Introduction to Sea Kayaking Course

4 days Arisaig Not included Group size up to 6

What to Expect A beginner sea kayaking holiday, featuring four full days of kayak trips in the heart of the Highlands. If you are keen to find out what the West Coast of Scotland has to offer then look no further - wild lochs, remote beaches and offshore islands are all there to be explored and we’ll show you how - you’ll learn new skills and journey with a bunch of like-minded adventurers.

Trip Highlights   A four day kayak trip, suitable for beginners, exploring some of the finest coastline around, focusing on journeying and learning skills in sea kayaking.

• Journey in the Arisaig Skerries, Loch Ailort and Loch Sunart - three classic Scottish sea kayaking destinations.
• Learn to sea kayak whilst exploring Arisaig coastline
• An instruction only course - choose accomodation that suits you.

Grade: Intro

Dates and Prices

Having Fun! -

An Introduction to sea kayaking course simply wouldn't work if we didn't show you how to have fun in a sea kayak.

We'll complete 4 day trips as part of this course, each day exploring a different part of the coast with new experiences.

Throughout the course we'll aim to work with you as individuals  -

We would usually introduce a new skill or challenge to the whole group, but work with individuals or part of the group to develop things further.

If you simply want to enjoy 4 days of sea kayaking then that's always possible.

Launching, Landing and Basic Control -

We'll show you how to launch and land on almost any coastline without damaging your kayak or falling in!

We'll also begin by showing you some basic strokes to help you control your sea kayak. Over the 4 days we'll help you develop these strokes to make them more powerful and effective and we'll experiment with applying these strokes to different situations and challenges to help you develop control of your sea kayak.

Controlling a Sea Kayak in Wind and Waves -

We'll encounter challenging situations that we'll help you overcome through the right tactics - applying the right strokes at the right time and choosing our route around the coast carefully.

Any challenges we encounter will always be progressive - helping you build confidence is just as important as developing your skill and knowledge.

Tactics for Sea Kayaking -

It's rare to have any 2 days the same on the West Coast of Scotland. We will take full advantage of the different conditions we'll experience over the 4 days and help you develop a better understanding of how to go sea kayaking in different weather and sea conditions.

Most of the learning will come from being transparant and open about our process for choosing where to paddle and if you are really keen to learn then we can involve you in that planning process. Likewise if you want to just concentrate on paddling and let the guide do all the planning then that's no problem!

We won't spend any time in a classroom - we'll get out on the water each day.

What to do if you Capsize -

The word 'rescues' is commonly used to refer to techniques for helping a kayaker back into their kayak if they capsize.

We'll run through a range of rescues and you'll learn that capsizing and swimming is really not anything to be worried about - it can actually be a lot of fun!

You can also learn by watching others and running through things on dry land, so a lot can be gained without swimming, but if you want to be a kayaker then at some point you'll end up swimming!

Progression -

Clients join this course with a diverse range of motivations for taking part and everyone learns at different rates and in different ways.

We don't seek to set out a fixed outcome from an introduction to sea kayaking course - it could be seen as the start of a journey with sea kayaking or it could be a stand alone holiday experience.

We are happy to advise on progression with sea kayaking - equipment choices, how to find paddling partners, how to go about paddling independantly, how to join a club, which expeditions or courses to join next.