Paddleboarding Paradise With Content Creator Jenn Goodell…and Winni
Jenn Goodell moved with her family from New Hampshire to Naples five years ago and soon became addicted to getting out on the water. Wanting to share her love of the natural wonders found on Florida’s Paradise Coast, she has become a popular influencer and online content creator. Jenn heads out on her paddleboard at sunrise, with her dog Winni riding on the front. They look for dolphins, manatees, birds and other wildlife. Oftentimes, the dolphins come along for the ride.
Jenn takes POV videos and posts short versions on Instagram and TikTok. She also does long-form TikTok LIVE videos, and recently kicked off a series of outdoor, in-person events.
With Winni quietly sitting on her lap, Jenn shared some thoughts about her “magical” experiences on the waters of Florida’s Paradise Coast.
About her love of paddleboarding …
When you're standing on a paddleboard and you can see the bottom of the ocean, you can see eagle rays swimming under you, you can see fish, you can see starfish, you can see shells — it’s incredible. If I'm paddleboarding at sunrise, I start in the backwater and, depending on the tide, I'll either hang out there or just ride the tide out into the Gulf. It’s my favorite spot to catch the sunrise — I'll see the sun come up over the trees and it's just magical out there.
People asked me, “Aren't you scared to paddleboard by yourself…or of what you're going to see out there?” No, I've never felt any fear.
About her co-star …
I got Winni as a puppy. I always knew that I wanted an adventure dog, so I got her a little life vest with a shark fin on it, and I started taking her out on the board with me. And she would just nap on my board. She hated her life vest. Hence the reason she doesn't wear one now.
I just wanted to have a friend out there with me. I grew up on a farm and I can't have horses or a farm down here, based on my lifestyle. So I just started taking Winni out and she started loving it. And every time I left her home, she would hate it.
So she just comes with me every time now. It's her excitement that I feed off. If I say “dolphin,” or if I say “paddleboarding,” she gets so excited. And it's like we feed off each other's energy. And it's almost like she can sense the dolphins before I can.
About her fascination with dolphins …
I think the dolphins keep me coming back. I'm obsessed with them. They're my favorite animal. And I think they're Winni's favorite, too. I paddleboard with them so much that I start to remember their fins and their scars and their personalities. And every day I'm like, “Okay, well, what dolphins am I going to see today?” And I'm like, “Oh, that's Echo or that's Cricket!”
So it's a matter of what friends Winni and I are going to see. There’s also Luna, there's Carly, there's Rocket, there's Ollie. Oh my gosh, I have so many of them. When they recognize us it feels magical. If you had asked me 10 years ago if I was going to be paddleboarding with dolphins and they were going to recognize me, I wouldn't have believed you.
But it’s not just dolphins …
Some days it's dolphins, some days it's manatees, some days it's sharks, some days it's shells, some days it's birds. You never know what you're going to see out there. I'm always surprised. On the water, every day is different. Every time I go out, I'm like, “Oh my gosh, I can't believe that just happened.” Being outside, it’s therapy. It's touching the grass. It's touching the water. It does something to you.
About the Gulf waters …
I will never get tired of the water color. Growing up in New Hampshire, you don't get water like you do in Naples. And there's just something about seeing that turquoise color. It's like when people up North are waiting for spring, for the leaves to change and you get that green. But we get that feeling year-round here.
About how visitors to Florida’s Paradise Coast can experience the magic, too …
If you want to adventure like me, I suggest just go do it. But if you're nervous, you can come to Naples Outfitters. Or you can check out Rising Tide Explorers. They have great eco-tours that will help you get started and teach you all about nature and what to do when you're on the water.
About what she hopes to achieve with her content …
My dream is to get more people outside. I just recently started a series [of in-person events] called Get Outside x Move. I want people to know me for, “Hey, she got me to go outside and get off the couch or stop scrolling my phone, and just experience nature.” Because I think everyone needs to experience this, whether it's paddleboarding or kayaking or going for a walk in the woods. The outdoors means connecting.