Sea Kayak Expedition Gathering - Northumberland 2014

The Sea Kayak Expedition Gathering is a weekend of discussing and developing skills and techniques in preparation for expedition paddling.

This years gathering was based at The Barn at Beal in the rolling Northumberland countryside that overlooks the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.

The calm weather was too good to ignore. Workshops were all water-based and delivered as a series of 'top tips' whilst on the move and exploring the nearby Farne Islands.

In the late afternoon sunshine, all of the teams gathered on the Inner Farne to meet one of the wardens and get acquainted with the local wildlife. We all came away understanding the importance of wearing a hat when moving through an Arctic tern colony.

Saturday evening was more relaxed with plenty to drink, barbecued food and an inspiring talk by Olly Sanders.

Following the broad brush approach of the first day, Sunday's workshops were more focussed on boat handling, launching and landing in challenging conditions, and trip planning.