What to expect on the Sea Kayak Award

BRITISH CANOEING SEA KAYAK AWARD
The session was for some of our team to take their Sea Kayak Award assessment.
It has changed slightly from the old 3 star award. Although desirable, it is no longer essential to be able to roll for the assessment, but you must have strong self-rescue skills.
Thanks to Mel Wycherley from Land and Wave for running the assessment and for all his helpful input www.landandwav...
The key areas to review are:
1 Assessment of location, weather and tides
2 Preparation for the water - kit and equipment
3 At the launchsite - briefing and getting on the water
4 Sea kayak skills -
a) Effective forward paddling
b) Negotiating confined spaces
c) Maintaining direction
d) Changing direction
e) Moving sideways
f) Working as a group
g) Dealing with mishaps - incidents and rescues
h) Towing
5 After the session - review of the day and lessons learnt
Often it seems that most of the lessons for the future are thought about on the drive home - why did I do that? How I will do that better next time, etc.
The syllabus for the Sea Kayak Award is available on the British Canoeing website www.britishcan...
➡️ START POINTS
We launched from the beach at Studland Bay on day one. There is an outdoor shower here to clean kit at the end of the day - it's a very sandy area.
We launched from Lulworth Cove on day two. It is quite a long walk down to the stony beach. A kayak trolley is very useful. It's a steep slog back up at the end of the day.
➡️ CAR PARKING
National Trust Car Park - Knoll Beach
goo.gl/maps/ik...
Lulworth Cove Car Park - There is a large car park that accepts contactless payment or via JustPark app (location ID 510430). There is mobile signal. goo.gl/maps/Qi...
➡️ USEFUL INFORMATION
OS map for Purbeck and South Dorset (OS Explorer OL15) amzn.to/356LjXL
OS map for Swanage/Bournemouth area (Landranger map 195) amzn.to/3HZ6Sro
South West Sea Kayaking guidebook by Mark Rainsley amzn.to/3GQmnAz
Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue, book by Gordon Brown amzn.to/3oNZ7wV
Sea Kayak Rough Water Handling, book by Doug Cooper amzn.to/3LB7gOG
Sea Kayak Navigation, book by Franco Ferrero amzn.to/3GWnVJm
Sea Kayak: A Manual for Intermediate and Advanced Sea Kayakers, book by Gordon Brown amzn.to/3rOo2lD
Wondrous British Marine Life: A handbook for coastal explorers, book by sea kayaker Lou Luddington amzn.to/3NAC6II
Online Sea Kayaking course www.onlineseak...
➡️ CONDITIONS AND WEATHER
Tide tables: www.ukho.gov.uk...
Windfinder: www.windfinder...
Met Office: www.metoffice....
➡️ CAMERA GEAR FOR THE SEA
Olympus Tough TG-7 Action Camera amzn.to/4dzHK9C
GoPro HERO12 Black amzn.to/3zW4mmH
Insta360 X3 - Waterproof 360 Action Camera amzn.to/3DAi78U
Mini Drone DJI Neo amzn.to/3U0kqL3
Drone DJI Mini 4 Pro amzn.to/4exArR0
Camera Floating Wrist Strap amzn.to/3qb5T3E
If you like my videos or have enjoyed a sea kayaking trip with me, feel free to pass me a coffee (virtual or real - either works for me!) ☕ www.buymeacoff...
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on Amazon.
#seakayak

[@robertnissenbaum]

I love that the roll is no longer required. It's a vital skill BUT I personally place a higher standard on good assisted and self-recovery skills. And more....staying upright! I run into more people wanting to learn to roll than learning now not to NEED to roll! Granted, there are times when you aren't going to stay upright, but...that should still be the goal.

[@wavesoffun]

I think the roll being mandatory used to put a lot of people off from going for awards or on courses - but it was quite a surprise when it was no longer required. Whenever we are doing rescues, we usually go for the roll first - if the roll fails it doesn't matter at all as the aim is to be in the water anyway. It takes some of the pressure away from having to roll with others watching! But yes, you are right - best not to have to be in the position to roll in the first place, but if you do come out of the boat, you do need to know how to rescue yourself or how to be rescued by someone else. We always play in the water!

[@Fishaholicboy]

Great to see all the skills on video

[@wavesoffun]

Thanks - I want to do a follow-up video of some of those in more detail (when it's less windy!)

[@Fishaholicboy]

@@wavesoffun I would love to see that

[@robertkerner4833]

Thanks for sharing this. Always wondered what a BCU assessment session looks like. How do you like those PEAK PFDs? They are not very common here in the US, only a couple of suppliers. I like that they have an integrated water holder but they look very bulky.

[@wavesoffun]

Mine is the Peak Ocean Wrap and is bulky at the front and I'm not overkeen on the two side pockets on the front - they go all the way across so effectively is one large pocket. The upper horizontal pocket is great for my camera and a compass etc though. I never use the water bladder holder, instead, I carry a tarp and some bungee for repairs etc. It's not as bulky as some others such as the Palm Kaikoura and certainly I don't find it prevents me from effective self-rescues

[@robertkerner4833]

@@wavesoffun Thank you.