It's Sunday 30th April and the Inverberive Canoe Club are out for a club paddle.

It's a bright sunny day with not much wind and Sam is out with Inverbervie Canoe Club on his third trip. 

“This is such a great experience getting involved with paddling out on the sea and fresh air although I was a bit nervous the coaching and support about paddling has been great.  I looked at the club website and saw the SCA website about Paddlesports for all and the focus on Mental health and wellbeing and felt confident to have a go.  I decide on the this paddle to disclose on the medical form that I do have anxiety and depression as I had heard the club coaches ask about conditions and Bev had mentioned that she had some allergies and carried an epi pen for anaphylactic shock and the leaders checked in re where it was and sounded confident in what they would do.  Even the other week Carol had tripped over on the beach at the end of the paddle and cut her hand a wee bit.  The leaders were there with a first aid kit and were able to assist with cleaning and taping the cut.  We are on the water and there are some seals bobbing around - we hang back a wee distance, but it is calming to watch them enjoying the water.  I’ve never been this far away from the shore as we have normally practised in the bay although the sun sparkling on the water is just so beautiful.” 

Carol is also out on the trip today and has got a plaster on her hand from the other day.  Carol decided to give paddlesports a try this year as she has been looking for something offering excitement and to learn some physical skills and being out on the water is exhilarating.  Paddling into the wind with her cut hand is a bit hard work and the plaster is not staying on.  Never mind, I'll sort this out when we stop.

Dan started at the end of last year and has done some pool sessions and is looking forward to his trip today. He is really pleased that it has not cost him too much as he had seen that kayaks and all the kit is so expensive.  He has been able to hire the kit from the club at a special rate due to his financial position and get a lift so hopefully this is something that is going to be affordable. Football is cheap, but he was looking for something in a different more outdoor environment and developing skills. The conditions are lovely paddling into a light breeze and being able to control the boat in a straight line. 

There are two leaders out today Helena and Billy from the club and there are 10 paddlers with a mixture of experience and a few who started last year and this year.       

The group pull in after a couple of hours for a stop and Carol takes the opportunity to ask Billy about her hand as she has been finding it difficult to keep up as her hand is sore.  First aid kit out and a bit of Self Adherent Cohesive Bandage is applied - Carol is impressed and shows the newer paddlers and Billy takes the opportunity to show the group and explains where to get it from.   

Sam has enjoyed the morning although starts to worry about the paddle back as the sun has gone in, it’s a bit colder and it's looking very dark and the water ominous.  It will be ok, we are out with some good leaders and they really know what to do and how to look after us.  They even said about having a group shelter, radios and we have practised getting back into our boats. 

So the group heads out again and the wind is picking up. Dan is looking forward to the conditions and Carol with a repaired hand is more confident about keeping up and enjoying the excitement of a physical sport outside.  She reflects that the gym and squash at uni were sociable and fun, but definitely lacked much excitement. 

Helena is enjoying leading the trip with Billy and apart from Carol not keeping up, although she feels she should have noticed and sorted her hand out sooner.  Anyway all fixed now so that's great - she paddles up to her and offers her some old cycling gloves that she keeps for new paddlers as their hands seem to suffer from blisters until they get used to it.

They head out to some small islands not far off shore and well within remit before they turn for the journey back.  The wind has strengthened a bit, but nothing big and Helena and Billy  get the group together rafted up and explain about the tail wind and how it will feel different on the way back as the boats will be pushed along.  They will stick together and enjoy the ride as it is only a couple of hours and likely to be quicker returning especially if they head across the bays rather than hug the coast.  Dan is happy that he can test his ability and with the tips about paddling, happy to get on with it.  It’s gone dull as the white clouds are covering the sun, but it's not that grey and the water looks lovely and smooth.  Carol has noticed that the sun has gone in and they are further from shore than she has been and feels good about sea paddling and the space and seeing the land from the sea. 

Sam liked that they stopped and chatted about the conditions, but is feeling quite anxious about the changes in the weather and how far from shore they are and that they are going to paddle straight across the bay.  It really is dark and it looks like a storm is building.  As Billy and Helena said it will be quicker on the way back and I’ll soon be off the water hopefully I can control my anxiety. 

The group stay together for the next hour and pass the seals again - Sam thinks they look frightened and isn’t keen to stop. Carol enjoys them - her hand was too sore on the way out to take much notice and wondered what the fuss was about.  Dan is feeling a bit sick so sitting watching the seals is not for him.  Helena notices that Dan is looking pale and hasn’t been that chatty since they turned down wind and keeps trying to stall his boat, in the last 15 mins he seems to have been having difficulty keeping up so she had given him some coaching tips about controlling the boat and keep moving.  As they set off Helena paddles alongside Dan and checks in with him about how he feels as she suspects a bit of sea sickness although it could be something else - a bit dehydrated or maybe cold.  They establish sea sickness so Helena offers her ginger oat cakes and asks another experienced paddler to keep an eye on him and alter her or Billy if he gets any worse.

Sam seems to have shot off at pace and seems to have ignored all the “group keeping together” chat - what is it with fit new paddlers?  Helena chases after him and shouts at him to slow down, but Sam is angry with me and starts shouting about a storm and needing to get off the water and it would be quicker on the way back.  It's just gone a bit grey and there is a wee bit of wind - what is he getting so aggressive about.  This is a relaxed paddle.

Helena finds Abdule in the group who is a fit paddler and sends him after Sam and warns Abdule that he might get a sharp response, but to try and slow him down so they can keep the group together.  Dan is now being sick, so the normal process is to put him on a tow and have someone with him.  Maybe it is best to go ashore and let him settle a bit.  If I can get the group back together it would be best - we are only 40 mins away from the landing.  Helena and Billy agree that if Billy takes 3 other paddlers to form a group with Sam and Abdule and Helena with a couple of the experienced paddlers takes Dan ashore to let him settle a bit.

Billy and the others all get together and Sam is now quite subdued and withdrawn but has slowed down so they are only 750m away from Helena and her group so that is good.  Billy suggests their group also take a break on shore and then start again as it is only 30 mins around the point.  He wants to be able to check that Helena is doing ok with her group.  Sam is quiet and sits away from the group although seems agitated to get back on the water and starts getting organised and putting things in his hatch and turning his boat round.  He can see that Dan is now walking around rather than having his head between his legs and he radio checks with Helena.  They agree to set off again.  Although Sam was keen to be back in his boat he now seems to be nervous to get back on the water - he’ll be ok when we get going he was fast enough and could control his boat well. 

Sam is anxious about the point and now he has stopped is not keen to get back in his boat - perhaps I’ll just stay here and someone will rescue me - that point looks dark and very different from when we went round it earlier - or perhaps we are somewhere else and missed our launch spot.  Have we gone too far - everything looks so dark and the wind is getting stronger. I said a storm was coming in and no one listened and I was told to slow down.  I can't get round the point - this is hopeless.

They head off, but Sam is last to get on the water and is at the back.  Abdule hangs back but doesn't really know what to do.  Luckily Helena and her group catch them up and Abdule feels better that there are more people around.  10 mins later they have landed on shore back at the launch point.

Helena speaks to Dan about river kayaking and canoeing if sea sickness continues to be a thing and the group discuss different ways to control sea sickness.  At least there are lots of paddling opportunities if the sea is not for him.  Perhaps this paddlesports is for him after all - he reflects that when he was feeling sick he really thought about giving up so it's good to know there are some options as he has really enjoyed the challenge of learning a new outdoor sport and the social side of being in the club after giving up football. 

Sam leaves his boat by the trailer and leaves as quickly as possible.

Carol is pleased she persevered and thanked Billy for the first aid and Helena for the cycling glove and will look at getting some compeed, tape and cycle gloves.  She remembers when she started playing squash that she got blisters on her hand from the racket and in time her hand hardened up.  It will be the same with paddling - just that trip last week didn’t help either.  She really is enjoying the open space, seals and the club has been so supportive.  The excitement of the sea is definitely for her. 

Abdule is confused about what to do about Sam as nobody is asking or talking about his behaviour.  He seemed like a nice person and a quick learner and would have been nice to have paddled with again.  Abdule had done a 4 hour mental health first aid course at work a couple of years ago and thought he would have a look at that again as he remembered something about anxiety and potential behaviours.  It all felt different on the water compared to in an office with the support of his organisation and the help numbers he can call. 

Helena and Billy start discussing the trip over a cuppa and piece of cake after they have finished loading the boats and most of the group have left.  They are really pleased that the trip went well in the end and that as leaders they were supporting the club culture encouraging different people like Carol and Dan and that Dan has some options to continue paddlesports.  They reflect on Sam and notice that he left and they did not get the chance to speak to him and hope he comes back. Billy says maybe they could have been more open about what Sam had put on his form about anxiety and depression but assumed Sam would have spoken to him when he gave the normal call out about anything they wanted to discuss re medical conditions.  Billy said his teenage kids talk about mental health and well being all the time and it is spoken about much more in the last 5 or so years as if everyone knows about it and what to do.  He reflects that he is lucky that he has not had any direct experience - his family seem to be resilient and although covid was hard not as bad as a lot of people were affected.  I think that 1 in 4 people are affected by mental ill health so I suppose I’ve only known the other 3 in general. Abdule hears them chatting about mental health in general and decides to get involved as he is feeling more confident about his previous learning having had time to reflect.  He is concerned that Sam just left without him being able to see if he was coming to the next paddle as he has generally enjoyed his company and it's good to have someone come into the club at a similar age to him.  He said that Sam seemed to be quite anxious at times and may have had what would be described as a panic attack when he started shouting as he wanted to get closer to shore and get off the water as quickly as possible as the storm was coming.  Helena had not said much up until this point as she had been upset that Sam had shouted at her when she had spent quite a bit of time coaching him with his skills over the last few weeks.  She said I just needed him to slow down as the group was getting spread out and I had enough to deal with Dan and his sea sickness.  Billy and Abdule reflect on how well she had dealt with Dan and the group split.   

Billy and Helena said that they actually felt out of their depth and realised that neither of them knew much about mental health and well being and even if Sam had spoken to them about his condition they would have been unsure although empathetic and asked him how they might support him.  They reflected that they learnt a fair amount about making sure paddlers are in conditions that are suitable in terms of physiological safety and challenge by choice.  The outdoor first aid certificate is great because we have to do it every 3 years, but there is not much in this about mental health and well being.  They laughed that they were better able to quote and bandage every limb on the body should it be sprained, fractured or broken!  Carol reminded them that her ability to recognise and treat a stroke was so useful when she was home with her Mum and Dad and her Dad started to have a minor stroke and how well he is now.   

Abdule spoke about his company and how they were really taking mental health and well being seriously - the same as first aid at work and they have mental health and well being first aiders.  The first part is doing a 4 hour course delivered by SAMHs with a tutor and it is tailored to their work place and the support that their company offers through organisations like Validumn.  They have some great web based resources and the MHWB first raiders have a community and have updates and discussions.  The main motivation at their work was due to the number of colleagues struggling and the amount of days lost through absence.  The culture has improved and it's great being part of the team that is helping. Abdule said that he had only been involved a year or so and although was more confident at work when he was out on the water with Sam he wished he had been more able to speak to him and support him rather than just stay with him.   Hopefully he will come back and try another paddle with us and give the club a second chance.

Billy and Helena decided that they would investigate what was available through the club and the SCA in terms of expanding their knowledge and capability.  It occurred to them that it was surprising that this was not something they had been directed to before although Helena reminded them that maybe water safety focus, the up take in paddling and especially paddle boarding had meant their had been less attention paid to this and perhaps an assumption that we all knew about mental health and well being!  Yes, their club had put on some great river white water safety and rescue courses at the end of last year.  Maybe they needed to speak up for mental health and well being - it is “Time to Talk”!