PADDLER 34
The Morocco team . Photo : Zach Basset
Jamie is a white water kayaking coach from the United Kingdom . His business , Paddle365 , delivers white water skills courses throughout the year as well as white water leadership and safety training for Paddle UK . His approach to coaching prioritises learning through adventure and challenge , and helping paddlers to feel the joy of skillful movement in a boat . www . paddle365 . co . uk
PADDLER 34
TIME TO BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS
Routine is the enemy of dynamic paddling , and mixing it up by getting out there and exploring new areas is really healthy . Once you ’ ve paddled all the lines of your local river , it ’ s time to make plans to paddle someone else ’ s . There is no substitute for gaining real river running experience , and although the stakes are potentially higher , the learning moments come thicker and faster . You will also spend more time in the state of flow , testing and expanding your intuitive river running skills as described in the opening .
When approaching paddling in a new area , it ’ s important to make sure you take steps to give the best chance of successful adventures :
WHO ARE YOU GOING WITH ?
When planning a trip to paddle a new area , it will be really important to find a great crew whose capabilities and priorities align nicely with yours . If you ’ ve all had similar ideas about how you ’ d like to do things , the trip has already started well .
HAVE YOU DONE YOUR HOMEWORK ?
When we paddle somewhere new , we feel like we ’ re stepping into the unknown , but nobody is really doing that . Running new rivers takes planning . Checking out guidebooks , maps , and river gauges and engaging with local paddlers to share their knowledge are just a few things that I ’ d consider essential for going somewhere totally new to paddle . The secret is to make stepping into the unknown feel more like stepping into the understood .
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR RESCUE SITUATIONS ?
My favourite quote on safe decision-making comes from Mark Twain , who said , “ Good judgement comes from experience , while experience comes from bad judgement .” When you push your kayaking , you will get things wrong , leading to bad situations , which is a natural part of learning . However , you will also need to fix those bad situations before you can unlock the possibility of learning from them . So make sure your white water safety skills and equipment are equal to the task you ’ re taking on !
The Morocco team . Photo : Zach Basset
The key to it all … If you want to paddle challenging stretches of white water with the fluidity and ease of a pro , then you need to let a little bit of chaos into your practice . If you can practice in the chaos , you can perform in the chaos .
Jamie is a white water kayaking coach from the United Kingdom . His business , Paddle365 , delivers white water skills courses throughout the year as well as white water leadership and safety training for Paddle UK . His approach to coaching prioritises learning through adventure and challenge , and helping paddlers to feel the joy of skillful movement in a boat . www . paddle365 . co . uk
Lowri and Alex getting chaotic . Photo : Beth Morgan
Benjy Rowlands boofing on the Bravo . Photo : Jamie Greenhalgh