Q&A with Paddle UK 2024 #ShePaddle Ambassador Jess Ashley

Jess started SUP in 2019. Jess is one of the #ShePaddle Ambassadors for Paddle UK for 2024, and a kit reviewer for SUPM.

Interview: Peter Tranter 
Photos: Jessica Ashley, EoEPS, Jon Hipkin (@hipkinjon84), @barryoutdoors, @colmsphotos

Jess is a wild swimmer, sailor, and wingfoiler who started SUP in 2019. Jess is one of the #ShePaddle Ambassadors for Paddle UK for 2024, a kit reviewer in Gear Shed for SUPM for the last 12 months, and is also an admin for the East of England Paddlesport FaceBook Group, the largest affiliated cub with Paddle UK. So, we thought it was about time we caught up for a natter. Take it away Jess…

How and what attracted you to SUP? 
I started paddleboarding with my family during lockdown to get outdoors and on the water with a very young child who was two years old. We always sailed and spent time on the water as a family, so with the lockdown, it was the thing we could start doing to spend time back on the water again. 

What continues to draw you to the outdoors and SUP?
The tranquillity of it all. I love a sunrise or sunset paddle, and I can spend the whole time admiring the beauty of nature.  

Do you have a mentor? 
I don’t have a mentor per se, but Oli Jordan, who owns East of England Paddlesports, is definitely someone who supports me and has taught me a lot throughout the years of helping him run the group. Andy Large and Matt Payne, who are also admins of EoEPs, and Ollie Nawrat from Saltwater SUP have all taught and supported me a lot with different aspects of paddling.  

Why do you think the #ShePaddles initiative is essential? 
I think showcasing women in watersports and maritime is so important to help other women and girls see that we can do it, too! The more role models people see, the more we can encourage other women and girls to give it a go! I also love how diverse this initiative is, with women from all backgrounds. It’s not only to encourage women and girls; it’s to ensure our future in paddling is inclusive to all, regardless of gender, background, etc.  

What would you recommend to women applying to the Ambassador programme for 2025? 
Go for it! If paddlesports is your passion, definitely apply. You don’t know unless you try!
I wasn’t going to apply because I didn’t feel I had much to give, but a fellow female paddle friend pushed me to do it because she knew how passionate I was about promoting the sport and my love for it!  

Do you find SUP helps you with your mental health? 
Absolutely! I believe in blue therapy, so if I am ever struggling, I go for a paddle, swim, sail, wing, or walk next to the sea! A tranquil SUP resets my mind. I am very busy and active, but when I struggle, I take myself out on a paddle and sit there, and it seems to clear all my stresses and worries.  

As part of your role as a #ShePaddles Ambassador, are you setting yourself any personal challenges, initiatives or events in the next 12 months? 
My main goal is to help other women and girls gain confidence on the water so they can go out and use it as blue therapy or to make like-minded friends like I have. I am lucky enough to be an admin of a paddlesports group where I can host #ShePaddle events, such as a pool session for beginners to help women gain the skills. 

What is the best way to spread the #ShePaddles message and passion for the sport?
I think ‘show by doing’ is a great way to spread the word. The more women we see out on the water, the more we can spread the love and joy. Hopefully, having more women on the water will spark other women to give it a go! 

What would you say to women who have seen the #ShePaddles articles and stories over the past few years but are doubting their abilities to get involved?
Don’t ever doubt yourself. We can do anything we put our minds to, and don’t let other people make you think otherwise! There are so many places to go to gain the skills to be a confident and competent paddler, and remember, we were all new to this sport at one point! 

Have any paddling events over the past year been memorable? 
There have been so many memorable paddles! I am lucky enough to be a part of such a huge group that runs so many events that it is hard to choose a favourite. Still, the most memorable is a sunrise paddle event I organized, a midweek, super early 5 am paddle. The sea was like a millpond, the sky was stunning, and 28 people attended the event on a random Thursday morning, all before heading off to work! To make it even more memorable, we went for a swim, and a seal swam around us!  But the other memorable event was kayaking down the Ardeche in France with my best friends and camping outdoors in hammocks under torrential rainfall! 

Where’s your favourite place to paddle in the east of England?
This is a hard one! I prefer paddling the sea and estuaries to explore the creeks and see what nature has to offer, so I would probably choose the estuaries around the River Colne, Blackwater, or the Deben. They all have something different to offer! 

Have you always been very active outdoors? 
Yes. I was born and raised in Canada, so being outdoors was a huge part of growing up, but my parents weren’t really into anything outdoorsy. However, we did go sea fishing and camping as a family the odd few times. The thing that sparked my love for the outdoors was being in the Girl Guides and going to summer camp in Canada. It’s a totally different outdoorsy life to the UK, and it was totally wild with the risk of bears, coyotes, and racoons to contend with!

Outside of SUP, what else keeps you on your toes?
I am always on my toes and rarely have time to rest. Outside of SUP, I spend my time on the water, either wingfoiling, sailing, or cold-water swimming. I now have a watersport regardless of the wind and weather conditions! And if the weather or my schedule doesn’t allow water time, you will find me at the gym lifting weights! I am a mum of a six-year-old and three spaniel dogs, and I work as a vet nurse, so I am always a tired, busy bee! 

Who are your paddling inspirations?
Cal Major inspires me. Not only is she a passionate paddler, but she is also using paddling to reach masses of people to highlight the climate and biodiversity crisis and protect our earth and the wildlife that live on it. Not only that, but she also works as a veterinarian!

All the female paddle adventurers inspire me, such as the last two Adventure Queens grant winners (whom I am lucky enough to call friends): Sarah DuPlessis and Natasha Sones. Natasha won the 2023 grant and did a solo paddle adventure and wild camp around Norway. This year’s winner Sarah, plans to paddle and wild camp around the Outer Hebrides. 

You’re heavily involved with the East of England Paddlesports Group. What does that entail?
We run many events throughout the year for our members, most of which are free to attend. Our ethos is to promote grassroots paddling, and we volunteer our time to run these to get people out enjoying the water and making like-minded friends.

Much of our time is spent planning events such as paddles, trips, and talks, updating our social media pages, and providing content and guides for safe paddling, such as what to wear, what to take, etc. We have been asked to write a book that will be published in 2025, so keep your eyes peeled! 

What’s your dream ‘must have’ food when paddleboarding? 
I am a massive foodie, so this is a hard one! Sushi would be an awesome treat to have while on a SUP. I’ve never tried it, so perhaps I must make this dream come true this year! Matt Payne (fellow EoEPs admin) and I did get a warm fried chicken baguette on a paddle to Mersea Strood once, and when we went to eat it, it was still warm. That was a huge treat! 

How did you get involved with the East of England Paddlesports Group? 
I joined the group to find paddle events and attended a ‘falling in’ session Oli held in Frinton. I was a confident paddler, having grown up next to the sea and sailed for many years, but I was never sure if I was capable of getting back on my board if I fell off or if I was doing rescues correctly, so I went to a session with a friend. 

When I got to the beach where the session was held, I instantly recognised Oli. We had been friends since we were young, and I decided to catch up. We had lots in common with our outdoorsy life and love for the water. 

I started attending the events after that, as I felt like I knew at least one person, and I started making so many like-minded friends—some of whom are my closest friends now! 

Quickfire questions

Who would it be if you could paddle with anyone, dead or alive? 
Ross Edgely.

Which famous person would you like to see play you in a film? 
Jamie Chung.

Pick two celebrities to be your parents: 
Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu. 

Are you a bathroom/shower singer, and if so, what do you sing? 
Nope, but I am a car singer! I love to sing old school R&B and emo music. 

An ideal night out for you is?
Sitting around a fire under the stars with friends.

What one luxury item would you take with you on a desert island?
Coffee.

What would you prepare for us if we came to your house for dinner?
Homemade Chinese food – Ramen, Bao buns, Roast duck complete with a cheesecake! I make a banging homemade cheesecake! 

What’s in your fridge right now? 
Greek yoghurt, Meat, Veg & fruit (I eat clean!) 

Who are your SUP buddies? 
Sarah, Joe, Fe, Oli, Matt, Andy, and the group members who attend our events! 

Any final shout-outs to friends, supporters and sponsors? 
My husband and son, thank you for supporting me with all these extra-curricular activities I am involved in! The EoEPs admin team, all the independent adventure women in my life who inspire me daily: Sarah, Fe, Helen, Claire, and Natasha, to name a few; Ollie from Saltwater SUP, who always encourages and helps me with paddle-related things; Zoe Green who sent me the application to apply as a #ShePaddles ambassador and of course, Paddle UK, for choosing me to be an ambassador for 2024!