Coastal Sea Kayak (Level 4) – by Jon Cowdock

I successfully completed the Paddle UK Coastal Sea Kayak course over two days with Sea Kayak Academy in October 2025.

 I’m a fairly experienced sea kayaker, having paddled for several years in my home county of Kent, as well as Anglesey, Devon, Dorset, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. And I have to say the Pembrokeshire coastline is right up there with the best!

 The first was to gain experience and exposure to wind and sea conditions above what I had been used to (paddling mostly at Sea Kayak Award level) and to learn how to handle these bigger conditions.  That aim was certainly met!  We paddled in the aftermath of Storm Amy so there was a fair bit of residual swell combined with winds in the upper Force 4/lower Force 5 range. 

Under Ian’s guidance and after some excellent classroom sessions on wind, waves and swell, our group was gradually exposed to bigger seas and stronger flows in the area around Dinas Head.  Ian was great at building confidence and assessing our levels of comfort as we progressed to the top end of the moderate water remit and at times a little beyond that! 

 We spent a lot of time working on rescue scenarios, practicing our self-rescue and a range of assisted rescues in deep water and in amongst the rocks and swell.  Ian knew exactly where to take us to practice and develop our rescue skills.  There are some superb features to practice around – deep gullies with substantial swell coming through, and areas of calmer water close by to retreat to and review progress.  I took confidence from Ian’s detailed knowledge of these features which ensured that while we spent time in the water amongst the rocks and swell, Ian knew this was a safe location with no hidden dangers lurking beneath the waves! I came away with my comfort and confidence in moderate water conditions much stronger than before.

 Was to get to see some of the Pembrokeshire coastline and wildlife.  Although my main focus was on paddle skills, I was very aware of the amazing geology of this coastline and had plenty of opportunity to encounter grey seals as well as a wide range of sea birds.  There were gullies and caves to explore, although Ian took care to avoid disturbing the seals whose home this is!  Of course, there’s a limit to how much exploring can be done in 2 days but I’ve seen enough to know for sure that I’ll be back for more.

Was to see how well the Sea Kayak Academy setup suited my needs and preferred learning style.  With repeat visits/skills refreshers in mind, it was important to me to be happy with the coaches, facilities, equipment etc.  I need not have had any concerns there.  SKA’s 1:4 ratio at this level was a key consideration for me and worked out very well in practice.  Ian could keep a close eye on all four of us as we paddled and practiced.  Splitting us into pairs to work together also worked well.  I’d booked with a friend of similar standard, and on meeting the other two participants it was clear that we were all looking for broadly the same experience and outcomes.

Each day began with a classroom session in which Ian took us through the considerations for assessing likely conditions, selecting a venue and planning a paddle in some detail.  His explanations were really clear, and he involved the group in narrowing down the alternatives to reach a decision on which location made the most sense for each day.  So by the time we headed off to paddle we all had a clear idea of what conditions to expect and with a little input from Ian our predictions proved to be surprisingly accurate!

We had planned to travel down from Kent with our own boats, but with Storm Amy in full swing on our travel day, I’d asked whether there were suitable boats for us to borrow,  saving us a long drive with boats on the roof in high winds.  The selection of boats available was excellent.  Mostly pretty recent P&H models (Leos, Scorpios, Virgos and Delphins), so we were soon kitted out.  We’d taken our own paddles and other gear, but SKA is very well equipped and can cover all needs.  Ian also encouraged us to borrow and try out different kit to broaden our experience.

While some travel to our venues was inevitable, the locations we used were relatively close (no more than 20-30 minutes drive).  I think most sea kayakers are well used to the need to travel from base to start point, often significant distances, so the closeness to the north coast venues was a pleasant surprise for me.  We didn’t head west or south but the distances to those locations from the Sea Kayak Academy base don’t look too long.

On the water, we started the first day in sheltered water and progressed carefully into the bigger conditions.  By day 2, Ian had the measure of us and suggested launching straight into more exposed water.  We spent around 4-5 hours on the water each day, which was plenty, bearing in mind some challenging conditions.  In fact towards the end of the second day I’d let Ian know that I was getting tired (I’m no spring chicken!) so I planned not to do any more self-rescue practice as we headed back to where we’d launched.  But about halfway back, a momentary lapse in concentration and I was in the water!  Another boost to my confidence to manage an efficient self-rescue at the end of a tiring day!

Back at base each evening, it was a relief to find excellent facilities for rinsing and drying kit.  There’s a well-thought-out bath system for dripping kit to get the sand and salt out, and ample hanging space in a polytunnel.  Key items can be finished off in a small drying room where they’re blasted with warm air so whatever the weather outside, your kit the next day is dry.

Before, during and after the course was excellent.  Clear communication through emails and an added bonus that Ian is brave enough to take a decent camera out on the water and shoot some excellent memories for course participants to take away with them.

Suffice to say that I’ve already re-booked for a longer stay next year.  I’d been eyeing up the map in the classroom to see dozens of potential start points and paddles marked up.  I think it would take many visits to cover them all, but four days next year should help me to see a good selection of the Pembrokeshire coast.

Thank you to both Ian and Amy for their warm welcome and for a truly memorable paddling experience.

I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Jon Cowdock