OUR MISSION
Translucid Adventures aims to introduce adventurers of all lifestyles, cultures, and abilities, to joyful, rewarding experiences on the water through stand up paddling. Join us in Jasper National Park to rediscover your intrinsic connection to nature.
“Stand up paddle boarding, like many outdoor pursuits, is a path back into connection with the natural environment. Time spent in a lake environment helps me re-awaken my inherent sense of wholeness, calm, and clarity. My experience is that out on the water, immersed in beauty and solitude, life makes more sense. At Translucid Adventures, we want to help you connect to self-discovery and tranquility to rediscover your most vibrant self.”
SUP HISTORYCultural Ties to Enjoyment of Natural Places
Stand Up Paddling (SUP) is rooted in contemporary surf culture and draws its modern influence from the paddling heritage of Hawaiian watermen. Polynesians are believed to have used stand up canoes or outriggers to navigate thousands of miles of open ocean guided by the currents, wind and stars. Some argue that Italian waterway culture also influenced SUP and parallels are drawn between modern boatmen on the canals of Venice. Peruvian & Latin American cultural history also documents the use of canoe-like boats made of reeds, used for both sport and fishing, that were paddled or guided from a standing position.
Regardless of the exact origins, SUP began to emerge as a distinctive sport in the last century and has only started to spread outside of surfing hubs like Hawaii and Australia over the past 20 years. Pro-surfers first started paddling their long boards out to off-shore reef breaks and using the sport as a form of training when surf-able swell wasn’t plentiful. Surf culture as a whole highly values: environmental responsibility, preservation of waterways as thriving and important ecosystems, appreciation of simple living, the importance of connecting with nature, and the vital importance of learning to live in the present moment. It’s these fundamental beliefs and the ‘rebel with a conscience’ cool factor that attracts teenagers, young adults and anyone young at heart to embrace surf culture even in places where traditional surfing isn’t accessible.
A large part of the appeal for stand up paddling lies in it’s wide reaching accessibility. This is a sport for people of all levels of mobility. It's dynamic range of applications offer a way to enjoy all aquatic ecosystems. A SUP board can be paddled from a prone (on stomach), kneeling or standing position. Stand up paddling can be a low impact, relaxing way to get out onto water and connect with the tranquility of floating on a calm lake. In contrast, it can be a high intensity, full body workout where athletes train for distance races, compete in an international competition circuit, or use SUP as a cross training opportunity for other endurance sports.
SUP is quickly becoming the fastest growing water sport in the world. There are now both ocean and flat water races held globally, SUP surfing tours and river SUP competitions. People are pursuing SUP to access the back-country as an overnight touring vessel. Yoga & fitness classes on Stand Up Paddle boards bring a whole new dimension to total body balance and strengthening and also brings the popularity of yoga to an outdoor space.
The hub of SUP is still Hawaii and the spirit of aloha aligns perfectly with the desire we have in Jasper to connect all adventures with a joyful, rewarding experience in nature. "Aloha" literally translates to:
The joyful sharing of life energy in the present.
This single word highlights and unites our shared passions for the outdoors, paddling, yoga and self-discovery through mindfulness. We believe in the protection of wild places and the enjoyment of these places through self-propelled activities that promote healthy living and sustainable experiences.
Alisen Charlten + The Translucid Adventures Team