 |
| SUP Amsterdam during the HISWA Tour Photo by Jasper van Staveren |
My stand up paddle school is located in Amsterdam. I have two locations. One in the center of Amsterdam and one 10 minutes outside of the city at a beach at the IJ-Lake.
Where's your favorite place to paddle Morene?
In Holland I love to go for a long paddle on the ‘sweet sea’ the IJ-Lake 2 minutes from my house. I also love to go paddle in new places to explore.
What attracted you to SUP?
The freedom of it and the ability to go on the water in every condition. For surfing you need waves, for kiting you need wind, for wakeboarding you need a boat, for snowboarding you need hills and snow etc etc… I love that you do not to gear up but can go for a paddle just like that. I love to be outside and I love the water and the feeling of being able to get ‘lost’ on my board.
Describe your first SUP experience for me.
It was bad! In the waves on the Dutch shore while the wind was blowing hard. I couldn’t stand up and paddle on this huge board… but… a week later I tried it again on flat water and I loved it. Within a week I got my own board. I live right on the canal and parked my board in front of my bedroom. How easy is that?
Why do you keep paddling?
I love the workout and that I can always decide where to go. Sometimes a short paddle in the canal or if I have the time and the weather allows it I go for a long training session and sometimes I go for a long tour with a good –paddle- friend. When it became my business in 2011 I paddle every day in the season and still love it. I really like to share the sport with all the people and let them enjoy being outside and moving/working out in the same time!
Where do you dream of paddling?
Every blue water and where the sun shines 365 days a year… In Holland the season is only from April-October. I do go paddling in the wintertime but it feels different in a wetsuit and boots. The best thing is paddling in a bikini and being able to go for a swim when you have a break or found a beautiful new spot. How are you involved with your local SUP community?
Pretty involved. I organise tours next to the lessons and help organise special tours and some races in Holland.
Why are you excited about Live Love SUP?
For SUP you need water, as for so many other things in live and for us it is so normal that we have running water and clean drinkwater but there are so many countries where water is like gold… Love to give out this message through SUP and being able to pay something back for using the water while paddling….
Thanks Morene
Check out Morene's facebook page for her business M&M Stand Up Paddle http://www.facebook.com/MMSUP and official website http://www.mm-sup.com/. Heading to Amsterdam? She's got all you need for a paddle adventure through the heart of Amsterdam! #livelovesup !
