Paddling the Waves of Change

When Jennifer Short signed her separation papers in January 2014, it dawned on her that her life would truly change. 

As an active person and a lifetime water-baby, Jennifer had always spent time on the water. In her relationship with her former partner, many happy moments were spent on the motor boat – water- skiing, tubing and enjoying outdoor life on the water. 

Being on the water had always been therapeutic for her, she says. 

“When I signed the separation papers, I was realistic and realized that it wouldn’t be possible for me to 
keep the boat anymore and I couldn’t bare the idea of not being on the water.” In Easter 2014, she was visiting her cousin, Trista, and came across her two Stand Up Paddleboards  (SUP) in the garage. As someone with an interest for surfing and a general fan of Laird Hamilton, she started doing some online research to buy her own Paddleboard. Within a few weeks, she ordered her first SUP – and her Paiwen arrived in the mail a few days later.

Happiness

When her Paiwen arrived in the mail, the board was christened “Tinkerbell Honey Sweetheart".

“It’s short, it’s light, it’s gorgeous, it’s colour coordinated and it comes with everything ,” she laughs.
Although it has only been a year since she first started paddling her Paiwen, she’s spent countless hours on her board both by herself and with her two kids; sometimes even spending up to 12 hours on her board – just her, the board, and a lunch. 

“What else do you need?!” she exclaims. “I really am an active person, and that’s one of the reasons why my marriage didn’t work out, sadly,” she admits. “So Stand Up Paddling has become a huge thing in 
my life now.”

SUP Yoga for Kids;)

Jennifer has also bought SUPs for her two kids, and it has become a lifestyle and bonding experience for her small family since her separation. 

“These boards have solidified my children and I together too. It’s super quality time and it’s active.” In the off months, her Paiwen, affectionately named “Tinkerbelle Honey Sweetheart”, also known as  “Tink” for short, lives in her house, mounted on the wall next to the dining room table.  “Christmas dinner, Easter dinner, there she is!” she exclaims.

In the winter, Jennifer’s Paiwen gets first class storage, where her and her kids talk about their adventures on the water over dinner, she says.

“When we sit there, the kids and I talk about what we’ve done and what we want to do. It has become a 
little focus that we draw a lot of things from now that it’s just the three of us. They are developing water 
skills and learning to care for the boards. There are so many advantages to having boards with a young 
family.”

Since her separation, she has also met other women in similar situations, and she has got them into Paddleboarding as well. Last summer, she travelled to dozens of lakes in Ontario and Quebec , including Lawless Lake and Fathom Five National Marine Park.

A view of a shipwreck from Jennifer’s Paiwen SUP in Canada’s Fathom Five National Park.

Jennifer’s son, Tristan, 13 helping her carry the SUPs for a paddle under Confederation Bridge on their way out to Prince Edward Island (PEI).

“I get so excited about Paddleboarding, it’s pretty crazy – it’s all I talk about.”

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You can see some of Jennifer’s recent paddling adventures from Toronto to Prince Edward Island.

www.paiwenboards.com