NEWS KAYAKSURF.NET / OLD: Kayaksurf UK / Surfing Skills for sea kayakers by Steve Bowens

Técnicas de surf para canoístas de mar

The crew / photos by Steve Bowens

Steve Bowens, NEWS TEAM kayaksurf.net, organizou uma formação para quatro canoístas habituados aos kayaks de mar. A iniciativa contou com o patrocínio da Falmouth Marine School e pretendeu desenvolver técnicas básicas de surf. Fica o report de Steve ;)

Vallie, Aine, Glenn, Beth and Alan (4 sea kayakers from the West of Ireland) undertook a surfing course this weekend with lecturer and Coach from Falmouth Marine School; Steve Bowens. The group are all sea kayakers but wanted to learn some basic surf skills so as they have the confidence and knowledge to be able to handle themselves in the surf environment when sea kayaking.

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Surfing skills for sea kayakers
by Steve Bowens

Vallie catching the wave

The course consisted of two half day sessions. On the Saturday the group met at Streedagh beach near Sligo to set their goals for the weekend and discuss exactly what they wanted to get from the coaching.

Alan surfing

Following this brief meeting (over a strong coffee) it was decided that we would spend the first afternoon in GP kayaks to develop awareness of the surf and how it affects us, develop strategies for getting out through the surf and to catch and ride waves. We drove to Mullaghmore which had a perfect small gentle wave for practicing angles and timings for paddling out and also catching the first tentative waves back to the beach. By the end of the day the group were boofing over waves, punching through them and even ducking under them, before turning and effortless catching and riding them back to the beach.

Vallie surfing GP

We had the debrief outside the local pub in the evening sunshine with a Guinness overlooking the bay and everyone shining from all the sun and excitement.

Sunday morning arrived and we all met again at Streedagh beach armed with our sea kayaks. Today was based on applying the skills we learnt in the gp kayaks to the much longer and less manoeuvrable sea kayaks. The surf was bigger and dumpier so those paddling out strategies were essential to avoid any misshapes.

Alan re-evaluating

We developed techniques to bring the larger boats back in through the surf under control and again by the end of the day everyone was looking very confident and controlled as they continually paddled out and caught waves back into the beach surfing there sea kayaks with style and grace. (ed. I ended up nearly having to drag Vallie off the water at the end of the day as she just would not stop surfing!)

Glen punching

That evening a few of us decided to finish off with a gentle paddle out of Rosses point in the glass clam water to watch the sunset over the horizon before returning to “Harrys” for a well deserved pint or two.