Guide 1 – Your paddling adventures start here!

Guide 1 – Your paddling adventures start here!

Here are my useful pointers to get you on the water having fun and staying safe! The UK being an island, has an abundance of places to paddle on the coast but also a great selection of inland waterways, lakes and lochs. There are a wide range of groups, clubs and watersport centres where you can try out and join in kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding etc. When starting out always paddle with other people. If you end up in the water, it will be another paddler who will help you back in your boat.…continue reading →
Guide 2 – Where to kayak in the UK

Guide 2 – Where to kayak in the UK

Great Britain has some of the best kayaking in the world. We have huge variety in our rivers, wetlands and coastline. Soon you’ll discover it’s always best explored from the comfort of a canoe or kayak. There are some issues involved in choosing where to paddle. Here we look at the access issues in a variety of environments, how to access all this information and where to kayak in the UK. AccessWe do love our ‘red tape’ in Britain and the access to water ways is certainly not free from administration.Unlike elsewhere in…continue reading →
Guide 3 – Choosing the right Kayak for you

Guide 3 – Choosing the right Kayak for you

It’s an important decision when choosing the right boat for your paddling style. Just like bikes, boats are carefully designed to work in certain environments for particular weight ranges. When choosing a boat it is important to select one that suits you. The major point to consider is what are you going to use the boat for? Ask yourself the following questions:- Where are you going to use it? What kind of paddling do you enjoy?What conditions does it need to cope with?What will you take with you?What will you do in the future? There are many disciplines within…continue reading →
Guide 4 – What to consider when looking for a paddle?

Guide 4 – What to consider when looking for a paddle?

Here I will discuss the importance of choosing the right paddle to get the most from your paddling and reduce the risk of injury. Paddling long term with a paddle that’s too big will lead to sore wrists, elbows and shoulders. Just as tennis players get tendonitis in the elbow, paddlers get this injury in the wrists. If your paddle is too small, your rate of paddling is always too high and you’ll get tired. So what should you consider when looking for a paddle?Just like boat selection, it will reflect the type…continue reading →
Guide 5 – What to take kayaking?

Guide 5 – What to take kayaking?

Whenever we head out for a paddle it is of utmost importance that we take the right equipment, not only for our comfort, but also for our safety, and the safety of others. Equally, we don’t want to be weighing our-selves down with extra equipment, rattling around in our boat, and causing us extra work. But, if we do pack our boat full of equipment, where do we put it all? The last thing we want to do is empty our entire boat on the river bank to get out our squashed sandwich!…continue reading →
Palm Kayak Paddle Float

Palm Kayak Paddle Float

The Paddle float rescue is one of the first self-rescues that many kayakers learn. The paddle float rescue or re-entry, uses an inflatable bag on the end of your paddle to act as an outrigger. This bag helps stabilize the kayak as the paddler gets back in to the kayak. The paddle float itself is a simple and is easily safety item. They can be stored under the bungee-corded to the sea kayaks deck. They are fast and easy to get in place and inflate in a few blows. The Palm Paddle Float…continue reading →
Yak Sumit Kayak Cag

Yak Sumit Kayak Cag

Cags help to create a protective layer between you and the outside world helping keep you dry, trap heat and reduce wind chill, the happier on the water you are the longer you will paddle! Kayaking tops are known by a variety of names Cags, Dry Tops and spray jackets etc. There loads of well established brands offering a huge range of styles and designs specifically for the type of paddling you do, white water, day paddles, muilt-day trips etc. Kayaking cags tend to be shorter in the body than a normal jacket…continue reading →
Perception Expression 15 with EXP Backband

Perception Expression 15 with EXP Backband

My first Sea Kayaks........ Perception got this one spot on! I'm no expert or seasoned kayaker but to me the Expression 15 is a sporty, fast & fun touring style kayak. The kayak feels responsive yet still manages to retain a solid friendly feel. The Expression 15 feels very stable and not tippy, even my girlfriend who had never been in a kayak found it stable and instilled confidence. I purchased the Expression 15 which is the larger of the two Expressions, the 14 being the other. The Expression 15 gives bigger paddlers…continue reading →
The Man Outdoors Ex-RNLI D-Class Life Boat

The Man Outdoors Ex-RNLI D-Class Life Boat

The D-CLass was first introduced by the RNLI fleet in 1963. The inflatable style lifeboat continues to evolve to meet changes in demand around the UK shoreline and technology available. Being highly manoeuvrable they operate closer to shore. These boats come into their own for searches and rescues in the surf, shallow water and confined locations. With it's shallow draft they are often used close to cliffs, among rocks and even inside caves around the UK coastline. This boat is D-478, based on active service in Aldergrove, Newcastle from 1995-2005. After it's duties…continue reading →
Devon coast on a sunny day.

Devon coast on a sunny day.

Britain has miles of stunning coastline, every turn on the coastal footpath displays another amazing view. This little island I call home is a magnificent place. I hope through my life I can experience as much of it as possible. The British weather only adds to the drama, the sound of the waves, the spray in the air. Walking gives me time to think, time to dream. My mind wonders from one thing to another, almost like trying to piece together a puzzle. It's the puzzle of life. Working out what pieces need…continue reading →