Meet the Dockers: Jon Byrne of WakeUp Docklands

I’ve always had an affinity and connection to water. With its calm open waters and stunning views, Royal Victoria Dock is a special place - Jon Byrne

Jon Byrne is the driving force behind the operations at WakeUp Docklands, The Oiler Bar and Byrney’s Beach Bar, all situated in Royal Victoria Dock. Following a series of injuries, that altered the trajectory of his life, Jon made the bold choice to pursue his love for watersports.

I began wakeboarding and snowboarding over 30 years ago and have always had an affinity and connection to water. In my late teens and into my twenties, I suffered a series of major injuries which changed my life in ways that I could never have imagined. Having to set my sporting pursuits aside, I forged a career in London’s growing digital scene, until I found my way to WakeUp Docklands in 2015. I immediately fell in love with the area and began to volunteer at the venue in my spare time. Although my injuries limited my abilities on the water, I discovered that I still had a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer as a coach, which lead to increased sense of wellbeing.

I eventually decided to leave my career in digital sales and directed my energy full time into coaching watersports in the Royal Docks. I wanted to share my passion for watersports and what the docks had given me. One year later I started my own company, Riderr ltd. The three R’s of Riderr represent our catchphase - Ride, Rest, Reconnect. ™ The company operates the WakeUp Docklands facility promoting the transformational health benefits of ride sports.

Time has flown by. I’ve now been involved in the operations of WakeUp Docklands and The Oiler Bar for 9 years. With its calm open waters and stunning views, Royal Victoria Dock is a special place to work and ideal for watersports. As an inner-city watersports training facility, we benefit from non-tidal and clean waters at Royal Victoria Dock. We also have some amazing coaches at WakeUp Docklands and have invested in some of the very best equipment. We’re perfect for seasoned riders but we cater for people who are new to the sport too. Beginners are VIPs at WakeUp!

For adrenaline seekers, wakeboarding has everything needed to get your heart pumping and muscles burning. WakeUp Docklands is the only place within London’s central transport network to offer wakeboarding. Stand-Up Paddleboarding is perfect for anyone looking for a slower paced and mindful experience. Our newest Fliteboard eFoiling activities offer a mixture of the two. Think of an eFoil as surfboard with an underwater wing, along with an electric motor attached to it. An eFoil allows the rider to fly and glide above the water. It feels like you’re flying. It’s magical! Fliteboard eFoiling can be challenging to master so we recommend our Beginner Wakeboard Experience or Paddleboard Ready to Ride courses for anyone new to watersports.

The real magic of these sports is that they’re accessible. You don’t have to be super fit to enjoy the open water at Royal Victoria Dock. Our expert team are supportive and encourage people to just enjoy themselves, whatever stage they are at on their watersports journey.

The benefits of water sports are huge. It’s a full body workout and great for your mind and all-round wellbeing, reducing stress and lifting your mood. It’s why so many of our customers return time after time. Many of our customers have even moved to the area because of the water sports we offer. It’s had a profound impact on people’s lives.

We also have two onsite bars, Byrney’s Beach Bar and The Oiler Bar which offer refreshments and hospitality services and are great venues for watching all the action on the water. Both venues are perfect for drinks pre and post a session at WakeUp Docklands. The Oiler Bar is a former Royal Navy refuelling barge which has been transformed into a unique floating beer garden with a cosy seating area below deck. It a great spot for enjoying dockside drinks and good food.

The Oiler Bar team make superb cocktails. The Palomas have been a real hit once again this Summer. When it comes to food, our onboard chef, Enzo from La Nonna Lina Kitchen, hand makes a range of delicious pizzas. The Romana is my favourite.

We also host wellbeing focused events for the local Docklands community. If you like a good laugh, be sure to join us for ‘The Boat That Laughed’, a monthly Sunday night stand-up comedy show at The Oiler Bar. Expect a hilarious mix of established and up and coming talent, which are sure to keep your feel-good hormones high into Monday.

Harry’s Open Mic and Jam has been another popular event in The Oiler Bar events calendar. It’s run by Harry Deamon, our resident musician and all-round favourite East London artist. The event brings together local artists to showcase their talent in the Royal Docks. After two successful years, we have now split the event into two new offerings, with the open mic night being hosted separately to a new live music and jam night. Our music and jam nights are free to attend and are very popular, so if you are interested in checking it out (or even performing!) then get in touch.

There are lots of exciting developments in the pipeline for The Oiler Bar and Byrney’s Beach Bar. WakeUp Docklands also continues to host watersports and wellness initiatives into Autumn. We encourage everyone to make the most the watersports on offer at Royal Victoria Dock before we close for end of season. We often say, ‘if you don’t do it this year, you’ll be another year older when you do!’ so seize the moment and make it happen.

To find out more about WakeUp Docklands, The Oiler Bar, Byrney’s Beach Bar follow @oilerbar, email info@oilerbar.com or visit www.wakeupdocklands.com