A two-day paddleboarding course teaches all levels how to stay safe in the open ocean – and is a meditative way to take in the wild coast around Newquay
Dom Moore traces his finger along a sea chart of the Cornish coast, pointing out sea depths, ancient shipwrecks and potential risks along the route we’re about to take. This isn’t your average stand-up paddleboarding tour. Instead of simply following a guide for a couple of hours, I’m helping to plan my own route, factoring in changing tides and wind conditions, and identifying exit routes should things go wrong.
Ocean navigation is part of the two-day Atlantic Expedition course offered by Surf Sanctuary, a surf school run from the Headland Hotel in Newquay. Designed by Dom, the school’s owner, its idea is to equip people with the skills to be safe and self-sufficient in open water. Interest in paddleboarding has surged in recent years – and since the easing of lockdown, board sales have soared, according to paddleboard brand Red Paddle Co, which reports online searches up 100% in the last two weeks of May. Continue reading...
