Sea Kayak

Coastal Navigation course for Sea Kayakers & SUP paddlers

Steve ran a very well attended Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning course for sea kayakers and SUP paddlers of varied experience and expertise. All were keen to develop their knowledge and understanding of the interaction between weather, tide, current and coastline to enable them to make the best and safest decisions for their paddling adventures.

Following a morning of critical information sharing and discussion, a significant part of the afternoon was spent practising journey planning using information gathered from primary sources such as sea charts, marine pilots and almanacs supported by trusted providers of weather, tide and sea state data. Steve also discussed pilotage and buoyage with everyone to ensure they could operate in areas shared with other users and commercial traffic.

If you are keen to venture out on the sea but would like to be able to independently decide the most appropriate options then this course is ideal. Steve does advertise a few each year but also runs them on demand. Do get in touch with him on 07796 213817 or email steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

By Steve|March 27th, 2024|Sea Kayak, SUP|Comments Off

Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning Course Cumbria

Steve is running a Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning course on Monday March 25th based in Cumbria. This course is suitable for anyone going out sea kayaking, SUP paddling or sit on top paddling in coastal waters. It covers critical information about weather and tide and their effect on conditions, trip planning and decision making. It will address navigation in advance and on the water, as well as pilotage and buoyage. It is a prerequisite for anyone seeking to take British Canoeing’s Sea Kayak Leader assessment.

If you’re interested or would like more information please get in touch with Steve on 07796 213817 or steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

By Steve|February 5th, 2024|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

Sea Kayak Leader training course Cumbria

Steve has a Sea Kayak Leader training course coming up on the 28th – 29th November based in Cumbria. This training course is suitable for anyone wanting to check their paddling, equipment, safety, trip planning and group leadership in conditions up to force 4. There is no necessity to go on to take the British Canoeing assessment – many people take this course purely for personal development, practice and to enhance their knowledge and safety on the water. Steve can also issue BC’s Personal Performance Awards, to anyone at the relevant standard, as required. Clearly, for anyone seeking the Sea Kayak Leader qualification, this two day course is the ideal preparation.

Contact Steve on steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk or on 07796 213817

By Steve|November 6th, 2023|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning course in Cumbria

Steve has a Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning course coming up on Monday November 27th based in Cumbria. This course is suitable for anyone going out sea kayaking, SUP paddling or sit on top paddling in coastal waters. It covers critical information about weather and tide and their effect on conditions; trip planning and decision making, navigation in advance and on the water as well as pilotage and buoyage. It is a prerequisite for anyone seeking to take British Canoeing’s Sea Kayak Leader assessment.

If you’re interested or would like more information please get in touch with Steve on 07796 213817 or steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

By Steve|November 6th, 2023|Sea Kayak, SUP|Comments Off

Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning course

This course covers the critical issues to keep you safe on the sea using sea kayaks, sit on tops and paddleboards. Steve ran the CN&TP course this week for both recreational and qualification seeking sea paddlers. He covered weather, tides, currents, different coastlines, trip planning, navigation, buoyage, pilotage and more. It’s an extremely useful day for anyone going out on the sea in paddlesport craft. It’s also a prerequisite for anyone seeking sea kayak leadership qualifications.

If you’re keen to paddle on the sea and are looking to do so as safely as possible, then this is an ideal course for you. Steve advertises regular dates, though do get in touch to discuss your needs; he’ll be pleased to hear from you and happy to help: 07796 213817 and steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

By Steve|October 1st, 2023|Sea Kayak, SUP|Comments Off

Ronas Voe

https://www.stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk/sea-kayak/trips-and-expeditions/

Towards the end of our two week adventure the wind had picked up from the South West making the West coast less appealing. Steve still had plenty of options and chose Ronas Voe for a day of cave, stack and cliff exploration; indeed, these were the biggest cliffs we encountered on the entire trip. We followed the voe out to the point where the red granite, and the most impressive coastline, changed to volcanic rocks. Following lunch with a spectacular view northwards past Lang Ayre to Uyea, we wended our way back, enjoying the completely different perspective of the coast provided by the different direction of travel. What a day!

steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

07796 213817

By Steve|July 1st, 2023|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

The Drongs

The Drongs are a tough, rocky remnant of an earlier coastline now eroded back to form the Hillswick peninsula. They are both spectacular and enticing, as they were stationed offshore, clearly visible from our basecamp at all times. With the fantastic weather and after several long days out, we decided a visit to The Drongs was in order. We combined this with a circumnavigation of the peninsula, which did require a short use of a portage trolley at the start across the narrow neck of land from one side to the other. Another stunning paddle.

steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

07796 213817

By Steve|July 1st, 2023|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

Muckle Roe

The complex and incredible coastline and cliff architecture of Shetland is a result of a combination of geology and a position in the North Atlantic exposed to huge seas on a regular basis. The sea has exploited any weakness in the rocks, or softer relative to harder rocks, to create caves and to drive tunnels as far as its energy can reach. These too are subject to erosion and collapse leaving blowholes, stacks and wave cut platforms. Most of Shetland’s most outstanding coast, from a sea kayaking perspective, faces this prime shaping force, the open ocean – the West.

Muckle Roe’s magical West coast is often difficult to access due to swell, wind and waves, but on this occasion the weather more than made up for previous disappointment and allowed us a long day’s circumnavigation and much exploration of this intricate and spellbinding place. Some of the group thought this the best day’s sea kayaking they had ever had; it was hard to disagree.

steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

07796 213817

By Steve|July 1st, 2023|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

Papa Stour

The amazing weather meant, for the first time on a Shetland trip, we could pack our boats and take on a two day outing with an overnight wild camp. With cars loaded with provisions we headed to Sandness to circumnavigate Papa Stour – a swiss cheese-like coast of subterranean tunnels, huge caves, towering stacks and amazing wildlife.

A long first day saw us explore every nook and cranny: we experienced a tide race running through one large and very long tunnel and, headtorches to the fore, paddled for three hundred metres through a passage under a headland. Our camp on the North coast of the island gave us magical views and a beautiful evening walk on which we had an abundance of wild flowers and, most notably, a pair of Arctic Skuas close by.

Following the coast back round to Sandness the following day we completed a stunning and memorable trip.

steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

07796 213817

By Steve|June 30th, 2023|Sea Kayak|Comments Off

Eshaness

Day one of our Shetland paddling adventure dawned misty but very calm with, critically, no residual swell. Steve decided that the overcast and still conditions would lend themselves very well to exacerbating the elemental and foreboding nature of the volcanic coastline of Eshaness.

We paddled from Hamnavoe to Tangwick taking in the huge cliffs, stacks and multiple caves, all whilst surrounded by myriad seabirds. The highlights were Britain’s largest cave next to Calder’s Geo (yes, bigger than Gaping Gill) and the spectacular arch and tunnel through Dore Holm. An amazing first day.

steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk

07796 213817

By Steve|June 30th, 2023|Sea Kayak|Comments Off