When I first took on the challenge of stand-up paddleboarding around Scotland, I never could have imagined all the things I would see, learn and experience; the immensity of the coastline and its towering cliffs, the unforgiving currents, winds and waves, the joyfulness of daily wildlife encounters, some so profound they would change my life’s trajectory, the level of suffering and unfairness at the hands of man, the devastating, untold destruction of our seas, the passion in the people standing against it and the depth of our human connection to the ocean. I hadn’t expected how utterly sublime and restorative a sunrise over the ocean in Northern Scotland could be after a sleepless night on the water, with aching body and exhausted mind. And how immersing myself into all of this for 20 to 30 miles a day over ten weeks could completely change my own sense of connection to the ocean, the depth of my love for our seas, and my determination to do everything in my power to share its important stories, and protect it from harm.

A stand-up paddleboard (SUP) is an unlikely vehicle to take to Scotland’s wildest stretches of coastline. Nobody had attempted it before. Unlike a kayak, it has very little anchoring it beneath the water, making it vulnerable to even the lightest winds. It doesn’t glide through the water quite the same either, and paddling isn’t as efficient with just one blade, plus all kit needs to be strapped to the deck. For this expedition, my partner joined me on the water in his kayak, which only served to highlight how vastly different the two vehicles are. However, over the years, my SUP has become my vehicle for adventure, exploration and storytelling. I feel immensely at home standing atop my glorified surfboard. I love the feeling of standing tall, able to watch the underwater world below my board, free from a cramped cockpit, unconfined by a spray deck. I might not be able to paddle as fast or efficiently as in a kayak, but I feel like the rewards from the experience outweigh the additional effort.

The purpose of the expedition was to highlight what is out of sight and out of mind in our seas, right here on our doorstep; to explore the incredibly important role our seas play in all of our lives and in the climate and biodiversity crises made all the more relevant by the impending international climate conference, which was being hosted in Glasgow later that year. So alongside my boyfriend and film-making partner, James Appleton, we set out to document what we found along what was to become a truly epic journey of discovery.