Hey there paddlers, Rosie here, Co-Founder of Squid,
If you’ve been following me over the last 15 years of my standup paddling journey, you’re probably most familiar with my work behind the camera, documenting the growth of SUP for Standup Journal, now Session Magazine as well as the Instagram feed @SUP.La.Vie What an amazing opportunity I’ve had to paddle water all over the world, from Raja Ampat in Papua to Portugal to Sri Lanka and of course throughout the paddling paradise here in British Columbia, the place I’ve called home for more than three decades.
Less known is that I’ve also worked with some of the world’s best known SUP brands - Kahuna here in Canada, Starboard, the world’s biggest watersports company, and most recently with Sea Lion out of the UK. I’ve done just about everything in this industry from media production to product design and business development, and I’ve been stoked to fuel the explosion in popularity of SUP we’ve seen in the last few years.
Now here we are, it’s the fall of 2023, and we’re finally ready to launch Squid Paddle Co. I sometimes say that Squid has been years and thousands of paddle strokes in the making, and it’s true:
And while I’m stoked on our product lineup, I’m even more stoked on the team I’ve put together to make this venture come to life. They’re all incredibly creative, share my love of adventure, and every single one of them brings a wealth of experience to the table. What’s more, we’ve managed to keep it super local - we’re all here in the Sea to Sky. This place has turned into quite an incubator for adventure enterprises. And though the design team is up or down the highway, Squid is also assembling quite a cast of characters for our ambassadors, the Squad. Stay tuned.
It’s my sincere belief that the more time you spend exploring the water, the stronger your connection with our natural world, the more you understand that it needs protection. To be able to create the gear that not only will help people get out there, but to do it sustainably and as a 1% For The Planet company, is really a dream come true.
Can’t wait to get you all on a Squid!
Rosie
By the way, we’re documenting this 15 year journey with a media project we’ve dubbed SUP Sessions from the Vault. That’s right, we’re going deeeeep into the Vault to look at SUP then and now. Nothing stirs the soul like a good hit of nostalgia, and believe me, I’ve got a stack of hard drives loaded with thousands of images that’ll bring a smile to your face… and make you glad you’re paddling some modern gear!
I love my boards but it I don’t pamper them. They have been dragged across rocky shores, through forested river banks and over and under log jams.
This time, it's not just surfing and crab feasts on the beach that is calling but our buddy Dan at Tofino Boating Co. "The Lagoon Float Camp" is ready guys, you've got to come check it out!"
