Paddler Logger Places ft Nicola Volani, Lake Garda, Italy

Paddling across Italy’s diverse waterways requires preparation, awareness, and a deep connection with the environment. From the alpine beauty of Lake Garda to open-ocean sessions abroad, Nicola Volani relies on Paddle Logger to stay safe, track performance, and plan each adventure with confidence. In this interview, they share how the app has become an essential part of their routine—helping them monitor conditions, navigate unfamiliar routes, analyze training data, and explore Italy’s rich mix of nature, culture, and sport. Their insights reveal how technology can meaningfully enhance the paddling experience.

Hi Nicola! Welcome to TotalSUP, we’re so stoked to have you here today! Lets begin with how you typically use the Paddle Logger app during your paddling trips around Italy? 

I always start the paddle logger during my sessions at the lake or beach. Before getting in the water, I launch the app—it’s become a habit that helps me track every outing and relive the experience afterward.

Fantastic! What features of the Paddle Logger app do you find most helpful when exploring your local waterways?

PaddleLive, definitely! It’s a fundamental feature for me, to feel safe and let my family and friends know I’m okay. I also use PaddlePLAN in case I don’t remember the route, especially in places I don’t frequent often. It’s like a compass that shows me the direction and helps me find my way back home!

PaddleLive and PaddlePLAN are definitely great tools to use on the water! Can you walk us through your usual process of recording a paddling trip with the app? 

Of course! I get to the beach, launch the app on my Apple Watch with a 2-3 minute counter. This way, I can get in the water calmly. I set the desired distance and do my session in the water. At the end, I finish recording and check all the stats on my phone!

That’s great to hear! How do you prepare with the Paddle Logger app before heading out on the water around Lake Garda? 

I look at my contacts in PaddleLIVE and set the session duration of my paddling session, in case of emergency. I set the distance (in kilometers) and quickly check the wind conditions on my iPhone on Paddle Logger. Once this is done, I start paddling!

Have you noticed any particular benefits from using the app while paddling  Lake Garda? 

Absolutely! I feel safe with Paddle Logger, I have tons of stats I can view and analyze (and share with my coach), and I have a precise history of where I’ve paddled. It’s an essential app for me. I can’t imagine life on the water without it!

How do you use the app to navigate or plan routes around your local waterways?

If I know the route, I launch the app to record the session; if I don’t, I follow the route with the PaddlePLAN feature. Lake Garda has many landmarks, but sometimes I go to the beach, and it’s more complicated to figure out where I am. However with Paddle Logger in my pocket I never worry about finding my way back home.

Are there any challenges you’ve faced using Paddle Logger during your trips, and how do you handle them? 

Some races I’ve participated in were very tough for me; Paddle Logger allowed me to monitor my heart rate, pace per kilometer, and effort. It was a valuable tool for understanding my performance. I remember a particular race in Lignano Sabbiadoro a few years ago… the race was 18 km on a river and against a headwind. Without Paddle Logger, I don’t think I would have been able to finish the race, because it allowed me to view my HR and better manage my energy.

We love hearing how Paddle Logger has helped you in so many ways! How does the app enhance your safety or awareness while paddling in remote parts of the open ocean off the coast? 

I always use PaddlePLAN and PaddleLIVE to check my route and to notify rescuers/family in case of an emergency. During the year, I go to the Canary Islands and the open ocean 2-3 times (even more than my home spot here in Italy), so these tools are essential for my open ocean paddling adventures.

How has using the Paddle Logger app changed or improved your paddling experience around  Lake Garda? 

It allowed me to get to know this lake even better and keep track of all my explorations! Based on this, I can more confidently decide where I want to go and how much effort to make. Lake Garda is also subject to strong winds and sudden changes in weather; Paddle Logger gives me constantly updated information on these conditions!

Why do you love paddling around Lake Garda in general?

Lake Garda is a wonderful and very unique place. It is the largest lake in Italy and is surrounded by mountains up to 2,000 meters high! The view is incredible. It’s also a perfect place for many water sports (windsurfing, kitesurfing, wing foiling, sailing, etc.); it’s like a giant water playground! A bonus is that it’s close to my house! Paddling in Italy in general has a unique flavor because there are wonderful places where nature, art, sport, and food come together! With stand up paddle boarding, this is possible! For example, during the Spring SUP Race, we raced around an ancient castle! We combine sport and culture!

Thank you for painting that picture of Lake Garda for us! It sounds absolutely incredible! What nature do you usually see around the waters of Italy? 

Italy is extremely variegated: in the south, the climate is Mediterranean, in the north, Alpine. You can see the crystal-clear sea of ​​Sicily and Puglia, but also the Alps with their perpetually snow-capped peaks. There are beautiful streams and lakes that are pearls set in nature! The right word, then, is wealth and variety of fauna!

Wow! Beautiful! The last question we have before we let you go today is why should people come paddle in Italy?

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