Doug Cooper | 6th June 2022
We’ve all been there; the date for a week’s sea paddling has been in the diary for months, guide books have been studied and inspiration has been gained; a great group of people are coming together for a special week and you can’t wait to get started. Then, in the days before the planned trip it is becoming more and more apparent there is going to be a big spanner in the works – the weather! The images of calm, sunny days are quickly evaporating, replaced by the potential of a week of strong winds and mixed weather. This is not a rarity when it comes to getting the most out of sea kayaking trips in Scotland, and something that happened to me with a group of clients just the other week on Skye. So how do we adapt and overcome? How do we still make the most of our time away and come back inspired in the knowledge that we got the absolute most out of what was possible with the weather thrown at us? How do we balance safe decision making with getting on the water and having fun? Here’s a few thoughts to share from my recent experiences:
Enjoying the conditions and reaping the rewards of good decision-making.
It’s all about the decisions we make…
To enjoy paddling on the sea safely then the decisions made are critical, in essence it is a constant process of making decisions, checking they are appropriate, adapting if necessary and then learning to inform the next one – press repeat!
To do this well though it is good to understand a couple of major influences on our decisions to help us monitor and adapt what we do:
People – whether this be the group, the leader or individuals; it is the people around the decision that will have the biggest influence.
- Are there agreed motivations?
- Has the need to compromise been discussed and agreed?
- Is there an open and supportive environment towards each other?
- Does everyone have a say?
- Are people’s feelings, thoughts, emotions being monitored and discussed?
- Are people aware of their roles in the group?
- Are we open about and aware of peoples’ abilities on the water?
Some shelter to discuss how we are all doing & feeling.
Situation & Environment – are we fully aware of the environment we are planning to head out into and how the weather/conditions will affect it.
- Is there prior experience of the environment and conditions?
- Will the environment/conditions change & can we monitor and react?
- How committing is the environment?
- How does the environment/conditions match with the groups’ abilities/motivations?
- How progressive is the environment/conditions?
- What are the contingencies to be able to lesser the environment/conditions if required?
By initially considering the above influences on our decisions, and then constantly monitoring how/if the influences are changing; then we will already be in a more positive place for ensuring ‘good’ decisions.
Being in the right place at the right time: A very brief weather window along NE Skye’s amazing cliffs.
A decision-making process, buying time to think & checking if change is required…
It is so easy to become fixed on ‘the answer’ to a difficult decision and then missing the need to change or adapt. This is especially true on the sea where there is real risk, consequence and associated pressure. Here’s a really simple process that identifies the three time periods that support and ensure good decisions are being made in relation to the people, the environment and the conditions discussed above:
Planning Stage Decisions – This is the period we have most time to gather all the information (people, environment & conditions), discuss with others and formulate a plan; it allows ‘slow time thinking’. It will often involve multiple plans that will evolve, shape and change; thus becoming the starting point of the optimal ‘plan for the day’.
Journey Stage Decisions – This is all about checking, challenging and constantly monitoring our ‘optimal plan for the day’. It will start when first looking out the window, continue on the drive to location, be happening all the time on the water and never stop until safely home. It is about constantly asking the question (thinking of people, environment & conditions) – is it doing what I was expecting? If the answer is ‘no’ or ‘I’m not sure’, then it’s time to press pause to consider adapting the original plan that was all based on your anticipated expectations. This can often all happen pretty quickly, so often necessitating ‘fast time thinking’.
Monitoring how we are doing on the down-wind run ‘journey stage’.
Key Place Decisions – It is so easy to get carried away with a decision and a course of action; this having the potential to become a conveyer belt to poor decisions and consequences. By identifying key places where you press the pause button to allow some considered slow time thinking to check and challenge the optimal plan is essential. Looking out the window first thing and when you arrive at the launch site are obvious key places, but identifying specific headlands, landings or points on the journey as additional key places is essential; then agreeing to ‘press pause’ to consider (people, environment, conditions) and adapt accordingly.
Loch Dunvegan’s Coral Sands, a ‘key place’ after a down-wind run to decide ‘what next’.
Avoiding poor decisions…
Even considering and carrying out all the above to support good decisions, as humans we are innately fallible and prone to making poor decisions. We will allow our emotions to override good sense, that can lead to poor decision-making shortcuts. Here’s a few well researched decision-making shortcuts to consider and be aware of – have you been guilty of any of these in the past?
- Familiarity – I’ve been there before so it will be OK, let’s just go for it.
- Acceptance – Everyone else seems to be OK with it, I’ll just agree with them.
- Commitment – I decided to paddle the headland tomorrow so I’m just going to do it as I’ve driven all this way and won’t get another chance.
- Expert Halo – I’ve done lots of training courses and read books, so therefore must be making the best decision.
- Social Proof – I saw someone do it on social media so it must be OK.
- Scarcity – This is the best weather day of the week, we’ve got to go for it.
Heading into the wind to start the day, Loch Dunvegan.
Top tips for good decisions on a windy week
Reflecting back on the windy week on Skye and the decisions I and the team made, then here are a few top tips that enabled us all to have a great time, despite the constant Force 6 winds and mixed weather!
- Being comfortable with the need to be flexible & adaptable.
- Having an attitude that is led by ‘making the most of it’ despite the weather!
- Being open and supportive of everyone’s abilities, motivations and comfort zones.
- Constantly monitoring & comparing a wide range of weather/swell forecasts.
- Taking screenshots of the forecasts and retrospectively identifying which one was most accurate – from this identifying if one forecast model was proving more accurate for the week.
- Choosing locations that progressively exposed us to more wind and more conditions.
- Using a site specific non-consequential bay to practice paddling and playing in the conditions.
- Looking for ‘down-wind’ paddling trips.
- If a trip requires paddling up-wind, plan to do this at the start of the day not the end!
- Choosing venues/trips that had escape options.
- Choosing venues & managing things on the water that meant if all went ‘wrong’ you’d be blown to relative safety.
- Looking for weather/wind windows to make the most of and plan everything around.
- Choosing a base that gives multiple aspects of coastline for maximum versatility and opportunities for finding shelter/down-wind locations.
- Planning the whole week to try and be at the optimum location on the optimum day to do something – then being ready to adapt and change.
- Being prepared to have a ‘day off’ the water, go for a walk and enjoy the amazing environment in a different way!
Talisker Bay – too windy to paddle there but a great day for a walk!
Thanks to South Skye Sea Kayak for photo’s and support.
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