Here to help all onto the water!

1.     Could you tell us a bit about your background in paddlesports?                                        

I started paddling with the scouts in Bedfordshire, they got me started with instructing and I went on to compete in Slalom K1 and C2. Many years later I am now freelance level 5 coach and mountaineering Instructor, having paddled on four different continents and been on expeditions in Africa, Alaska and several places in between.

2.     Where are you based?                                                

I am currently based in North Wales.              

3.     What facilities do you have to help those with additional needs?

We are mostly based from the Conway Centre on the Menai Strait where there is a floating pontoon that has a wheelchair friendly ramp to access it with a hoist to lift people in to boats if needed. We also operate a Wheely boat that has a landing craft style ramp that can be lowered to allow easy access to chairs. We do not charge anything for sessions, we are completely reliant upon donations and grants, The Outdoor Partnership and National Lottery amongst many others have been very generous.

4.     What do you most enjoy about what you do?                                                                                    

I love being on the water.

5.      What got you into this field?                                                                                                            

I think it must be down to being gullible, I was asked to come along one evening and take a few pictures of sailing for their social media, unaware that there was a plan to develop paddlesports. Now I find myself as their technical advisor and training officer, and I haven't looked back!

6.     How long have you been offering these services?                                                                               

About five years.

7.     What range do you cater for?                                                  

We try to cater for everybody, I don’t think we have ever had somebody we could not get afloat in some form.

8.     Are there any restrictions on what you do?                                                                                                                               

At the moment the biggest restrictions are down to when we can do things, if the tide is out our water access is restricted to people who have reasonable mobility as our floating pontoon will be sat in the mud and we can’t get boats in to it. We also have a limited number of volunteers on call, and they all have personal lives to be attended to, so the frequency of our sessions is sometimes restricted.

9.     Do you make use of the new accessibility pontoons in Padarn and others around Wales? 

I have been and checked out the Padarn pontoon in anticipation of using it, but so far, we have not held an event there. There are complications with operating outside of the Conway Centre infrastructure to do with access to boats, transportation and insurance. These are not insurmountable and we are working on it. Hopefully next year will see us there.

10.  What makes it worthwhile for you?                                                                                           

I am unusual within the team as I get paid for some of my role, so the money does help. You would get much more insightful and inspirational answers if you asked some of the many people who give up their precious spare time to come and volunteer as part of our little family. They are truly an amazing bunch!

11.  Do you find you have to help overcome physical and mental barriers that they and their carers have? 

Yes, that is pretty much our entire existence and part of the challange of this line of work. 

12.  How do you empower those you care for to feel confident to paddle on their own?                                           

This varies as everybody is has individual needs. Some people will only ever paddle with us and we make up a valuable part of the regular social interaction and quality of life. Others come a few times and after a friendly and supportive start can feel enabled to join a mainstream club. Occasionally people come just once to see if their body is still up to paddling after life changing injury. We can give them the confidence to get back in to the sport with support and plenty of rescue cover for those first few moments back in a boat. It is our mission to try to help as many people as possible to progress to a point that they can be independent, our join a mainstream club or group.

13.  Have you any inspiring success stories from your time working with these groups?                        

Yes, lots. Tricky to go into detail without discussing peoples’ personal difficulties and disadvantages though.

14.  Is there anything more you would like to be able to do or provide to help these communities?                                                                                                                                        

Yes. We have an endless and continuingly developing list that we are slowly working our way through.

15.  Have you any advice for first time paddlers to get on the water?                                                   

Paddling is a massively diverse sport with something to suit everybody, you just have to try it and find out which bits suit you. At SEAS we endeavour to provide those first opportunities in a safe and supportive environment for those individuals who would not normally be given an chance.

If you would like to become a volunteer, find out more about the work Karl and his team deliver or know someone who would benefit from some time on the water that could join Karl's groups then click the link below and get in touch!

He and his team would love to hear from you!