was interesting to hear him speak on the opportunities getting a boating license or getting involved in water sports can bring.
The boat ride took a solid 20 minutes and gave a beautiful taste of rural Ireland and gave a bit of appreciation to the ruggedness of it all. We ventured swiftly back towards the area that the SUPing group were in and made the transition from sitting back and enjoying the views, to feeling like you've

been put on a waterbed. Initially, looking at others on the board, I was thinking "doesn't actually look that bad". I made my way on to the board, and because I was focusing on my legs and not on where I was going or what I was meant to do, I was making the board sway from side to side. So I was basically freaking myself out. Concentrating on what Dave had said about having time for Zen and Relaxation, to just zone out and look around, it was exactly what I had though about the others not that bad at all. It went from being something to freak out about to something genuinely therapeutic. It was nice to share the experience too but also enjoyable to see one or two people falling in the water. Blaming it on José the dog, of course. Coming back to land, it was really time to take in what exactly

happened! Pictures taken and brief thanks given, we headed back up the trail towards the bus but heading to the pub in the nearest bar, obviously!
To paddle in a lake that contains so much unscathed beauty was something I know I would have regretted if I didn't participate. But gladly I didn't let myself chicken out and actually went for it, and it is something that if you haven't tried then I highly recommend trying it and if you've done it before, keep doing it and venture to Sligo. It's something that not even pictures can do justice. The surrounding views of Sligo and the North West of Ireland, just becomes the icing on the cake.
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SUP For All:
Today's Experience was given to us by Dave O'Hara and his co-workers Declan and Ruben, who made the experience enjoyable and relaxing for everyone. Their introduction to these activities gave us a real exploration of the environment and gave us a new skill, that can be used all over the world. SUP for All gives the Stand Up Paddling experience to anyone. 
For those wishing to find out more on SUP For All, please follow these links or contact info below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SUPforall/?fref=ts  (Please like!)
Email: info@supforall.ie
Website: www.supforall.ie
Or find them on instagram @Supforall
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Leave your feedback on Stand Up Paddle Boarding! Have you guys done it? Would you do it here in Ireland? Let me know!
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