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Sea kayak award skills, starting 25 June 2024
Welcome all! Ceri, Max, Lydia, Steve, Laura, Elliot, Sabine and Robert.
You can use this thread to let your coaches know of any last minute hitches etc over the coming weeks. Jane can't make the first class, so I'll be leading it. Looking forward to seeing you all from shortly after 6pm. Let's get on the water, set off at 6:30 as a group, then get past the bridge at Salmon Pool and have a chat about what's involved in this course.
Maggie
You can use this thread to let your coaches know of any last minute hitches etc over the coming weeks. Jane can't make the first class, so I'll be leading it. Looking forward to seeing you all from shortly after 6pm. Let's get on the water, set off at 6:30 as a group, then get past the bridge at Salmon Pool and have a chat about what's involved in this course.
Maggie
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We talked about what is involved in this award so people could start thinking about what they wanted to develop.
Jane's syllabus list is here. https://www.exetercanoe.co.uk/discussion/2033/achieving-the-british-canoeing-sea-kayak-award.
We said you can't achieve this award on the canal, but that these classes are an opportunity not just to have a go at the skills, but to get good at them so you can get more out of sea trips, and achieve the award faster. (Anyone on the waiting list for this course, don't wait! There's a trip on Saturday. Sign up and ask for some coaching on the sea.)
Remember that if you want to borrow a boat for non club paddling the club needs to have evidence of current insurance. It seems most people have it, but please help the club keep the paperwork up to date. You can bring your paperwork and show it to Jane. (You don't need insurance for this course or for formal club paddles).
We talked about a general expectation that sea kayak award paddlers start being more aware of weather and tide. Here are some links to forecasting resources.
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/inshore-waters-forecast
xcweather.co.uk
windguru.cz
windy.com
surf-forecast.com
Many websites will give you a week of free tidal predictions. (It's worth remembering that to get down the river from Salmon Pool to Topsham you need to be within about 2 hours of high tide at Topsham).
There's a whole separate Paddle UK qualification on navigation, which you can do in person or online. The club also offers some introductory lessons, often in the winter.
We talked about some local environmental constraints including being aware of the range at Straight Point near Exmouth. The mid-September to end December restriction at the Duck Pond near Exmouth, the year round exclusion on the shoreward side of Dawlish Warren, and the seasonal exclusion in the bay just around Berry Head (March to July incl.).
We talked about the need for good forward paddling technique so you can put some speed on when you need to get around a headland/get past a hazard etc. Watching from the back, the top tip relevant to most people was to keep your top hand high. Pretend you are dusting a shelf at eye height - it helps get the rotation you need to use more muscles and to avoid 'digging' with the paddle.
There was interest in revising support strokes, so we recapped a low recovery but also the low brace you might use with an inside edge turn. Alongside that we emphasized how useful edging is and practiced some 360deg turns using alternating inside and outside edge.
Over the evening Elliot and Max did an assisted re-entry. Please follow their lead and get stuck in (come prepared for immersion and push your limits).
Ask questions, and put in requests if you want to practise specific things.
Bow rudder and self rescue are already on that list. Next week hopefully Jane will be back and it'll be easier to give each person more input.