GROWING DOWN THE RIVER.

DREAM ON!

The meaning of life is to find your gift; the purpose of life is to give it away…

With deep ancestral ties to the North Saskatchewan River, I feel a special attachment while paddling it. The past 3 years of developing programming, safety protocols and garnering knowledge to guide paddle boards on it has finally come to fruition. I’ve dreamt of sharing this river with others for as long as I can remember.

Being a guide is not glamorous but it is hugely rewarding. Similar to a duck swimming calmly on the surface of the water, there’s so much going on underneath it all. Unless you’ve lived it most people are not aware of how much work is required. 

Between pre-trip planning, packing, organizing, safety, de-briefs, ensuring others are having a good time, safety, taking photos, mitigating risks, adapting to changes in weather, making good campsite choices, along with managing 6-8 people’s emotional and physical ability there is an endless stream of thoughts in my head at any given time while on/off the water.

​It is my life purpose, to give this passion away. For others to explore, experience and empower themselves while paddling on moving currents. After this trip it is cemented even more in my soul that this is what I’m meant to do. 

My parents were able to meet us at the river and assist the trip by setting up shuttle for us. This past year involving them more in helping host my events has been so fun for all of us. They’ve never been able to see the paddle community in action; they now feel so welcomed by the people they’ve met along the way.

I feel that life has come full circle for my family starting with when my great great grandparents ran rafts built from trees they harvested, on the North Saskatchewan River to bring supplies to our settlement from Fort Edmonton over a century ago.

SUFFER ON!

Sometimes the only way through suffering is to go right through it…

It takes courage to sign up for an adventure such as this, there’s always some tentativeness when we push ourselves out of our comfort zone. SUP touring on rivers is a relatively new niche. 

Eight women came together, of all different skill levels, ages and backgrounds for this unique experience. After a warm up paddle Thursday near Rocky Mountain House we set off into the wilderness from Nordegg the following day. 

There were nerves and excitement but immediately the teamwork began. Learning along the way the group started to identify hazards to avoid as we progressed with the flow. The women who just a day ago were mostly strangers to each other, bonded and flourished while supporting each other through every challenge presented to them.

​Oftentimes the most memorable trips are ones where everything doesn’t go right. This river tour was the perfect example of this. We had rain, heavy loaded boards, gear struggles, flips, fails and the ever changing wind either being our friend or foe. We laughed, we cried and we howled in unison as we conquered all 101 Km of paddling. 

The impossible became possible. Suffering is a vehicle to help us grow as individuals; I can safely say we all grew through the obstacles we faced together. It becomes a reminder not to take ourselves too seriously, we chose to be out on the river, we sought out this experience and all that was attached to it. 
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ROCK ON!

The end was bittersweet as we said our goodbyes, not one person in the group had a low to describe in the debrief; only highs. We all left feeling inspired, empowered and forever connected through the last four days of memories. Sometimes a group creates its own special energy that lasts in your heart for life, this was definitely the case for us.

This trip could not have been possible without the impeccable co-guiding of Jackie Stefaniuk who celebrated her birthday on the river with us that weekend. She loved our serenading or so she says! We both look forward to seeing which rivers these strong women conquer next. 

That is the ultimate goal for us at CANRVRSUP; to help you feel accomplished and empowered in a safe environment where you can test your limits physically and mentally while smiling. 

Check out our upcoming 2023 programs and trips (officially launching in November 2023). We’d love to help you find your flow in life!
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Reta Boychuk
Lead Guide / Owner CANRVRSUP
Compiled and Edited by Lisa Stocking
BADFISH SUP • WATERSHED DRY BAGS • NOMAD NUTRITION • KOKATAT • WERNER PADDLES • AQ OUTDOORS
SHUTTLE IN STYLE WITH A GMC AT4  COCHRANE GMC

Trip Testimonials

"So glad that I found the CANRVRSUP team to get me into SUP this summer! Their lessons combined fun, skill building, and safety awareness that had me wanting to get out for more. Joining the Intro to River SUP Touring trip was the highlight of my summer. Being outdoors on a beautiful river, learning, improving, achieving, and sharing good food and company while receiving guiding and coaching that was supportive of all abilities in the group was a great experience. Looking forward to more paddling!" -Lise V

"An experience of a lifetime! The lessons and techniques I learned on this Intro to River SUP tour will help me on other adventures and will stick with me for life. Money well spent, a great story to tell and lots of knowledge gained. Not to mention, a whole lot of fun! I can’t wait for the next opportunity to do something like this. Shout out to Reta, the best paddle instructor ever!" - Wyatt​