Frequently Asked Questions

What You Ought to Know!

This is one of the most informative pages on our website with direct answers to direct questions that most guests don't simply forget to ask.

Categories

Kayak Trip Safety

I’m worried about getting trapped in my kayak when it’s capsized.

All of our guests are provided with stable sit-on-top kayaks which are very difficult to capsize. You also do not wear a spraydeck, the guest sits 'on top' of the kayak in a moulded seat. In the unlikely event you do capsize, recovery is a quick & simple process.

What happens if I capsize?

Simply raise your paddle vertically in the air & shout loudly ‘STOP’! Then hold on to your kayak & relax until another paddler or a Guide arrives to haul you back onboard.

I can’t swim!

You don’t need to swim. In the unlikely event of a capsize simply relax & let your buoyancy aid do its work & you should be back on to your kayak in just a few minutes at most. Our activity is known as 'kayaking' & not 'swimming' - we have no intention of getting our guests wet.

I have a phobia about open/deep water?

Please get in touch with us by telephone or email us with your contact telephone number. Your Lead Guide will contact you to discuss your phobia & determine whether it's serious enough to potentially affect the entire group. In the majority of cases, this proves not to be a problem.

What are the qualifications & skills of the Guides?

All of our Leaders & Guides are British canoe Union (BCU) & the International Sea Kayakers Guide Association (ISKGA) trained and qualified. Certificates are available upon request. 

Regular ‘in house’ training & assessments take place throughout the year including throughout the winter. We have eighteen years of experience as a trading business & a 100% clean safety record.

Can I use my own inflatable kayak?

NO! We won't lead anyone in any form of inflatable kayak.....simples! This is reviewed each year but as of January 2023, it's still NO INFLATABLES!

What if I’m injured in some way?

All of our Guides are aquatic first aid trained & we carry comprehensive first aid kits. All Guides carry marine VHF radios for more serious incidents & all of our overnight trips are registered with the Marina Coastguard Agency (MCA). 

In eighteen years of operations along the Essex, Suffolk, Dorset & Cornish coastlines, we have not had a single mayday or pan pan incident.