The Healing Power of The Paddle Board

The road we travel through life is rarely plain sailing. It is a journey regularly peppered with highs and lows. And, when the bleaker times come it is critical to have enough support to find the way back to the light.

ASI instructor, Alan Fergusson from Supping About, knows this part of the journey well. Suffering under the weight of PTSD, Alan joined me to talk about how a love of paddle boarding played a big part in his ongoing healing, and how SUP can sometimes be the perfect remedy to life’s ills.

ASI: Welcome Alan, before we talk about healing, let us start at the beginning. What was it about SUP that first drew you in?

Alan: When I was in my early 20’s I did a bit of sailing in Hobbie Cats. Then, when my children were little, I started windsurfing but as they got older I did it less. So, in 2012 I decided to go back to windsurfing, and as it had been a while I went in and had a lesson.

They had a SUP there with an attachment for a sail so I played around on it for a while they were setting up. I had my lesson then decided to get back into it went to the local water sports shop to get a second hand windsurfer and came home with a new SUP and s/h rig! I’ve been paddling ever since and after six months stopped windsurfing altogether.

ASI: It sounds like you were bitten by the bug right away, and I guess the importance of that comes into play later in life. On the back of how important SUP became, you suffer from PTSD. How does your PTSD manifest?

Alan: In 2014 I had a work accident where I ended up being in a fire in a motor home I was working on. From then I had a physical conflict which ended up in me having PTSD and severe anxiety. I would shift between going from one day working and then the next, not being able to. 

ASI: How has SUP helped you in the recovery and fight against PTSD?

Alan: Being able to be on the water by myself was a big part of my recovery, and I was lucky enough to have my local water ways just a few minutes drive away. I was coming from a state of not being able to even go to the local shops in the beginning.

The PTSD and anxiety are still there, but I’m able to manage it better now with regular visits to health professionals, herbal medicine, homeopathy and mindfulness. But there are good days and bad days. 

ASI: It sounds like getting on the water played an important role. Where do you think you would be now without having SUP in your life?

Alan: At one stage I was in a very dark place, and I don’t think I would have got through without support from family and friends. A few years after having met on the water, I was helping a friend with lessons and that made me take the challenge to become an instructor. I’m now qualified for over three years! 

ASI: Based on what you’ve endured, this might be a daft question but here goes anyway. Are you of the widely regarded opinion that SUP is more than just a sport? Instead seeing it as a way of life, or an act that goes beyond the realm of a sporting activity?

Alan: I think it is definitely a way of life! But I also participate in local events and races as well and sometimes it’s all consuming but also very rewarding. To be on the water by yourself or with others is always special. 

ASI: Any words of advice for those considering giving SUP a go?

Alan: It’s my personal belief that any board that get you on the water is a good board, but some are definitely better than others. Do your research and work out what you want to be doing on the water. Having equipment that suits you is important. For example, if you can’t lift your board on to your car easily it will put you off using it as much as you would like to. 

I would also recommend having at least one lesson to build your confidence and to see what your abilities are. 

However, having fun and enjoying the paddle is the most important thing 

ASI: Amen to that! Are there any moments from you time on the water, either as instructor or solo, that were especially magical and have become cherished memories?

Alan: Over the years I have had many. Paddling on the Gold Coast and New South Wales. Going out for a paddle on my local water ways and seeing dolphins, stingrays and bird life. You never know what you will see when you get on the water. 

And being able to travel over to Bali and New Zealand pre-Covid with my inflatable and 

going for a paddle on the Otaki River in New Zealand, where my Dad lives. I haven’t been able to visit him and had three flights cancelled and he is now 100 and still living at home with help.

The Healing Power of a Paddle Board

The healing power of SUP cannot be underestimated. There is a real power in getting out onto the water for a paddle, or getting into the water for a surf, that holds huge benefits for mental wellbeing and overall wellness. The vast array of first-hand stories that are out there from people who have tackled their own demons, or their day-to-day struggles, and found themselves more at peace with life is testament to just that. Alan’s is just one important story in a whole world of similar tales.

With all fingers crossed that one day soon, Alan will again be able to visit his father and paddle along the Otaki River once again, we bid him farewell and say a huge ASI thank you for taking the time to talk to us.