Kayak Coaches and Guides.

Here on Vancouver Island there really are two types of sea kayaking. Firstly a calm sedate paddle through stunning scenery and abundant wildlife. Secondly, an adrenaline packed fight for survival through stunning scenery and abundant wildlife. Certainly today those were the choices. Of course it depends on where you go. Trouble is, trying to persuade someone to to take you on the latter trip is impossible. Nor will they rent you the gear - I asked! This is for sound reasons, not least of which is that they want their gear back again and and really don't want you ( or more likely your relatives ) to litigate against them if you perish. There would be no point - they are commercial operations and need to turn a profit. They don't know me from the next hapless tourist who turns up and fancies a paddle.

So what's the point of these comments? Well, I just think that we should stop and appreciate what we have in the British Isles in terms of coaches. Their skills and decision making abilities are second to non in my experience. I've accompanied a UK coach into a raging Penrhyn Mawr tidal race on a number of occasions. On the Isle of Man we have Keirron Tastagh who will first make a sensible decision based on the conditions and the skill of the paddler. Ultimately he will take kayakers on that action packed paddle a few of us crave.