I used to be used to getting just a few stares.
As an early adopter of paddle boarding within the UK, I typically went plunging into the ocean in mid-winter with nothing however a wetsuit between me and the weather.
I first fell in love with the game within the noughties, whereas working in New York as a therapeutic massage therapist and yoga teacher. I spent my summers working at a browsing resort known as Montauk, in Lengthy Island.
One summer season a well-known surfer known as Darrick Doerner was staying on the resort the place I labored. He was a world champion and had been Patrick Swayze’s double within the film Level Break.
On the finish of the summer season he raffled a signed surfboard. I purchased a single ticket, and gained! The universe was nudging me out to sea, and a buddy really useful I strive paddle boarding because it’s just a little simpler and extra accessible than browsing.
She took me out throughout the bay one night, when the water was as nonetheless and calm as glass, and that was it, I used to be hooked.
However after I moved residence to Northern Eire in 2012 paddle boarding wasn’t but a factor and folks would cease and stare after they noticed me bobbing on my board out within the Irish Sea.
I truly fairly preferred the eye – individuals would wave at me and I'd wave again, though I by no means imagined that an onlooker would sooner or later turn out to be my accomplice.
By the top of 2013, I used to be single, 40, and on the lookout for love. After doing a private improvement program, certainly one of my objectives was to fulfill somebody particular. I’d been on-line courting and had lined up 13 new dates for myself in January.
So when a person did a double-take as I parked my automobile close to the seaside in Holywood, County Antrim, on Boxing Day 2013, I couldn’t resist stopping to speak.
It was a cold, dry day and he was parking as much as go to a buddy. I used to be clutching my board, about to go out to the ocean for a bracing post-Christmas paddle.
‘Are you going on the market?’ requested the person, who’d launched himself as Richard McIlmoyle. After I defined what I used to be doing, he checked out me like I used to be nuts.
One other one bites the mud, I believed. However not so quick… we carried on chatting and it turned out Richard and I lived simply a few streets away from one another. We additionally had mutual mates and – unbeknown to me – Richard went on to ask them for my quantity.
A couple of days later he despatched me a textual content, saying he’d seen me out paddle boarding within the bay once more and asking me out to dinner on New Yr’s Eve.
I had initially made plans with my brother for NYE, however he’d come down with the flu so when Richard requested me, I believed why not? I used to be single and I’d promised myself I'd get on the market. Actually New Yr’s Eve is rather like some other night time – and it was enjoyable to have one thing to do fairly than sitting in alone.
I used to be questioning what on earth I’d been pondering as I obtained prepared for our date. I couldn’t even bear in mind what Richard seemed like, however I’d made a vow to myself to fulfill new individuals and discover love.
Richard had solely seen me in a wetsuit, with hair scraped again and never a scrap of make-up. I made a decision to maintain issues informal so I wearing black leggings and a pleasant prime, and walked as much as his home to fulfill him.
When he opened the door he actually wasn’t my ordinary sort – however perhaps that was signal.
He took me to a seafood restaurant and because the night went on I discovered that Richard’s ardour was refurbishing homes. He requested about my paddle boarding and appeared impressed by my adventures.
There was a twinkle in his eye after I instructed him I might even do a yoga headstand on my board.
When the clock struck midnight we welcomed the brand new yr dancing to a band – however we didn’t have a kiss. It was truly about two weeks earlier than I kissed him for the primary time.
We stored issues informal at first – I even went on my 13 deliberate dates – however none of them appeared as good as Richard and I realised how a lot I loved hanging out with him. We met up for film nights and Chinese language takeaways.
Three months later we had been in a relationship after I hatched a mad plan to tackle a long-distance paddle alongside a piece of the Northern Irish coast to boost cash for Marie Curie, in help of a cousin with breast most cancers.
By this level Richard was used to seeing me heading out to sea with my board so he wasn’t in any respect stunned and volunteered to assist – though wanting again I don’t assume he fairly realised what he was agreeing to.
The problem, in April 2014, took me three complete days to cowl a 75-mile part of the coast. I had the lifeguards on stand-by, however Richard was crucial a part of my help crew.
I wanted a spotter, in case I obtained into hassle – somebody on land who might maintain a pair of binoculars skilled on me always and name for assist if I disappeared from view.
For 3 lengthy days, six-hour stretches at a time, Richard walked alongside the shores parallel to me, holding watch. That’s after I knew he was a keeper! At one level I used to be paddling at midnight, attempting to get in a few additional miles, and I might see his headlights out on shore. It was so reassuring figuring out he was there.
We married on June 7 2015 and in 2016 I gave delivery to our son Jack. As a 44-year-old first time mum my being pregnant was thought of to be excessive threat and I used to be fastidiously monitored, so the paddling took a again seat. I actually missed being out at sea however I felt it was definitely worth the sacrifice – I had new duties and tasks.
However by 2019 I used to be again out on the water with a brand new plan – to cowl a 200-mile size of the coast from the northern-most tip of Northern Eire, Greencastle, proper all the way down to the south, ending in Howth, Dublin. Richard went with the stream, eager to help me as at all times.
Over the following three years I accomplished my problem in stretches, going out to paddle over weekends with Richard, 56, and Jack, now six, in tow.
I hugged the coast as a lot as attainable, however there have been a number of lough mouths to cross they usually’re bodily powerful – enormous our bodies of water with rip currents and whirlpools.
I'd purpose to paddle for round six hours at a time. It’s actually gruelling on the shoulders nevertheless it helped a lot figuring out that Richard and Jack had been on the shore holding watch with their binoculars.
Throughout my paddles I'd at all times name the lifeguards and inform them I used to be going to be within the water, and after I known as the Dublin lifeguard for the primary time, his response was ‘are you mad?’
I lastly reached the top of my problem in autumn 2022, overlaying a stretch of sea completely stuffed with jellyfish. It was a uneven sea and each time a wave came visiting my board there was a jellyfish in it. I used to be so frightened one was going to finish up on my board – or my foot – however fortunately that didn’t occur.
I’ve raised £3,000 for Marie Curie and over £1800 for the RNLI.
I’m turning 50 in 2023 so my New Yr’s Decision must be an enormous one. Maybe I’ll proceed paddling south and see if I can full all the jap facet of the Irish coast.
Realizing Richard is holding watch makes me really feel like these challenges are extra achievable. For security it’s important, and the coast guards are at all times reassured after I inform them my husband is driving parallel to me on the shore.
The sky’s the restrict – or ought to that be the ocean? So long as Richard brings his trusty binoculars.
This New Yr’s Eve we’re going away for just a few days on the coast as a household – albeit I’m going to be out paddle boarding. We are inclined to put extra significance on our marriage ceremony anniversary as a day to have a good time, however I’ll at all times be grateful I agreed to that New Yr’s Eve date.
To help Jennifer’s fundraising go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jennifer-greenlees
As instructed to Jade Beecroft
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