Is it safe to SUP on the Thames?
- admin37424
- Jun 10
- 3 min read
At The SUP Life, we want time spent on the water to be relaxing, energising and above all, safe. There has been much publicity surrounding water quality in UK rivers, including the Thames and faced with this, it's natural to question the safety of using the river.
The short answer is Yes, it is safe, with the right local knowledge and smart preparations. The stretch of the Thames where we operate is popular with swimmers, rowers and anglers, and has been for generations. The SUP Life team are in and out of the water all season and several of our Paddleboard Instructors are regular wild swimmers, at the time of writing this blog, we haven't seen anything this season that would give us cause for concern.
That said, like many rivers in the UK, the Thames is not without challenges. Water quality can vary depending on weather, heavy rainfall can cause agricultural runoff and we can't ignore the storm discharge during periods of heavy rain and potential pollution caused by river traffic.
What we do to keep you safe
Your safety and wellbeing are at the heart of every session we run. Here's how we keep on top of water quality concerns:
Daily Checks: We check river conditions via the Environment Agency as part of our ongoing risk assessment
Weather watch: No-one has more weather apps than a SUP Instructor! Prolonged heavy rainfall can affect water quality, we stay up to date on weather forecasts
Visual Assessment: We perform a visual inspection for anything unusual, signs of pollution, excess debris, changes in water colour before entering the water
Smell: We love the smell of the river (yes it's a thing!) and can tell if it's less than healthy.
Connection: We stay in touch with local river user groups and share information
What you can do
Here are a few simple tips to keep your river experience safe and enjoyable:
Avoid swallowing river water (this goes for any outdoor body of water)
Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser after your session, especially before eating
Rinse off after your paddle session, particularly if you've fallen in
Don't paddle with any open wounds; cover smaller grazes with waterproof plaster
We care about clean rivers
At The SUP Life, we're proud to be part of a community that loves and protects the River Thames. The recent spotlight on water quality is helping to drive much needed change, and we fully support the push for cleaner, healthier rivers across the UK. We recently hosted a Big Paddle Clean Up in partnership with Paddle UK and were pleased with the small amount of litter that we found in our stretch of the Thames. We also took part in The Rivers Trust The Big River Watch, studying the sights, sounds & smells of the river - with a wide diversity of wildlife recorded during the study period.
Resources
Want to find out more? Here are some useful links for river information:
Environment Agency Current River Conditions
Thames Water Storm Discharge Data
Joyful Swim Coaching Wild Swimming Coach Jo Jones is a regular Thames swimmer and source of river knowledge.
Questions?
If you have any concerns, just ask us. We're always happy to explain what we're seeing, how we make decisions and what we are doing to help you paddle with confidence.
The River Thames is our home, and your adventure playground. Let's enjoy it responsibly together.
See you on the water x
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