Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2008 | Page 34

life

SPORT & LEISURE

Island outdoors

Sea Kayaking
By James Kerr

There’s a real sense of freedom
to be gained from this Island
outdoor pursuit as there are
few access issues and an
unlimited area of water to
enjoy. Owen Burson says,
“the Island has a full range of
waters, from sheltered creeks
and harbours to big tidal
overfalls – there’s something
for everyone here”.
Kayaks are small boats with
a covered deck. There are two
types of sea kayak: those in
which the kayaker sits on top
of the boat and those which
contain a cockpit in which
the kayaker sits with his or
her legs extended out in front
of them with a ‘spray deck’
creating a watertight barrier
around the waist. Most kayaks
are designed to be paddled by
a single person, but tandem

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and triple cockpit boats can be
navigated by up to 3 people.
Sea kayaks come in many
different designs. A typical
solo sea kayak is 12–18 feet
long and approximately 30
inches wide. The majority of
standard boats are made out
of multi-layer plastic, with
high-performance synthetic
materials such as fibreglass
or carbon-kevlar used at
the top end of the market.
Paddles are usually made of
aluminium, plastic or wood,
but higher-end materials
such as carbon-fibre increase
lightness and performance
and are becoming much more
affordable. As with most
adventure sports, kayaking
is great for ‘gear-heads’:
buoyancy aids, paddle jackets,
helmets and spray decks are

also required.
There are specialist schools
on the Island who offer kayak
coaching, 1-day and multi-day
trips, as well as courses. These
schools have scouted the
best locations on the Island,
including Newtown Creek, the
Yar River, Freshwater Bay, and
the Needles and St Catherine's
tidal overfalls.
A 1-day introduction offers
the chance to explore cliffs
and caves that are only
accessible by kayak. All
courses start with a classroom
session on tidal planning and
navigation. After you’ve kitted
up in a wetsuit, helmet and
buoyancy aid and listened to
the safety briefing, it’s straight
in to the briney.
As with all open-water
sports, you have to respect

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