Our Story

I feel entrepreneurial every April.

Why? Well, it's the annual pilgrimage to Wrightsville Beach, NC for the Carolina Cup SUP race. For some reason, this race more than any other gets me feeling excited and creative in this microcosm of my life. Maybe it's the warm weather and the waves, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, or the fact that it's the first and one of the biggest races of the season, or that I have a strict no-pant rule on beach vacations. But, no matter the reason, every April I spend over six hours in the car back to D.C. dreaming up how I can be more active on the water and become a better SUP ambassador in my local community.

This year, I'm following through on some of the ideas I put to paper on the drive home a week ago today. So, welcome to our website: dcsupcouple.com.

WHY?

The "why" of dcsupcouple.com leads me to the purpose of this post: our story. I wanted this first musing to be about who we are and why we're embarking on this platform together.

SUP has everything to do with who we are individually and as a couple. It's given us a personal purpose and it's brought us together.

OUR STORY

I found SUP when I was incredibly unhappy professionally and when my social circle started to shrink as friends began leaving D.C. The transitory nature of this city left me feeling really lonely during a time when I needed my friendships the most. On a whim, in the dead of winter, I called Potomac Paddlesports to inquire about lessons that upcoming summer. It took no time for them to sell me on a two-year membership package, and I eagerly awaited my first lesson in May.

Scott was my instructor on that chilly May 4 morning. At that time he introduced himself to everyone by his well known nickname, Buck. His enthusiasm for the sport was infectious. He had been paddling the Potomac River for years and was part of the first crew SUPing the rapids of Mather Gorge on toy inflatable boards back in 2010. A lifelong adventurer, surfer, and board sport junkie, SUP was a natural fit for him when the sport first appeared in the D.C. area. And (from what I would find out later), as a stay-at-home dad in an estranged, unhealthy marriage, it also gave him an important and healthy outlet.

If you've ever met Scott, you know that he could make conversation with a telephone pole. And that conversation would probably be about SUP. So, we became fast friends. And, after only one summer of paddling, Scott encouraged me to consider becoming an instructor myself. [I also found inspiration from a fellow female paddler who became an ACA certified instructor after only a short time on the water, too - Shout out to Melissa if you're reading this!]

Our friendship continued to grow as he coached me for my three-day ACA certification and together we built a brand new SUP program for Potomac Paddlesports. While he helped me become a paddler, I supported him through the toxic dissolution of his marriage. I, along with some of his other close paddling friends, watched him lose everything and learn how to gain it all back. Part of that process was shedding his old nickname and learning to love himself as Scott all over again.

FAST FORWARD

Nearly a year after we first met, and armed with some tips from his mom, Scott asked me out on our first date in April 2014. A picnic outside of the Smithsonian Castle led to a ride around the carousel, a trip up the Washington Monument, and two and a half years of more fun and adventure. Together we've traveled up and down the East Coast and to the mountains out West and back. We've hit the water together for dozens of SUP races and have taught hundreds of classes as a team.

To my total surprise, Scott proposed this past January and our wedding plans are underway.

And, just in case I didn't have enough on my plate, I've branded us.

Well, not really. We're not a company, and we're not a brand. We're two SUP instructors who are independent contractors and have a passion for getting people completely hooked on the sport. The purpose of this little endeavor is to share our SUP stoke with our local community and hopefully get you to come join us on the water!

Welcome!

xox,

M