KKC Sea Trip

I organised a days paddling with Kingston Kayak Club so that a few of our members could experience sea paddling. We had a great day of learning, firstly with the all important theory covered on the shore prior to a short trip in Bridlington bay. We covered the basics of tides, weather, trip planning, safety and rescue. An excellent day, Personally I thoroughly enjoyed delivering the coached sessions prior to the guiding the lads down into the bay for tea and coffee and cake.

Runswick Kayak Match

On the second attempt we managed to run a successful competition. It was a lumpy day out from Runswick but the day improved as it progressed.



 A few cod and a lovely wrasse for me..



The match was won by local angler Iain Sellers with a fine cod of just under 9lb.

The Pilot Introductory BCU Safe Canoe and Kayak Fishing Module - Runswick

On Saturday the 30th June I was fortunate enough to be invited to assist Kim Bull with the launch the of new Introductory Safe Canoe and Kayak Fishing module at the Runswick Bay Summer Festival hosted by 1st Wet and Wild Ltd and Whitby Sea Anglers. Kim Bull is a BCU Level 5 Sea Kayak and Open Canoe Coach. Kim provides coaching and training for people who really want to excel in open canoe, sea kayak and inland kayak.

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The course aims to introduce the participant to fundamental skills and key safety considerations when fishing and to provide further information of other training and courses available. To be asked to coach as Kims assistant is a great honour but left me feeling quite apprehensive. These feeling of anxiety soon diminished as the day progressed.
 

 Attendees included our AndyM, Nigel, Dave C, Sam, Mark, Mike and John. Some of the lads such as Andy are experienced kayak anglers and others such as Sam and Mike had never paddled before. The morning included much swapping of ideas and discussions regarding boats, safety gear and other essential equipment.

 

 Before moving onto fundamentals skills such as forward paddling and turning your kayak. Within no time everyone was making progress and paddling a lot more efficiently. After a spot of lunch on the lovely sands in front of the 1st Wet & Wild event shelter we moved onto the skills and methods used to anchor your kayak safely. After some learning on the beach the lads went out and had a go themselves. The practical application of drogues was also discussed and again implemented out on the water.
 

Time was then spent on confidence skills and of course the all important rescues. With some excellent coaching from Kim all the lads were refining their skills in the rescuing of themselves and of others in no time.

 

 The final session included the foundation skills required to plan and implement a safe and pleasant fishing trip. Resources available to get accurate weather and tidal predictions were discussed as was tidal planning and navigation skills. Our students all agreed they could now appreciate the changeable environment they are fishing in and the effect conditions will have on them. The lads where then made aware on how they could develop the fundamental skills they had obtained from the day and other resources and courses available to them.

 What can I say? A really, really successful and rewarding day for all those involved. Kim and myself are very keen to offer the course to all of the new kayak anglers venturing into this wonderful sport, as well as to all those who have been angling for a while but have yet to take up some kind of training or even for those who wish to have a refresher. Those guys that undertook this training will be some of the first in the UK to receive the new BCU certification and well done to you all.

Kim can be contacted directly from his website which is an excellent paddling resourse in its own right - http://kimbull.co.uk/ or you can contact me direct on here or the other forums to book your place on the next great day of fun and learning :) Thanks to good friend George (Spud) for the great photos. If anyone wishes to add more photos from the day please do feel free to do so below :)

Humber in June

A lovely evening paddle on the Humber. Across the river to South Ferriby for tea and then a circumnavigation of Reeds Island to see the deer before heading back towards Hessle on the first of the ebb.

 

A Weekend guiding on Lake Bala

I volunteered to guide the club flat water paddles over the weekend while the rest chucked themselves down white water.. So myself and the lad headed across to Lake Bala. A journey around the lake and a little bit of coaching skills thrown in too. Great fun, lovely people and just the best weather..

Recent Coaching

I'm spending much more time coaching within the club environment of late, thoroughly enjoying the challenges this brings. As well as the usual club evenings myself and friend Andy have just completed a set of sessions with a young group of scouts. Most of their training was undertaken on the outdoor pool but for their last evening we treated the lads to a journey on a local waterway. Much fun was had as you can see from the accompanying photos.

  Fi even came along to keep an eye on us all.    

Sea Kayak Expedition Gathering - SKEG

I recently attended this most excellent event and having spent the whole weekend having fun I did not record a great deal of material. I put this small video together anyway. Here's looking forward to SKEG 2 in 2013...

Rockpool Taran

The May Bank holiday, as normal is the weekend of the Anglesey Sea Kayak Symposium. This year we took the decision to help Mike out and promote Rockpool Kayaks. On the Sunday we were fortunate to have a play in the Tarans around Porth Dafarch, Mikes friend Tony Williams of Hann Williams Partnership took some wonderful photos that I have uploaded below. Thank you Tony..

Filey & Flamborough with Friends

Had a little gathering of friends up at Flamborough. The Northumberland bunch came down for a paddle, we also had the pleasure of Jim Krawiecki for the weekend, definitely a recipe for drunken frolics and irresponsible paddling antics. 

I was worried the pace may be a little boring for the Turnbull sisters but after a few dunkings and the great Brian taking a swim on Brigg End I was more than happy they were having fun.

Jim put a cracking little video together of our exploits which you can see below.

A recent trip with good friends to the Garvellachs

A recent trip to the west coast of Scotland including the Garvellachs, Lunga, Belnahua and Easedale including a brief play in the Grey Dogs tide race. A lovely couple of days with friends Neil, George and Rich.

A little video below...

Easter Sunday Chill Out

Another simple paddle up the Driffield Canal system, this time with Fi and her parents.



Then for lunch in the Trout Inn..



And a little fool about in-between the lock gates on the way back..



A lovely simple day..