Women + Water Blue Mind Retreat

From 2016 to 2020, a pan-European research initiative called, ‘Blue Health,’ was launched to investigate the affect of blue spaces (i.e. bodies of water or land close to water) on health. In the first international review of its kind, a team from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) analysed findings from 35 scientific studies. They found that interaction with blue spaces had a positive effect on mental health, particularly for stress reduction and perceived wellbeing. As this area of research continues to build momentum, and we see thousands of women experience these positive effects through their stand-up paddleboarding experiences, She SUPs is proud to be applying this theory to a new series of ‘BlueMind Retreats’.

Our Women + Water Blue Mind Retreats are designed around the science-backed benefits of being on, in and near water, featuring activities that cover all three of these areas. Including stand-up paddle boarding, sunrise swims, snorkelling, yoga, beach-side journaling and creative workshops.

ABILITY LEVEL

Suitable for all ability levels, however if you’ve never touched a SUP before, we recommend having one lesson first. You must be able to swim to join this retreat.

TRIP DATES

2023/2024 Season Dates coming soon!!

Wish you could paddle in Sydney? This could be your trip!

This trip is a great option for those from outside of Sydney to fly in and experience a weekend by the water. Regardless of what the weather holds for us, Sydney’s harbour side beaches are spectacular to experience and are guaranteed to be good for mind, body and soul.

Sample Itinerary

Friday (IN & NEAR WATER):

• Everyone will meet at Q Station in Sydney’s Northern Beaches around 10am. We will get everyone settled in their rooms before coming together for a Blue Health discussion and trip briefing followed by 1.5 hour yoga and intention setting session. You will be gifted journals to utilise throughout your trip.

• We’ll enjoy lunch on site overlooking the water before heading off for a short bush walk.

• Our bush walk will end up at Shelly Beach where we will spend the next 2 hours on a guided snorkel adventure. If you haven’t snorkelled before, don’t panic. Our professional snorkel instructor will provide all the gear and get you snorkelling safely!

• We’ll walk back to our accomodation through the beautiful Sydney Harbour National Park and shower before dinner.

• For dinner we’ll head down to the wharf for a water-side sunset dinner at Q station’s Boiler House restaurant. (Option of a sunset swim for those who fancy it!)

Saturday (ON, IN & NEAR WATER):

• We’ll be up early for a Sunrise Paddle (SUP) and early morning swim/dip. If you’re new to SUP we will use this early morning session to ensure everyone has the basic skills to paddle safely.

• We’ll return to Q Station for a delicious buffet breakfast and quick change, before heading back to the water for more adventures.

• Today’s 2-3 hour SUP adventure will take us out and around the beautiful waters of North Harbour (the harbour side of Manly). Picnic lunch will be provided so that we can stay out adventuring for as long as we wish!

• In the afternoon you will have a couple of hours down-time to enjoy time at our local beach, a walk around the grounds of our accomodation or take a nap. You will be provided some journal prompts to ponder (optional) for those who wish to use them.

• We’ll return back together for some afternoon beach yoga before heading into Manly for dinner at a local restaurant (own cost) and a night time beach walk.

Sunday (ON, IN & NEAR WATER):

• We’ll rise early again for another Sunrise paddle and beach swim before a delicious buffet breakfast.

• We’ll spend our final morning on the beach or the wharf creatively capturing the sights, sounds and smells we can see from the beach. You’ll have a choice of creative outlets, from your journals as a space for drawing, writing, or painting to creating a beautiful natural mandela on the beach utilising the shells, leaves and other natural resources around us. Art supplies will be provided for those who wish to use them, and your host will be on hand with prompts and support for those who believe they’re ‘not creative’… we can help!

• Finally, we’ll end the retreat with a closing yoga session and shared reflection discussion.

Where we are staying

We are so excited to be collaborating with the incredible Q Station hotel for this retreat. Q Station at Manly’s North Head is an iconic travel destination right in the heart of Sydney.

This 4* hotel is the only hotel in Sydney with it’s own private beach!

Located in Sydney Harbour National Park, you’ll experience a complete get away from the mad-rush of the every day in this beautiful natural environment, with bandicoots, echidna, possums and penguins regularly spotted on site.

All rooms will be twin share ‘retreat suites’ featuring an en-suite bathroom, furnished balcony and sitting room with sofa-bed. If you and your room buddy decide, you can convert the sofa-bed into a bed if you’d prefer to sleep in seperate spaces within your suite.

Investment & Inclusions

3 days, 2 nights Women + Water Blue Mind Retreat - $1200 per person (inc GST)

Inclusions:

• 3 full-days of hosted activities

• 2 Nights stay at Q Station - a boutique 4-star hotel inside Sydney Harbour National Park with it’s own private beach

• All SUP equipment (and unlimited use throughout your stay)

• All bed linen and towels

• 2-hour guided snorkel experience at Shelly Beach

• 2 Guided bush-walks

• SUP technique lesson for all ability levels

• 2-3 hour SUP adventure including paddle board picnic

• Guided creativity workshop (including all art materials)

• Daily yoga sessions (x3)

• Your own personal BlueMind x She SUPs Journal

• 2 x Buffet breakfasts

• 2 x Lunches

• 1 x dinner at Boilerhouse restaurant overlooking the sunset

• 24 hour shuttle bus to get around the grounds and into Manly

• Photos and videos of your trip sent to you on the last day of the trip

• 1 x Qualified SUP Instructor, 1 x Yoga Instructor, 1 x Snorkel instructor + She SUPs Host throughout the trip

How To Book

Click on the calendar below to book. You will be required to pay a $350 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. The remaining amount will be due a minimum of 45 days prior to the trip.

For full details on the She SUPs trip cancellation and refund policy, please see ensure you read our FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS HERE.

Missed out? Join our waitlist here.

FAQs

GETTING THERE

Q Station and Quarantine Beach are located in the Sydney Harbour National Park. There is a large car park at the entrance of Q Station for those driving, if you’re flying into Sydney for this retreat it’s just a 40min taxi ride from the airport . Once on site, there is a 24 hour complimentary shuttle bus which can take you around the grounds and straight to your room.

WHAT IF I HAVE MY OWN SUP?

Due to this unique and hard-to-access location, we want to make life a little easier for you. That’s why we will provide all paddlers with top quality Red Paddle Co paddleboards for this retreat.

WHAT IF I DON’T KNOW ANYONE?

She SUPs trips and retreats are designed with single travellers in mind. 95% of our attendees book in without knowing anyone. We guarantee that within the safe supportive environment that She SUPs cultivates, by the end of the weekend you’ll leave having had an awesome time with some new water-loving friends!

WEATHER

With all outdoor based trips and retreats, the final itinerary is always weather dependent (with paddle boarding in particular being wind dependent). The weather forecast will be monitored daily (and in many circumstances hourly) by your instructors, and our itinerary will be adjusted each day to make the most of the forecast. If the wind is looking challenging for our paddles we will aim to find an area that may be protected so that we can still take to the water in a safe manner, however our route and distance may be reduced. If the conditions look unsafe to paddle for the whole weekend, your Host will find alternative activities for you to do, these may include walking, visiting local tourist attractions, cookery workshops, craft workshops or yoga.

As this retreat is all about reconnecting with blue spaces and nature, if there is a little bit of light rain but it’s safe to head out on a walk/paddle, we will still head out, so please bring a rain jacket.