If you fancy getting out and about on the water, soaking up all the sights and sounds nature has to offer, sneaking into secret coves and chancing upon scenes few get to see, kayaking is the answer.
Unlike, say, stand-up paddle boarding, you can get a surprisingly long way with little effort in a kayak. It’s simple, easy to pick up, and as high or low energy as you’d like. Choose to go solo or double up with a friend or loved one.
Here's our handy beginners' guide to kayaking.
Sit-on-top kayaks are brilliant for beginners as they are wider than traditional sit-in kayaks. The reason it’s so great is that the wider frame offers extra stability - they do need a bit more effort to paddle, but if you’re kayaking for the first time or just starting out, that’s a decent trade-off for the reassurance of a bigger vessel.
As the name suggests, with sit-in kayaks, you sit inside the boat. This makes it slightly easier to manoeuvre as you can use the pressure created by your knees to help change direction. In turn, you’re able to go faster with extra agility – that said, kayaking isn’t always about speed, so try out various kayaks and see which type you prefer! When you’re starting out, specifying which type of kayak you’d like to use is doubtful – it may well be that the only kayaks available for hire are sit-ins – nevertheless, you’ll now be able to make that choice should both be an option.
When starting off, the best place to get into your kayak is on a gently sloping beach, where you can push yourself out into the water. You might be a bit shaky for your first couple of attempts, but that’s all part of the learning curve. If you’re pairing up, get your partner to push the kayak and jump into the back seat once it has taken to the water.
Once you’re in, look for the footpegs on either side of the kayak and rest your feet on them. Your toes should point outwards and heels towards the centre, with your knees bent outwards and upwards. Slide your bottom into the seat (so there’s a 90-degree angle between your lower back and your bum) and sit up straight.
Have a close look at the paddle. It will have a subtle curve to it – you want the concave side facing your way. Place your hands just over shoulder-width apart, knuckles facing up, and keep your grip relaxed.
It will be a pretty natural movement to get going – just place one paddle vertically in the water and sweep it towards you, repeating the action on the other side. As you move, start twisting your body in the same direction as the paddle: using your torso to help move the boat means your arms won’t get so tired. Make long, slow strokes in the water, and remember to look where you are going (not into the water by your side - unless there’s something amazing to see!)
This one’s simple – just reverse the movement you’ve been making. Place the paddle in the water behind you and pull it forward.
Don’t try and turn by paddling harder on the opposite side. Use sweep strokes, which means placing the paddle as far forward as you can, and then making a wide semi-circle towards the back of the boat, turning your body as you go.
Want to turn backwards? Just reverse the action above, starting at the back of the boat and circling towards the front.
We offer kayaking tuition at our Retreat Beachclub, with kayaking included free all day, every day at every one of our beachclubs.
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