By
SAL MONTGOMERY
Bio
Sal is a regular contributor to the Paddler magazine and an outdoorsy type who is happiest when out adventuring with friends, although she does like the odd solo adventure too. When not on the river, she can usually be found playing on the sea or in the mountains. Watch her great video on Bhutan – a must watch @: https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/shows/expedition-with-steve-backshall/watch-online/6062262839001 and her interview in the Paddler magazine @: https://paddlerezine.com/an-interview-with-sal-montgomery/
The Ocean8Challenge
In the lead up to World Ocean Day, whitewater kayaker Sal Montgomery, tells us why she’s pledged to give back to the great outdoors.
Well it’s been a funny year hasn’t it! For many of us, getting outside and being active has been a huge help for keeping our spirits up and helping us to keep going.
Our usual adventures and escapades were perhaps not possible, but we made the most of what was around us and I think we did pretty awesomely in my opinion! This also perhaps helped us to appreciate some of the great places right on our doorsteps, such as the local park or nearby woods.
Like many others, it was a hard hit when everything I had been training for disappeared. Expeditions were off, paddling trips were a no-go and even getting out for a nearby paddle wasn’t always possible due to restrictions. You knew there were much bigger and serious problems happening around the world, but you probably still felt down in the dumps!
I couldn’t get out paddling as I would usually, so I found something else to keep me happy and healthy until I could get back out in my kayak! And that was open water swimming.
The sea made me feel happy and healthy! Even when it was freezing cold, with temperatures in the minuses and ice on the ground, I’d leave with a big smile on my face (and blue toes), ready to start another day!
On one of these particularly ‘fresh’ days, my swim buddy Nikki and I, sat on the pebbly beach, wrapped up in our robes and wooly hats, sipping tea from our flasks and chatting about how beneficial our ocean dips had been for us these last few months. As sea-related conversations tend to head, we got on to the topic of plastic. I’d recently read an article that reported more than eight million pieces of plastic were making their way in to the ocean on a daily basis. I’d known plastic was a big problem, but not this big!
We decided that we wanted to give something back for all the greatness that the sea had brought us over the last 12 months. There and then we pledged that for eight days in the run up to World Ocean Day, we would do a daily ocean swim, followed by a big beach clean. We’d finish each swim on a different beach, thus helping to remove eight beaches worth of otherwise ocean-bound rubbish. We’d finish on June 8th, World Ocean Day – the Ocean8Challenge was born!
Supported by:
Joining in
We’re asking as many people as possible to get involved in their own way! Whatever it is that makes you feel good – swimming, kayaking, SUP’ing, canoeing, running, cycling, walking- anything outdoors – followed by an action that gives back. Whether that’s a full beach clean, paddle pick-up, a handful of bottles or a pocket of trash – it all adds up and contributes to what would likely eventually end up in the ocean. You can join in with anything from one day, right up to the full eight. Make sure you share your photos of you out and about, tagging the Ocean8Challenge and using #myocean8, and we’ll make sure to give you a shout out!
We’ve also teamed up with the awesome guys over at Paddle Logger, water user’s tracking app made by water-lovers themselves, as well as the Big Plastic Pledge, who work crazy hard to eradicate single use plastics in sports.
The facts and figures are pretty daunting, but we can do awesome things when we come together! Let’s celebrate our amazing outdoors and repay the favour for all the good that they share with us everyday!
We’ll be sharing people’s photos, videos and stories on the Ocean8Challenge Instagram page, as well as further details and updates- go check it out and join the Ocean8Challenge community! Don’t forget to tag Ocean8Challenge and use the hashtag #myocean8
Nikki, Ocean8Challenge
Sal and myself are aligned with everything when it comes to exercise, building habits that last, sustainability and adventure. We came up with the Ocean8Challenge as a way to give back to the environment while challenging ourselves physically. I’m Hugely motivated by triathletes like Lucy Charles, forces of nature like David Goggins and ocean legends like Ross Edgley. And the fact that we need to act now due to the eight million pieces of plastic pollution helped us put together this project.
David, Founder of Paddle Logger
For us at Paddle Logger, part of what we do is encourage our users and paddling community to have a responsibility towards protecting our ocean playground and ensuring that it remains a place to enjoy and paddle for the future. The Ocean8Challenge is one way paddlers and ocean lovers can get involved in stewardship, by showing how easy it is to go and have your adventure on the water and take some time at the end of the session to give back to the planet! We’re really looking forward to seeing people from all over the world take up the challenge and complete #myocean8.
Let’s do this!
Hannah, Big Plastic Pledge
This awesome challenge is exactly why I began the BPP, to inspire, unite and encourage athletes to use their platforms for positive environmental change. We will create a BPP team of athlete ambassadors to support and highlight the Ocean8Challenge to help it reach as many people as possible!
