EEKCC has lots of members who are keen kayak paddlers. Some prefer easy rivers or calm lochs, while others seek out more challenging water – which Scotland has in abundance! This is the biggest part of our membership. We try and get at least one river trip a month and often manage more. Our coaches can take you from being a complete beginner on the flat water of our local loch to a paddler that is at home playing on waves and holes on a river or even pulling stunts in your kayak. If you don’t have a kayak of your own, we have a range of boats and other kit you can use until you get your own. We can even help you make the right choice for your first boat.
The West Coast of Scotland is a world class sea kayaking destination and the club makes the most of the fact that it is right on our doorstep. With trips organised on roughly a monthly basis we are able to provide something for everyone from the relatively sheltered sea lochs to island hopping or exploring exciting tidal water. We also try and organize a couple of self-sufficient multi-day expeditions each year which means wild camping. There really is no better way to explore the coast or to get up close and personal with Scotland’s wild places and its amazing array of wildlife.
We have visited many places including Bute and the Firth of Clyde, Loch Sween, the Garvellachs, Falls of Lora, Arisaig and the Small Isles. Knoydart, Skye and the Summer Isles as well as the Firth of Forth in the east have all features. We are always going new places.
The club has an enthusiastic and growing sea paddling group numbering well over a dozen and includes relative beginners through to 4 star leaders and we also have a sea kayak specific UKCC Level 3 aspirant coach. This means that we are able to offer in-house support to paddlers up to 3 star as well as those keen to explore the moderate water environment. We also have a fleet of eight club sea kayaks that are available to members.
We have been well supported in our development over the last few years through financial and other support from the Scottish Canoe Association as well as the National Lottery Awards for All and Strathclyde Police. It is great to see interest in sea kayaking growing as a result.
If you would like to chat about our club programme or about sea kayaking generally drop us a line using our contact form.
See you on the sea
Steve – Sea Kayaking Coordinator
EEKCC has a growing number of open canoe paddlers enjoying a mix of lochs and rivers. An open canoe is a very versatile craft as it can carry large loads on flat and moving water for a multi-day camping expedition. They can be paddled solo or tandem, you can even sail one! Our coaches can take you from being a complete beginner on the flat water of our local loch to being able to surf your canoe on a river! If you don’t have a canoe of your own, we have a club canoe and ready access to more. Another way to have great fun!
We have a great team of helpful coaches! They have lots of skill and experience and will be delighted to help you out, whether you have never been in a canoe or kayak before or if you can already paddle a bit (or a lot) and want to improve or just polish one part of your paddling! We can coach you from complete beginner through to becoming a coach yourself, if that’s what you want to do. If you just want to be a recreational paddler, then we can do that too.
Our coaches have a variety of appropriate qualifications and are all very friendly! They can help you gain a variety of British Canoe Union paddling awards (known as the Star Awards). We also run the Paddlepower scheme which is specially tailored to the younger paddler. We generally begin Paddlepower from age 8. Those above about 12/14 usually go straight into the Star Awards.
Hope we can help!
