Doug Cooper | 17th March 2026
We spend much of our time as sea kayakers seeking out wild and remote places. The environments we paddle in are dynamic and constantly changing, and if we stopped to list everything that could potentially go wrong, we might never launch at all. Yet we do go — again and again — returning with smiles and lasting memories. Clearly something is working.
Many of us spend hours practicing rescues, towing systems and incident management so that we can deal with problems when they occur. In other words, we practice the cure. But in reality, most paddlers use these skills only rarely. Which raises an interesting question: Is it actually the cure that keeps us safe — or is it the prevention?
In reality, much of our safety on the water may come from a far simpler process — one that happens continuously throughout a trip: anticipate what you expect to encounter, notice what is actually happening, and adapt when the two don’t match.
Having anticipated strong winds and a downwind run appropriate for the group – it was smiles all the way in Loch Dunvegan
The Art of Anticipation
Effective prevention starts long before we reach the water. It begins with what might be called anticipation-focused planning — taking time to imagine how the day might actually unfold.
Weather, Conditions & Tides – Tuning into things like the wind, swell, waves, tidal flows are going to be doing is essential; but then the key thing is to anticipate what this will actually look like, feel like and be like from a condition’s perspective when out on the water. If before we arrive at the water, we already know what to expect; then that is the art of anticipation.
Environment – What do we anticipate the coastline, island or crossing to look like; are there shallows with reefs, steep cliffs, easy landings, no landings, rocks to avoid, caves to explore, sandy beaches or seaweed covered boulders. If we know the environment we are looking to enjoy, we can anticipate how best to do this and how the conditions may impact on this – do we have a picture in our minds what this will look like?
People – People are often the last thing we consider during planning — but in reality, they are the most important factor of all. Having anticipated the conditions and environment; it is now all about anticipating how the people will interact with this. Do they have the skills is the starting point, but the question then is do you know what skills would be required and how they are carried out? It is also a matter of do the conditions and environment match not only with ability, but also motivations and amount of chosen/preferred challenge. Also to anticipate what would happen if it was more/less challenging than expected and how this will impact on the people – this gives an idea of amount of leeway you have before you may need to ‘cure’ a situation.
Are we noticing the swell increasing and the environment not offering any landings, off Greenstone Point?
The Art of Noticing
Prevention happens through noticing — recognising when reality begins to drift away from what we anticipated. Do the conditions look and feel as expected? Does the environment match what we imagined? Most importantly, how are the people in the group interacting with it all? When we start a trip with a clear picture of what we expect to encounter, it becomes easier to spot when something isn’t quite right. A paddler who looks tense rather than relaxed, someone dropping further back than usual, strokes becoming hesitant or unstable — these can all be early clues that things aren’t unfolding as anticipated. Alongside this, keeping a watchful eye on the weather, tides and sea state helps us recognise when conditions are changing or developing differently from what we expected – do you know what to look for to help this?
Noticing requires effort, and it’s easy to become absorbed in our own paddling and miss the signals around us. But these small clues are often the first signs that it might be time to pause and reassess.
Time to press pause and adapt the plan, Shetland
The Confidence to Adapt
When out paddling, if what you notice doesn’t match what you anticipated, it’s time to pause and adapt the plan. That might mean deciding not to launch, turning back earlier than planned, or simply stopping to rethink the route so the conditions better match what the group can enjoy. Changing a plan can take confidence, and human decision-making traps can easily nudge us towards pressing on. But when reality begins to differ from what we expected, that is usually the clearest signal that it’s time to stop, reassess and adjust.
Practicing rescues, so we have the ‘cure’ ready if needed
Knowing the Cure
By carefully considering the above and making the effort to be constantly ‘noticing’ things on the water. Then having the confidence to press pause and have the conversation with those with you to make changes to the plan based on it not being as anticipated – we should be ensuring the majority of time on the water will be an enjoyable experience for all knowing we have prevented ever needing the cure. That said, it would be naive to suggest things never go wrong, so we still need to be able to ‘cure’ a problem should it occur unexpectedly. No matter how well we consider and watch the weather and conditions, tide and swell, environment around us and the people interacting with it all – things can catch us all by surprise and when this happens things can go wrong. When they do, the ability to respond effectively becomes essential.
Ask yourself:
- How would you call for help? (VHF radio, phone)
• How would you attract attention? (strobes, flares,)
• Can you rescue a paddler in different situations — tired, injured or unconscious?
• Can you tow effectively in a range of conditions?
• Are you confident performing these skills in a range of real environments, not just calm practice sessions?
When is all comes together on the west coast of Orkney – anticipate, notice and adapt if needed
Summary
The cure will always remain an important part of sea kayaking. We must practise it, understand it and be ready to use it when needed. But much of our real safety comes from something simpler — the ongoing habit of anticipating what lies ahead, noticing what is actually happening around us, and adapting when the two don’t quite match. Do that well, and you may find the cure is something you rarely need.
After all, the sea — and the journeys we dream of — will always be there. The real skill is making sure that we are too.
Inspired and supported by Peak PS
