Interview with Jo Moseley
Photos courtesy of Jo Moseley

At the age of fifty-four, Jo Moseley became the first woman to standup paddleboard across England, traversing its canal system 162 miles from Liverpool to Goole.

Now, as a wellness influencer and through her books, she motivates others to reach for their dreams, no matter their age.

When did you begin paddleboarding?
In 2016, when I was fifty-one. That January, I fell and injured my knee, so I was feeling low both physically and emotionally. As a remedy, I challenged myself to exercise outside every day for thirty minutes—I called it my “rain-or-shine thirty.” I then decided to try paddleboarding since it provides a low-impact, full-body workout. I started in September when my knee began feeling better and had my first lesson in England’s beautiful Lake District.

I immediately loved paddling and picked it up right away. I received an inflatable paddleboard as a combination Christmas/ birthday gift the same year. (My birthday is Boxing Day, December 26.) My boards are all inflatable because I wouldn’t have the space to store them otherwise.

When did you decide to paddle coast-to-coast?
About two months after my first lesson. When I first told people about my plans, they said it was too difficult for a woman my age and too challenging logistically. So I put my dream away. But in January 2019, my youngest son was going off to university and I was about to be an empty nester. A few of my girlfriends had also just died. I realized that life is short and precious and you should grab it while you can. I decided to revisit my dream of paddling across country to help me cope with everything.

Why did you choose this challenge?
I like taking on big things that I can chip away at. I’m not fast, but I’m good at slowly working toward a goal. For instance, in 2014 I rowed a million meters [621 miles] on an indoor rowing machine to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support in memory of my mom, who died from the disease in 2013. I chose to traverse the canals because they are more sheltered and safe, with people usually walking on adjacent towpaths. It also gave me the opportunity to raise funds for two causes I care about: the Wave Project, a charity that teaches surf therapy for mental health, and the 2 Minute Foundation, which encourages spending at least two minutes a day picking up litter. Plus, traveling coast-to-coast just seemed like fun.

How long did your journey take?
It took me eleven days. I mostly slept in pubs with rooms or beds-and-breakfasts, but I passed through my hometown midway, so I was also able to sleep in my own bed two nights. Filmmaker Frit Tam, who documented my trip for the film Brave Enough, joined me for half the journey. He’d film me in the morning from the towpath and meet me for lunch and in the evening; we also stayed one night together with friends.

Did you face any challenges?
Beforehand, I was just starting to get over frozen shoulder, which is a rotator-cuff injury, and had plantar fasciitis in my foot. So I had to do some yoga, spin cycling, and weightlifting to prepare. I also had other responsibilities to take care of, including my job at a chartered engineering company and looking after my dad.

During my journey, I got disoriented one day after stopping to pick up some litter in the canal—I try to gather garbage as I paddle—and accidentally went in the wrong direction for a while. That was a setback.

There were also some downpours in the middle of my trip, including a terrible thunderstorm just before the end. But then a rainbow appeared, and it was like my mum was there. She had said before she died that a white feather, the smell of lavender, or a rainbow would be a sign that she was nearby.

Is this the bravest thing you’ve done?
There are times in life when bravery is forced upon us, such as when we have children or a parent dies. But this was definitely the first time I voluntarily decided to be brave—everything could have gone terribly wrong on this trip.

What have you learned from your experience?
It’s never too late, and you’re never too old. I turn sixty at the end of this year, but instead of boo-hooing or panicking, I decided to mark the milestone by doing a headstand every day until then. I hope to encourage other people to find similar joy in what they do.

What do you hope to do next?
I’d love to paddleboard in Costa Rica, New Zealand, or among the islands in Norway.

For more info, visit jomoseley.com and follow @jomoseley on Instagram