Jim Gibson's involvement in paddling has given him far more than the physical benefits of sport: for Jim, paddling has been a conduit for personal development, global understanding, and lifelong friendships. 

Born and raised in Inverkeithing, Fife, Jim later moved to Perth in 1973, and then to Elgin in 1977. Though he initially expected the move to be for a brief period it turned into a permanent one and today he still calls Rothes in Moray, just 10 miles south of Elgin, his home.

Despite a brief encounter with kayaking at the age of 11 during a holiday in Aviemore, it wasn't until his mid-30s that Jim truly embraced the sport. A decisive moment in Jim's paddling journey occurred in the mid-1980s when he was given a trailer with 12 fibreglass kayaks by John Mould, a colleague who was moving away and asked Jim to discard the old kayaks. This unexpected “gift” ignited a passion that would shape the next chapters of his life. Focused on salvaging the kayaks, Jim even became a mechanic to keep the trailer functional. He started paddling on the local River Spey and gradually progressed to more challenging waters, even attempting the formidable River A'nn in high conditions.

In 1988, Grampian Outdoors Education initiated a scheme to get teachers and members of the public qualified as outdoor instructors. This was the first time Jim had considered the possibility of becoming a paddlesport instructor. He was particularly motivated to get certified in order to support his newly formed Moray Kayak Club.

In 1993, Jim got his first taste of international paddling, when he teamed up with Iain Jamieson, the Outdoor Education Officer for Moray. They organised a paddling trip to Austria with a minibus and trailer for the journey provided by Grampian council. They headed to the Landeck area on that first trip, paddling the classics River Inn, Sanna and Oetz - Jim’s first experience of big volume white water.

It was also during this period that Jim met Steve Scott, who would become his lifelong friend and the biggest influence on his paddling career. Over the years, they ran trips and courses in various European destinations, including France, Slovenia, Corsica, and Turkey.

Jim's commitment to the sport continued through the 1990s, balancing his full-time role as a planning officer for Moray Council with his passion for kayaking, occasionally paddling as a duo but primarily K1. He became active delivering Advanced White Water Leader and Inland Water Senior Instructor, while being strongly involved with his club. 

In 2008, Jim stopped working full time and set up Aquaplay, a venture focused on fun activities like kayaking, canyoning, coasteering and even using ‘bellyaks’ - imported from Sweden, these were hollowed out craft that you lied down on and could get to go vertical if you knelt at the back. Aquaplay soon evolved to include stand up paddleboarding, with Jim importing the first commercial SUP boards into Scotland in 2009.

In 2013 Jim retired from Moray council to put more energy into Aquaplay. A few years later the business became a limited company and partnered with Tom Wilson. The pandemic-induced hiatus led to Tom taking over the business independently in a revived post-Covid era, and marked the end of Aquaplay last year.

Amid these changes, Jim embraced the role of SCA National Trainer for SUP in early 2020. Around this time he stopped white water kayaking as his body started to object. 2020 also marked the formation of the Moray SUP Club, who developed into a thriving club so quickly thanks to the increased popularity of SUPing during and post-pandemic they were named the SCA’s 2021 Club of the Year at the annual SCA Recognition Awards. 

Last year Jim decided to step back from his role, gradually easing out of providing qualification and safety courses though still paddling once a week with the club.

Jim's family has shared in his love for paddling, with his son, stepsons, and stepdaughter all having been part of the adventure at different points in their lives. His wife, Steph, also enjoys SUP but remains outside the club scene.

Jim reflects:

“Paddling has been crucial to me having a good life. Before I started paddling, I never really had a need to travel, once I started I had a desire to explore. Paddling helped me build a lot of friendships, broadened my mind and understanding of world affairs and helped me develop as a person.

Being part of a club is so important for lots of paddlers, myself included - it gave me the opportunity to take part in club management, learn skills, and work together. I do enjoy helping other people, which is why I started my business - I’m a people person and want to help people develop their skills.

I’ve been fortunate enough to paddle throughout Europe, travel to Nepal with Ian Sherrigton where we paddled the Trishuli, Kali Gandaki and Marsyangdi Rivers, as well as the Dalaman in Turkey - the last two of which are both now dammed.

Over the years there have been big changes in rivers…also kit! It is much more comfortable paddling now than it used to be - we used to have wooden paddles, helmets and bulky rib buoyancy aids.

Paddlesport is amazing as it’s a sport that can develop with you as there are so many different disciplines and craft. It’s been so interesting to see the changes in paddler demographics too, particularly with the popularity of SUP now. At Moray SUP club the bulk of our members are beginners over 45, and the majority are female. 

My advice to anyone is give it a try and explore new adventures. Paddling can open up a whole new world for you as it did for me.”

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