Association of Paddlers/ Coaches

A new organisation in the making......

The Association of Paddlers/ Coaches is a collaboration of Level 5 coaches across disciplines that provide the highest level of coaching and the training and assessment of NGB awards. These coaches are also active paddlers having their own adventures in their spare time, be it in the UK, Europe or on expedition. Membership is open to any L5 coach be it a freelancer or in full time employment, who is an active coach working at a range of levels and who is an active paddler in their free time. 

The L5 coach is the highest coaching award in the UK and at the moment there is no independent organisation to promote their services. The aim of the logo and the website is to provide a simple way of identifying the highest levels of coaching from active paddlers passionate about their sport. Our members are chosen by their peers and the criteria ensures that not only are they L5 coaches, but they are active in their chosen discipline.They provide evidence of this which has to be updated every 2 years to retain membership. This ensures you get the highest quality coaching from active passionate paddlers.

It is being formed by Olly Sanders of Rock and Sea Adventures and Rock and Sea Productions.

Ocean Paddler - Digital Issues

In a shameless push for digital / e-book subscriptions (Richard Parkin's words, not mine), the team at Ocean Paddler will be making the e-book of Issue 21 available to everyone, for free, via the magazine's web site. Use the link below to view it. There's a link on the same page to sign up for a six-issue e-book subscription for just £10. 

Subscriber e-books are slightly different as these are e-mailed to subscribers and can be viewed offline and can be printed out right from the software. Please note that this digital edition requires flash player 8 or later. If you do not have flash player 8 installed, you can download it from here: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer

http://www.oceanpaddlermagazine.com/digi-op/op-issue-21-free-to-web/index.html

Aimed solely at the ocean paddler and published 12 times a year by Masik Publishing, Ocean Paddler’s pages includes trip and expedition reports, technique articles, reviews, guides, interviews and much, much more. All our articles will inform, enthuse and excite today’s sea paddler.

5th UK Storm Gathering

- Wild Northumberland 30 & 31st October -

I am pleased to announce that the 5th UK Storm Gathering Sea Symposium will be embracing the elements  in wild Northumberland this autumn. It will be based near Berwick Upon Tweed and the aim is to show off the fantastic Berwickshire and North Northumberland coastline, which is classed as an area of outstanding beauty. Guided trips will be available in these areas and out the amazing Farne Islands.

A selection of BCU qualified Level 4 and Level 5 coaches will lead each group of paddlers with an assistant to help. All paddlers need to be of at least an intermediate standard. Remember, this is a Storm Gathering after all and 3 of the last 4 have lived up the name's reputation, and there isn't a lot of shelter in Northumberland when its does blow!

Saturday’s evenings entertainment will be a short video of an extraordinary sea kayak adventure to Chile, the first showing outside of Scotland! As well as some slides and a buffet style meal. A range of accommodation is available including heated Wooden Wigwams! Local guest houses, B&B’s & Camping 

The event will be hosted by Ollie Jay of Active4Seasons and all enquiries should be made through the contact page via the web-site.

Objects of Desire

From the Kokatat website - "Our GORE-TEX® TecTOUR Anorak with its integral wide-billed, multi-adjustable storm hood provides exceptional protection and comfort in the face of changing weather and water conditions. This is the top of the line touring shell for paddlers wanting the most technical features and fabric in a paddling jacket. The mid-length front zip, latex wrist gaskets, zippered bellows pockets with key lanyard and reflective tape on wrists and hood make it the ultimate piece of clothing for sea paddlers. Dual-adjustable outer skirt incorporates “hook & loop” compatible neoprene" and the Ronin PFD is "a low-profile PFD that offers full spinal protection, thermal-molded padded shoulders, reflective accents and a large duplex pocket performs as well on the play wave as it does in the surf zone. Made with GAIA® PVC-free foam.

Many thanks to Kokatat for dispatching these items to me. The Ronin has already seen action on the water and the TecTOUR will be going on expedition with me soon.

I will endeavour to write a review of each item in the coming weeks.