Patrick Cruywagen boosts his London Marathon fundraising efforts by living on a paddleboard for 48 hours. Patrick has completed his 5th marathon and aims to raise and race more!
Patrick Cruywagen boosts his London Marathon fundraising efforts by living on a paddleboard for 48 hours.
I’ve just completed my fifth London Marathon, and the support from the hundreds of thousands of people who came out to watch is what got me to the finish line. Getting into the London Marathon is challenging; you must be incredibly fast or lucky in the ballot. I am neither, so I had to take the charity route. This year, I ran for the Canal and River Trust. They are responsible for over 2000 miles of rivers and waterways in the UK, which is quite a hefty task for a charity with many volunteers. I love spending time on the water on my paddleboard, which is why I chose this charity.
One of the things I did to reach my fundraising target was live on my paddleboard for 48 hours. I have spent a lot of time paddling on the Rivers Ouse and Nene and know them well. Fortunately, a friend in Turvey owns a house on the River Ouse, and since he was going to be away for the Easter weekend, he kindly permitted me to use his riverside deck as my base for the challenge. The only rule I set for myself was that I could not leave my board during the 48 hours. Everything I needed for the challenge had to be within arm’s length on the deck so I could grab it as needed. Fortunately, I work in the outdoor gear industry, and my main pieces of gear included a solar panel, a Dometic fridge, a pop-up tent, a camping toilet, a gas BBQ, a cutlery set, a water faucet, and a sleeping mattress.
I need to be upfront and tell you about the board I used for the challenge. It was a Red Paddle Company XL board, 17 feet long and 90 inches wide. It can accommodate up to eight paddlers, making it larger than your average paddleboard-for-one. My small tent fit easily on it, and the most common question about the challenge was whether I was afraid of rolling into the water while asleep. Well, 90 inches is quite broad, and I would first roll off my single bed mattress before falling into the water. I also slept with my head near the tent exit just in case I had to leave quickly, and I never closed the tent door. At night, I would tie the board to the deck using straps to prevent floating down the Turvey weir or, worse, entering the chute that runs under the old mill. That could have been fatal.
The challenge began at 1 pm on Easter Saturday, and as I had just returned from two weeks in Africa and was quite exhausted from the travel and a severe chest infection, I planned on using the challenge to recharge. On that first afternoon, I paddled upstream to the village of Newton Blossomville. Paddling solo on a board intended for eight people is not easy, and you must put in a lot of effort if you want to move at a decent speed. I had 48 hours to kill, so speed was the last thing on my mind. Still, being on a board for so long involves lots of downtime, which makes paddling a welcome respite.
Late in that first afternoon, I returned to Turvey to grab the BBQ and, while sizzling some sausages, indulged in a cold beer. Once the sun set, it was time to set up the tent. Like most pop-up tents, erecting it is a chaotic process, and I had to ensure it didn’t fly off the board and into the river. After putting my sleeping bag, mattress, and snacks for the night in the tent, I secured the board to a pole on the deck. After about an hour of reading, I was out like a light and didn’t wake until I heard fish jumping and birds chirping; the sun was already up. So, I made coffee, loaded the camping toilet, and paddled away for my morning number 2. This was another thing that fascinated people. Not sure why, as there are many excellent camping toilets out there, but the one I had was the same as those found in campers or caravans. I had pre-loaded it with water for flushing and blue liquid to make my poo disappear. Nothing beats sitting at the end of your paddleboard while having a number 2, reading your book, drinking coffee, and watching the sun rise higher and higher.
My daily routine on the board followed a pattern. After my morning bowel movements, it was back to base at Turvey to drop off the toilet, grab everything I would need for the day, and then head upstream. Fortunately, the sun shone brightly during those 48 hours, allowing me to tie the board to a log in the middle of the river, take off my shirt, grab my book, and relax in the sun. During the 48 hours, I only saw one other paddler on the river. This didn’t bother me at all; I am comfortable with just myself as company. I would post social media updates throughout the day, and thankfully, they were having a positive impact on my fundraising.
During my final night on the board, the rain gods decided I was having too much fun, so they opened the floodgates. When planning this crazy adventure, I considered sleeping on the board with only a sleeping bag. As I listened to the sound of the steady rain, I was grateful for the tent. Getting up on that final morning was a struggle, as I knew the last hours of the challenge would be in the rain.
I quickly put on a rain jacket, made a brew, and grabbed some Hot Cross Buns for breakfast. I challenged myself with a paddle to help endure the wind and rain and went to the Lavendon Weir. Since I was not allowed to get off the board, that was where I turned around and headed back to Turvey. I arrived with only a few minutes left of my challenge. These were spent packing all the gear off the board and onto the deck.
Once the Turvey Church clock struck one, my 48-hour vigil on a paddle board was over—perfect timing as my friends returned from their weekend away. Being South African, they lit the BBQ and cracked open a celebratory bottle of bubbly. When you have access to a beautiful stretch of river, such as the one between Turvey and Newton Blossomville in Bedfordshire, spending a few days on a paddleboard is more of a pleasure than a pain. It allowed me to spend quality alone time on the river, recharge my batteries, and genuinely appreciate the beauty of nature around us. Plus, I got to raise a few pennies for a charity dear to my heart, the Canal and River Trust.
Want to support Pat’s Canal and River Trust fundraiser?
https://www.justgiving.com/page/patrick-cruywagen-1737048066162?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=015
Sophie (Fun 4 Young People)
Michael (Goldington Academy)
Gemma
Matthew
