ABOUT ISLE OF WIGHT SEA KAYAKING
  

Isle of Wight Sea Kayaking is the South's Specialist - delivering high quality sea kayak coaching, day trips and courses using all the best locations on the Isle of Wight, South Coast and the rest of the UK.

Its not all about coaching and courses! If you just want a guided day trip we can show you some of the finest coastal locations on the South Coast.

We have a large fleet of boats; both plastic and glass fibre Valley sea kayaks, Wilderness Systems Sit-on-Top kayaks, Mad River Canoes and Pyranha general purpose boats. We have a huge range of waterproof clothing and safety equipment from Palm for you to use while out with us.

Whilst with Isle of Wight Sea Kayaking you will always be coached and led by an experienced and qualified BCU Coach/Guide who has extensive local knowledge and will be able to utilise all the best coastal locations to your advantage. We are experienced expedition paddlers and leaders as well as providers of expedition training. We operate island wide in our fleet of vans and trailers utalising the whole island but usually ending up back at our base for a browse around the shop and a drink outside in the garden to discuss the days activities and to plan further adventures.
             
       
             
We are situated in Freshwater Bay, where our office, classroom, stores and shop are a mere 100m from the beach you see in the pictures above. IWSK benefits from being based within the Sandpipers complex of bar, hotel and cafe. Don't worry if you are coming over on the ferry as a foot passenger or don't have transport - we can come to get you from where ever you are.
 

We have been inspected and are approved by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (L6477/R1574) - This guarantees high standards of safety and delivery - We act and are recognised by AALA as a technical advisor for other providers and we work with both small and multi-site national organisations advising on technical matters and training staff.

     
Isle of Wight Sea Kayaking is owned and run by Mitch Furnell and Owen Burson
 

Owen has over 15 years of experience working and playing in the outdoors. He is committed to developing people's skills and experience, beyond what they thought possible. He is an Accredited Practitioner of the Institute of Outdoor Learning.

A very experienced British Canoe Union Level 4 Coach and an A4 (level 3 coach) trainer and assessor in Sea Kayak, White Water Kayak and Canoe and is one of the BCU's team of Contracted Course Providers, as well as a Safety Test and Aquatic 1st Aid trainer/assessor. He has achieved a very high personal skill level in Sea, WW and Canoe and has taken part in and led many expeditions worldwide. He has completed a Level 5 Coach training course and is the BCU Coaching Officer for the Isle of Wight.

He is one of the few of the most experienced coaches in the UK who have been selected to be a course director for the new BCU/UKCC courses. He is one of very few able to run all the level 1, 2 and 3 courses including WW, Canoe and Sea level 3 specialist modules in the new scheme and is also a 4* Trainer, one of the small panel able to train and assess new 4* assessors for WW, Canoe and Sea.
 
   

Mitch is an experienced and competent sea kayaker having paddled most of the south coast and parts of the west coast of Ireland. She has many years experience teaching in secondary schools, specialising in children with behavioral and learning difficulties, which she has implied on more than one occasion has helped her deal with the coaches.

Since becoming full time with Isle of Wight Sea Kayaking, Mitch has taken over the organisation and administration and will more than likely be the person who you will make contact with. She runs the 'Women Only' Courses, and some of the Sit-on-Top Courses.

Mitch has an vast array of knowledge of the Island, not just of the coast, but pubs, B&Bs, hotels and importantly, getting here.
 
 

Rob MacInally is a Trainee Level 4 Sea and a Level 2 Canoe Coach; he has a vast experience of Scottish Island expeditions - his most recent being a solo trip around the Isle of Bute and Arran.

He heads off to the Scottish Isles when ever he can, but thankfully we keep him here in between those times - he has a coaching style that instills confidence from the outset and his enthusiasm for sea kayaking is contagious!

 
Part time / Seasonal Staff
 

Dan Scott is a Level 3 Sea and White Water Coach and a Trainee Level 3 Canoe Coach; he has a very wide range of experience working with both children and adults, he is a qualified youth worker and an all round nice guy - when taking part in one of his courses you can be sure of a very good time with plenty of tea and biscuit breaks.

Dan is with us for another summer and is then off travelling............again!!!!!
   
Jacob is with us for the summer - He is a Trainee Level 3 Sea and White Water. He has a passion for WW and Surf kayaking.
   
Neil is with us over the summer holidays. He is an expert coasteerer and surf kayaker, he helps us out on the water and keeps our boats in first class order.
   

Dave White - Not only licenced to thrill, Dave is also a coach trainer and Level 5 White Water Coach. Dave has close links with a world famous chef.........and loves his food. He has a bubbly personality which you will find out for your self on one of the many coach training courses he run's with IWSK.

 
   
   
 
01983 209471 | enquiries@iow-seakayaking.co.uk | 01983 209471
HOME > ABOUT US