All about Sea Kayak

 

At one with the sea: Imagine yourself gliding along the surface of the sea close to a rocky shoreline. As you pass the headland of a small island, you come across a group of fish jumping just a few kayak lengths away.  are diving and feeding around you. Away to the west, you can see the silhouette of the mountains of Islands. The late afternoon sun paints patterns on the water as sea birds wheel above you.

 

Sea Kayaking is one of the fastest growing water sports. It particularly appeals to people who like to get out into wild and beautiful places without the artificiality, smell and noise of an engine. In a sea kayak, you can explore fascinating islands, coastlines and sea lochs with the freedom to go where no other form of transport can take you. Kayaking can be serene, a peaceful  way of moving through the marine landscape. But if you like excitement, South Sea of Korea waves and the wild tide races between islands will provide plenty of challenge for your skill and taste for adventure.

Kids will grow with correct mind and balanced body. Soon they will be aware of that they are part of great nature to respect their parents. They are going to keen to having weekly class with parents.

 

Wildlife friendly  Kayaks are almost silent, create no fumes and leave no trace. Wildlife will often tolerate the close presence of kayaks, when they would flee from anything else. Some seabirds seem to be completely unafraid of kayaks, though we will still take care not to disturb them. In offshore kayaking, dolphins (smaller and black shy ones) sometimes swim and peep us to get a better look. In many places, silver anchovies will even run away splashing water! Despite their shyness and relative scarcity, we have had over 30 dolphins sightings in the last year on South Sea trips. But, we believe that it is vital to avoid disturbance of wildlife. We are visitors in their environment. We hold KSKA accreditation and have been trained in "Leave no trace" practices. We are constantly seeking ways to give our members and guests a good wildlife experience without causing disturbance. 

 

What's different about sea kayaks? Sea kayaks differ from other kayaks in that they are generally longer (usually about 5 to 6 meters) They are sleek and fast with hatches and water tight compartments for storing camping equipment and supplies. If you have paddled general purpose kayaks before, you will be amazed by how smoothly a sea kayak cuts through the water. They have lower "initial stability" than general purpose and most white water kayaks. Paradoxically, this makes them more stable in a rough sea. It is important to match the client to the appropriate design of kayak. If the kayak hull has the right volume for you, it will feel more stable and easier to control in more challenging conditions. We have a wide range of sea kayaks so that you can paddle something that is right for you.  

 

The Rough and the Smooth: Of course, it isn't always calm. It wouldn't be as much fun if it was. Because of the hull shape, the compartments and because of the spray decks (skirt) that we wear to seal the cockpit opening, sea kayaks are amazingly seaworthy. Assuming of course that the paddler has developed the skill required to handle the conditions. An experienced paddler who has taken the time to learn appropriate techniques can handle remarkably rough conditions and strong winds. Once the Eskimo roll has been mastered (a technique for righting the kayak after a capsize without getting out of the kayak) we can go and play in the tide races, surfing the waves and riding the currents.

 

Weather conditions: Rain is no problem at all. Once you have got your gear on and you are in your kayak, it can rain all it likes and it won't make any difference. In light rain, we find that clients often don't even notice. Paddling a kayak in heavy rain is a unique and enjoyable experience - no really, it is! Of course it is important to keep warm. A couple of layers of fleece under your paddling jacket usually does the trick in all but the coldest conditions. We provide dry suits* when appropriate, so that you can keep dry even if you manage to fall in. We also have "pogies" to keep your hands warm in the winter.

*to be more accurate and to manage customer expectations.... they are "Kayaking specific surface immersion semi-dry suits" and they don't really keep you totally dry For normal paddling they will keep you mostly dry. If you do go for a swim in them or if we paddle in very rough water, you might get a bit damp. But they are a lot better than just wearing a jacket.

 

 

Small craft for great journeys: Some astonishing feats have been achieved in se kayaks, for example, there have been a number of circumnavigations of the UK, Australia, South Island of New Zealand, Cape Horn and crossings of the North Sea, the Irish Sea, Tasman sea. Unbelievably, in 2001, Peter Bray paddled the North Atlantic. In 2006, Patrick Winterton paddled to Mingulay, St Kilda, The Flannans, Butt of Lewis, Cape Wrath, the Orkneys, Fair Isle and the Shetlands all in one Trip! In 2010 he paddled from the outer Hebrides to the Faroe islands. OKC founder Julio Ko has circumnavigated Namhae Islands of 140km in 21 hours. In 2014, four members of OKC has paddled from SHI to DSME in Geoje-si for 9 hours. But most people are very happy to use their kayaks for coastal rambles. In kayaks, we can paddle between the sea stacks of Hundreds of Islands, visit otherwise inaccessible islands in the  and penetrate the deep sea lochs of the south coast islands of Korea.

 

World class training: Learning to paddle a sea kayak is not difficult, but it's not obvious. Some of the correct techniques are contra-intuitive, so it pays to get proper tuition so that you don't acquire bad habits. And of course, safety is extremely important. Sea kayaking if OKC and KSKA has an excellent safety record, largely due to the well thought out and carefully structured coaching scheme operated by the Korea Sea Kayak Association. The KSKA has established exacting standards for kayak instructors and controls the award of qualifications. The KSKA system adopted its standard from American Canoe Association which is arguably the best in the world and it's qualifications are accepted almost everywhere. The sea is a serious place to be. There are risks and traps for the unwary. A novice setting off from a holiday beach on a seemingly calm day can find himself in big trouble when the tide turns and takes him into the overalls or clapotis ( rough water created by waves reflecting from cliffs). But a paddler who has learned with a KSKA coach will be aware of the risks and have the skills and techniques that turn a threat into a bit of fun.

We are all enthusiastic exponents of "individualized coaching" and take pride in finding coaching techniques that are just right for you.

 

Kayaking and Fitness: You don't need to be super fit or made of India rubber to enjoy sea kayaking. Even relatively unfit people can usually manage 5 or 6 miles paddling after a couple of days. Stamina and flexibility are more useful than strength as good technique takes care of the effort. An experienced and reasonably fit paddler will comfortably manage 15 to 20 miles a day and experts frequently paddle 30 or more. Being seriously overweight can create a few challenges but isn't an insupperable problem. If you would like to know more about this (or anything else) please give us a call.

 

Finding your way: Sea kayak navigation is an art in itself. At the simple end of the spectrum, the ability to use an OS 1:50,000 map and a compass, together with an appreciation of tides and their effects would be adequate. A paddler undertaking advanced trips will need an intimate knowledge of the ways of flowing water, the ability to read charts and plot a course, asses conditions and use a GPS. Night paddling is fun! (need report to Coast Gurad)

 

Want to know more? Have a look at Frequently asked Questions, email  julio.ko@okpokayakclub.org or call us on 010-9856-1244.

 

Please be responsible and protect our wild environment.

Take only pictures and leave nothing more than footprints.

 

Kayakers should be careful not to cause stress to wildlife. Enen though they are small crabs, fish or sea mammals. They live there. We are the visitors. We must treat wildife with consideration and respect. Never chase or paddle an interception course with an animal. If you happen to get close, back off if the animal shows any sign of agitation. You will get a better view if you just sit quietly in your kayak. Better still, keep your distance and use water proof binoculars. Whatever you are watching, even if it doesn't seem aware of you, limit your time and let them be.