Steve ran a very well attended Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning course for sea kayakers and SUP paddlers of varied experience and expertise.  All were keen to develop their knowledge and understanding of the interaction between weather, tide, current and coastline to enable them to make the best and safest decisions for their paddling adventures. Following a morning of critical information sharing and discussion, a significant part of the afternoon was spent practising journey planning using information gathered from primary sources such as sea charts, marine pilots and almanacs ..read more

Steve is running a Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning course on Monday March 25th based in Cumbria.  This course is suitable for anyone going out sea kayaking, SUP paddling or sit on top paddling in coastal waters. It covers critical information about weather and tide and their effect on conditions, trip planning and decision making.  It will address navigation in advance and on the water, as well as pilotage and buoyage.  It is a prerequisite for anyone seeking to take British Canoeing’s Sea Kayak Leader assessment. If you’re interested or would like more information pl ..read more

Steve has a Sea Kayak Leader training course coming up on the 28th – 29th November based in Cumbria.  This training course is suitable for anyone wanting to check their paddling, equipment, safety, trip planning and group leadership in conditions up to force 4.  There is no necessity to go on to take the British Canoeing assessment – many people take this course purely for personal development, practice and to enhance their knowledge and safety on the water.  Steve can also issue BC’s Personal Performance Awards, to anyone at the relevant standard, as required.  Clearly ..read more

Steve has a Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning course coming up on November 23rd based in Cumbria.  This course is suitable for anyone going out sea kayaking, SUP paddling or or sit on top paddling in coastal waters. It covers critical information about weather and tide and their effect on conditions; trip planning and decision making, navigation in advance and on the water as well as pilotage and buoyage.  It is a prerequisite for anyone seeking to take British Canoeing’s Sea Kayak Leader assessment. If you’re interested or would like more information please get in touch wit ..read more

This course covers the critical issues to keep you safe on the sea using sea kayaks, sit on tops and paddleboards.  Steve ran the CN&TP course this week for both recreational and qualification seeking sea paddlers.  He covered weather, tides, currents, different coastlines, trip planning, navigation, buoyage, pilotage and more.  It’s an extremely useful day for anyone going out on the sea in paddlesport craft.  It’s also a prerequisite for anyone seeking sea kayak leadership qualifications. If you’re keen to paddle on the sea and are looking to do so as safely as pos ..read more

Towards the end of our two week adventure the wind had picked up from the South West making the West coast less appealing.  Steve still had plenty of options and chose Ronas Voe for a day of cave, stack and cliff exploration; indeed, these were the biggest cliffs we encountered on the entire trip.  We followed the voe out to the point where the red granite, and the most impressive coastline, changed to volcanic rocks.  Following lunch with a spectacular view northwards past Lang Ayre to Uyea, we wended our way back, enjoying the completely different perspective of the coast p ..read more

The Drongs are a tough, rocky remnant of an earlier coastline now eroded back to form the Hillswick peninsula.  They are both spectacular and enticing, as they were stationed offshore, clearly visible from our basecamp at all times.  With the fantastic weather and after several long days out, we decided a visit to The Drongs was in order. We combined this with a circumnavigation of the peninsula, which did require a short use of a portage trolley at the start across the narrow neck of land from one side to the other.  Another stunning paddle. steve@stevebanksoutdoors.co.uk 07 ..read more

The complex and incredible coastline and cliff architecture of Shetland is a result of a combination of geology and a position in the North Atlantic exposed to huge seas on a regular basis.  The sea has exploited any weakness in the rocks, or softer relative to harder rocks, to create caves and to drive tunnels as far as its energy can reach.  These too are subject to erosion and collapse leaving blowholes, stacks and wave cut platforms.  Most of Shetland’s most outstanding coast, from a sea kayaking perspective, faces this prime shaping force, the open ocean – the West. Muck ..read more

The amazing weather meant, for the first time on a Shetland trip, we could pack our boats and take on a two day outing with an overnight wild camp.  With cars loaded with provisions we headed to Sandness to circumnavigate Papa Stour – a swiss cheese-like coast of subterranean tunnels, huge caves, towering stacks and amazing wildlife. A long first day saw us explore every nook and cranny: we experienced a tide race running through one large and very long tunnel and, headtorches to the fore, paddled for three hundred metres through a passage under a headland.  Our camp on the North ..read more

Steve is recently returned from a two week Sea Kayaking trip to Shetland.  We had the best conditions ever so were able to access parts of Shetland’s amazingly coastline that had hitherto been out of reach.  Even the locals commented that the sea was the calmest they had ever seen it – in their lives!  To try and do better justice to what was a fantastic experience for all, we’ve uploaded a series of blog posts and photos depicting some of the best parts of the trip – enjoy! If you’re interested in sea kayaking trips or days out, call Steve for a chat about your paddling need ..read more