“After 82 hours, of lugging 30kg packs down the river, in which we felt completely exposed and out of our depth at times it was a pretty special moment to make it to the finish safely, especially after so many setbacks.” Blackfish Paddles and SIC Maui Team Rider and two-time World SUP Race Champion Lincoln Dewshas released a full video of his latest quest, an immersive experience of extreme paddleboarding down the Nymboida River Rapid trail.
No stranger to tough and testing environments, Lincoln Dews and Nick Ray, adventurer and endurance paddler, became the first people to successfullycomplete the entire length of the river on stand-up paddlebaords, non-stop and unsupported. TotalSUP caught up with Lincoln to hear more about their Nymboida SUP descent.
Hi Lincoln! Congratulations on the launch of the video and your epic SUP adventure! What drives SUP athletes and adventurers to venture out into the unknown? Why is tough and the extreme so compelling?
It doesn’t matter if I’m in the competitive environment or in the ocean alone, I love pushing my own limits. With the competitive scene at a standstill currently, my own goals have started drifting towards adventures like this in which I’m pushed so far out of my comfort zone.
Choosing the gear you can rely on for such an extreme expedition is crucial. Could you tell us more about your choices?
Anytime you go into an area where rescue options are limited, equipment becomes absolutely critical.Safety was our number one priority always, so wheather it was lifejackets, helmets or satellite phones we made sure we were prepared for every situation. I used a 10’6 Tao iSUP from SIC Maui as the length was best suited to the rapids and sections we had to traverse by foot. For a paddle I took a Blackfish Nootka Fishskinadjustable paddle and a Fishskin three-piece as a spare. These paddles and board were probably the most important pieces of equipment cause if they broke we had a long hike out.
What made you keep going through the toughest moments of your SUP adventure?
The fact that the only way out was at the finish! No, in all seriousness Nick Ray was a huge motivation. He is experienced in multi-day adventures such as this and I learnt a lot about how to mentally work through multiple days from him.
What were your Blackfish paddles of choice for this expedition?
Using the Blackfish Fishskin paddles gave me peace of mind by knowing I could absolutely trash the paddle and it wouldn’t break. Pretty lucky considering I hit every rock in the river with my paddle, ha ha!
While we talk about white water sections of the river, there were many miles of flat water paddling too. The Nootka Fishskin is a perfect allrounder for this also.
What would you say to SUP enthusiasts looking to embark on a SUP expedition?
Do it! SUP is so diverse, there are so many different avenues available. Go out there and try!
What’s next in the pipeline?
My next projects are looking similar to this, however in the ocean. There are some major steps to work up towards doing multiple days in the ocean. So there’s going to be a few adventure projects coming this year.
During the last week of March, I had the opportunity to join Seychelle SUP for her Women’s SUP & Love Wellness Retreat in Key Largo Florida, and wow… What a beautiful week we had! It was filled with many sunny days, dolphins, mangroves, palm trees, paddling, meditations, journaling, yoga, healthy nutritious food, and more. It […]
Introducing Joan GarcĂa Valero, the newest Spanish recruit for SIC Maui. Hailing from the coastal town of El Campello in Alicante, Joan’s journey into SUP began at the age of ten. Formerly a dedicated surfer, his transition to SUP was seamless, driven by a passion for the sea. Under the mentorship of coaches like Daniel […]
As an industrial engineer with a passionate love for the ocean, Mark Travers the current owner of Honu paddle boards believes that the lifestyle of stand up paddling creates something magical that everyone should be able to experience. Every product is designed from the ground up, carefully considering every detail, component and construction method. Each […]
Introducing SIC Maui’s latest innovation: the Rocket Ship Turbo (RST) dugout all-water raceboard designed by the iconic SIC Maui original founder and designer Mark Raaphorst who claims “This isn’t just another board—it’s a fusion of cutting-edge design and unparalleled performance that’s set to redefine what’s possible in the world of all-water racing”. Let’s delve deeper […]
Today on TotalSUP, we dive into the life and experiences of Ryohei Yoshida, the renowned stand-up paddle athlete from Japan. Having recently clinched the prestigious ICF SUP World SUP Mens Technical 40+ Title, Ryohei shares his insights on balancing his roles as an athlete, husband, and father. From his training routine in the idyllic coastal […]
“We are pleased to announce that Ethan Bry has joined our team of amazing SUP athletes. Ethan is a gifted paddler who has trained with Blackfish athletes Amandine Chazot and Boris Jinvresse for several years,” said David Smart, Founder of Blackfish Paddles, Canadian SUP brand developing high-performance, handcrafted SUP paddles. “Ethan is one of the younger athletes […]
Use of cookies
This website uses cookies in order to make it easier to use and to support the provision of relevant information and functionality to you.
Necessary Cookies
Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.
3rd Party Cookies
We use a set of third party tools to provide information on how our users engage with our website so that we can improve the experience of the website for our users. For example, we collect information about which of our pages are most frequently visited, and by which types of users. Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.
Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!