Skee Kayak Centre

Intro to Sea Skills for the Lismore FNC Canoe Club members.

Karen Dallas conducted this course on Saturday 5 May at Arrawarra Bay, north of Coffs Harbour. 

After much trepidation forecasts were for 4m swell and strong wind, the weather turned out to be picture post card perfect. The sun on the waves on Arrawarra Bay in the early morning was breathtaking.

Arrawarra Bay on a perfect autumn morning.

This was a fantastic day. Karen Dallas, a qualified sea instructor, was very clear in her instructions and planned the day very well. She was assisted by her husband, Col and sea skills trainee Trevor Saunders, as stated by Colin Cussel

Tim Limbert, Richard White, Lynn Delaney, Chris Allen, Colin Cussel attended from FNCCC. Sean Harrington from Coffs harbour, who was on the recent Paddle for Life, and Lynn’s friend, Fiona, also attended.


Paddlers began the day with some theory instruction. Paddlers then practiced their strokes on the grass leaning against the hill to mimic the slope of the wave. Then progressed to traversing the broken waves in the “slop zone,” in line with the beach, so they could get used to handling the waves side on and learning to brace into the wave. 

Karen standing in water directing proceedings

Then practiced our paddling out through the waves and paddling in backwards, so we could get used in and out through the breaking surf zone.



Some of the paddlers enjoy morning tea and a well earned rest.

After morning tea we all ventured out and caught waves into the beach with varying degrees of success. Our last activity was deep water entry in the ocean. We practiced both assisted and unassisted re entries.

Colin Cussel  said we all learnt so much. Thank you Karen. Hopefully the same group can get together for more practice and perhaps another day of instruction from Karen.