Meet Girl Paddler – Natasha Teasley from the US! 

GP: Hi Natasha! Please tell us about yourself.

Natasha: My name is Natasha Teasley. I have been canoeing and kayaking for most of my life. I grew up in Girls Scouts and with an outdoorsy mom. While we didn’t own a canoe or kayak as a kid we took every chance we could to rent boats and get on the water as a kid.

I really got into paddling in college and fell in love with it so much I decided to become an outdoor professional. I now own Two Sisters Adventure Company in Durham NC and am in the process of starting a nonprofit, Opportunities for Equity Outdoors.

Because I paddle professionally I really do paddle canoes, kayaks, and standup paddleboards. I tend to prefer to paddle a kayak when I am guiding and even when I am on my personal time. I love paddleboarding but I do it less than any of the other paddlesports because I am kind of clumsy on a board.

I just purchased myself a new yoga SUP so I am hoping I feel less clumsy on it (since it’s supposed to have more stability and is designed to move around on).

GP: What inspired you to start paddling, and how long have you been paddling?

Natasha: When I was a freshman in college I saw a sign that said “Join the Canoe Team” and I thought that if I could just join and I didn’t have to try out then it might be a great way to meet some new people. I had canoed a few times before then but wouldn’t have considered myself a paddler.

Through that I also started kayaking. The next year I was teaching new members of the team. I knew I had found where I belonged. I was a paddler.

GP: Can you share some of your favorite paddling spots or routes, and why you enjoy them?

Natasha: I love any place where there are tight little hidden creeks to explore. Places only as wide and deep as my kayak are my favorite. I just like the quiet solitude. I so often am on the water guiding others these days that when I have the moment to get into a quiet little creek and quietly take in the water and nature around me I love those moments.

GP: How do you typically plan your paddling trips, and what essentials do you always bring with you?

Natasha: I have a packed paddling bag that stays ready by the door. It has my rash guard, lemongrass bug repellent, granola bars and beef sticks, a multi-tool, and a ball cap. I am big into lifejackets and always have and wear mine. When I am paddling on my on time (not guiding) I tend to be pretty spur of the moment. If the weather is good and the mood is right that is the only planning I need.

GP: What benefits have you experienced from paddling, both physically and mentally?

Natasha: I have pretty serious anxiety. One the water everything melts away. I am in a place where I feel my most genuine self. My mind relaxes in a way I can’t achieve through meditation or any other method.

GP: How has paddling influenced your relationship with nature, and what do you appreciate most about being out on the water?

Natasha: The chance to disconnect with the loud busy world and reconnect with the quiet soul filling natural world.

GP: What advice would you give to someone who is new to paddling and looking to get started?

Natasha: Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. It is very common that we all have to make adjustments and modifications for our body differences. Don’t get caught up in worrying about any of that.

Focus on taking care of your shoulders and back through proper stroke mechanics but do it the way that makes sense for you and your body. Wear your lifejacket. Be realistic and unashamed about your current skills.

Make friends with and support other girl paddlers.

GP: Can you describe a particularly memorable or meaningful experience you’ve had while paddling?

Natasha: A funny experience I had was when a friend and I coordinated a downriver paddle and planned terribly. We misc-communicated where we planned to take out and ended up paddling 36 miles (we put in after lunch).

It was fine because we had plenty of water and snacks with us and we both were capable of doing the distance. It was the 4th of July and the little town where we were taking out was having their fireworks display at the river park so we pulled in as the fireworks went off.

It felt like a celebration of our accomplishment.

GP: How has your approach to paddling changed over time, and what have you learned from your experiences?

Natasha: I can’t say my approach has changed. The more experience I have the more I have become aware and bothered by how so many people get shut out of feeling welcome in the outdoors. I am working these days to try and change all of that in my corner of the world.

I see so many guided trips that have weight limits of 200 or 250lbs. I am striving to have more equipment for more bodies. I have kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards that can accommodate 400lb bodies and the same types of equipment for smaller bodies.

I am trying to engage in more conversations about how I can use my privilege to make the outdoor world feel safer for people who have not felt safe or seen or represented here. I think my paddling evolution is that I am now feeling like I have fought my own little space in the paddling world and it is time for me to share with more people.

GP: Can you share any upcoming paddling adventures or goals you have in mind, and what you are most looking forward to about them?

Natasha: My new yoga paddleboard is arriving in a couple of days and I am really looking forward to getting on the water with it. All of my equipment purchases these days are fully focused on supporting my company.

I bought this just for me and I am kind of stoked about it. I have become a bit of a bird nerd lately and I get really excited about all the birds (even the super common ones). I always get excited during nesting and fledgling season.

GP: Is there anything else you’d like to share? Maybe let us know what you think is missing in the world of paddling for women?What are some of the challenges you have in your paddling journey?

Natasha: Until very recently I haven’t had a big community of fellow female paddlers. It felt lonely sometimes being the only girl among the guys. I love how much women are lately being apologetically themselves in the outdoors and on the water.

There have been great improvements in equipment in the last few years in terms of things being designed for women’s bodies but there is still a long way to go in so much equipment to address the needs of more body sizes and shapes for both women and men (hello to my thick thigh friends).

GP: Thank you Natasha. We have loved hearing your story! You’re really an inspiration!

If you have any questions or comments for Natasha, leave a comment below!

You can also find Natasha on Instagram @twosistersadventurecompany, on her website and in our Facebook Group: Girl Paddlers