Introducing Brodie Cambourne Of Wooden Eye Paddling, Australia

In Woollamia, NSW, lives Wooden Eye Paddling. An ASI accredited SUP school that go beyond the realms of SUP as sport. Owner and ASI instructor, Brodie Cambourne utilises the magic of this special activity as treatment, life enhancer, and a tool for healing. Healing others, and as we discover, healing herself.

Let us meet Brodie, an ASI instructor doing incredible things.

ASI: Hi Brodie, let us begin by asking, what is your background?

Brodie: I am an Accredited Exercise Physiologist who works in the area of brain injury, stroke rehabilitation, Parkinson's Disease, depression, anxiety and PTSD.

I am also a marathon Kayak paddler and have competed in some of the longest distance paddles in Australia. I recently won the South Australian River land 200km paddle for the 3rd year in a row. I have also won the open female paddler for other long-distance races including the 404km Murray River Marathon, the Hawksbury 100km paddle and the Clarence 100km.

I am very interested in nutrition and exercise physiology and believe my success in these races is due to my understanding of the use of ‘fat for body and brain fuel’. I try to teach my neurological SUP paddling clients about ‘fuelling the brain’ and use our paddling sessions to teach this information. 

I am passionate about combining water-based therapies and low carbohydrate nutrition to assist with improved neurological function and capacity for my clients.

ASI: It sounds like an incredible journey so far! How did you become involved in SUP?

Brodie: I have always used nature as a mode of treatment for my clients and Stand Up Paddling became one of the most popular and effective therapies for many of my clients of all ages.

Stand Up Paddling became a mode of treatment that encourages the use of areas of the brain that control balance.

By stimulating these areas of the brain, my neurological clients are able to improve their muscular strength for balance whilst also stimulating bilateral movement of arms and legs. Many of my participants may have a left or right side weakness that may during initial paddling lessons require modification of techniques to paddle. 

The benefits of SUP paddling for brain injury, is that the body needs to switch on reflexive actions to keep up with the demand of paddling. Often these movements have not been utilised in an injured person for many years.

ASI: It’s amazing to hear the beneficial nature of SUP as a tool for health. What spurred you to become an ASI instructor?

Brodie: I really enjoyed the initial training course I completed with ASI. The inclusive atmosphere, the structure and welcoming culture of ASI has been wonderful. From day one, ASI have supported both myself and a number of students I have been helping with their SUP instructors’ course.

ASI: What is the day to day working life of an ASI Instructor in your experience?

Brodie: I am fortunate enough to live in a very beautiful part of the world where I can find quite secluded areas to immerse my paddlers into nature. My day starts with checking the weather and the winds and setting up in our beautiful bush setting.

Lessons with Wooden Eye included goal setting prior to starting on the water and reviewing health status and group discussions outlining the benefits of nature, the benefits of water therapy and the benefits of social connection for brain health.

It is important for me to make sure my paddlers are engaged in ‘why’ they are paddling so they develop gratitude for not only their surroundings but also the ability of their bodies to heal and the wonder of human physiology.

ASI: What are the best things about being an ASI SUP instructor?

Brodie: The best things about being a SUP instructor include; being outdoors in fresh air,
being able to take care of the environment and cleaning our waterways of rubbish,
watching people improve their land-based skills as a result of their water based activities (eg. improved walking posture, improved bilateral movement of arms and legs and improved self-confidence)

ASI: What is special about your location from a SUP perspective?

Brodie: The locations that Wooden Eye Paddling utilise are beautiful National Park and Waterways close to small harbours.

Wooden Eye paddling sessions involve learning about indigenous history of the areas also recognising Australian animals. One of the key components of our groups is to collect rubbish and to make sure that our Waterways are free from debris and fishing lines, fishing bait bags and general rubbish. We make this a priority during our paddles to keep our Waterways clean.

ASI: Do you have any interesting, memorable or positive stories that have happened to you whilst instructing?

Brodie: Being able to teach people with a disability how to become confident SUP paddlers and kayak paddlers has enabled me to be part of many positive stories and journeys. These stories include assisting younger people with Parkinson's to make paddling and water activities a priority for their treatment.

A lot of my paddling work also involves working with people with anxiety, depression and PTSD. I work with many courageous front-line workers who might have been impacted by the secondary trauma of their workplace

The effect nature and water have on the development of confidence in people and the establishment of healthy behaviours and mood stabilization is amazing. 

Being able to paddle off and enjoy some alone time and also being able to paddle as part of a group when ready is an important component of progressive exposure to group environments. Group work can often be difficult for people experiencing PTSD or anxiety. An important part of our programs is encouraging participants to become part of a setup, this is also something that becomes an important part of our paddling sessions

ASI: If you could offer someone considering a career in SUP instruction one piece of advice, what would it be?

Brodie: Get out of your indoor office at least one day per week and take note of how your stress levels decrease. Now imagine if your office was that outdoor activity.

ASI: Sounds perfect! Are there times you feel like you have the best job in the world!

Brodie: My mother died suddenly in 2021. I was completely broken by this event but still had to work to pay bills. I cancelled all my indoor activities for three months and only worked on the water.

My paddling location is quite remote and a very spiritual place. I rarely see other people there except my paddling participants. This place became my place of healing. The birds, the trees, the fish and the stillness of the water. Even on windy days it's a very protected place. I felt emotionally protected there during these months. I now work there most days and feel very close to my mother when I am there. It is a very healing place for my clients who have also experienced trauma. So yes, it is the best job to have for all aspects of life's ups and downs.

ASI: And finally, what is one thing they never tell you about SUP when starting out in the sport?

Brodie: SUP paddling has become my portable island. It allows me to travel on our water ways but is also how I escape the land, lie on my back and soak up the sun and sounds and float my way down the river and refresh my mind.

And on that idyllic note Brodie is away to continue her incredible work. It is perhaps rare to be in a position to have such a profound impact upon another person’s life, but with the qualities Brodie possesses and the passion she has for improving the situations of others, we can thank our lucky stars people such as Brodie exist.