This is a guest blog from Sam, one of our current AIT candidates
For more information on our Accelerated Instructor Training click here
Today I went coasteering with the brilliant Land and Wave at a beautiful spot called Dancing Ledge. It was epic. For any who don’t know, coasteering involves exploring the coastline and its different features.
Basically a very wet and supremely awesome adventure!
So we got kitted out with some toasty warm wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets, before taking the walk down to Dancing Ledge. First up was a splash and swim in a small pool and yup, the water is certainly rather refreshing in November. We can all swim (hurrah), so now the fun can begin!
To kick off we perfected our pencil jumps into the sea from a low rock platform. From the water, we could then ride a wave (woohoo!) to lift us back onto a lower ledge. Here we stood knee high in the surf bracing against the waves in a giant neoprene group cuddle.
Next we climbed down onto a different platform which has been cut out by the wave action. Sitting with our backs against the rock, we steadied ourselves against the incoming waves which inevitably, playfully, slapped us in the face and washed over our adrenalin pumped bodies leaving us grinning.
We made our way round for the next playground event- a higher jump.
Aaaargh…. Splash! We gathered together in the sea, bobbing up and down with our buoyancy aids and creating a comfortable human raft. The following obstacle was a narrow cave entrance. We had to stand on a ledge knee deep and wait for a wave to then launch ourselves onto and ride superman style as it took us through a small gap into the cave area behind. Woohoo!
Our journey then took us swimming into a larger cave and deeper into the rock. We ducked under an arch and continued back to where it became intensely spooky and adventurous! It was very dark and eerie with the loud and rhythmic sound of the waves in the cave.
On emerging back out into daylight, we hauled ourselves up onto the rocks and scrambled and squeezed along small cracks to arrive at the other side and gracefully(?!) bellyflop back in the water. Now it was time for the ballsy jumps!
We climbed up in turn and were presented with a choice of different height ledges to jump off from. Hmmm. May as well go all in hey?! Reaching the very top one it was in fact much higher than it had originally looked, as these things usually do. But here we go, with a giant leap I launched off and screamed as I fell… and then I was still falling… yep falling a bit further… splash! Phew, that was exhilarating and I now felt super humanly triumphant!
Once we’d all made a big splash we began swimming back, stopping off at a lower ledge along the way to have a competition for originality of a jump. We had some graceful swan dives, not so graceful bombs, a few impressively successful somersaults, some 360 spins and many flailing attempts which are just too special to have a technical name.
Finally, we gathered together on the gauntlet. A large ledge we could stand on with backs against the rock wall, we watched in giddy anticipation as huge waves approached. Being lifted by the swell and rocked gently up, it was a challenge to return to your feet and grip everyone ready for the next one!
I had achieved and experienced more than I had expected during our session and loved every second of a few truly epic hours in the water. The Land & Wave instructors Will and Dave made my coasteering experience thoroughly enjoyable, so I left with a huge smile on my face and a few bruises which are a nostalgic reminder of my coastal adventure!
See you soon,
Sam
For more information on our Accelerated Instructor Training click here
19 November 2013 by TheBox
