23rd June 2018
What is the best kayak roll to learn?
This is a question, that as an instructor, I have been asked a lot, over time my opinions on the answer have changed.
The simple and quick answer is “any roll that brings you up and keeps you in your boat”, there is an element of truth within this answer but there is also much more that should be considered.
A critical aspect is why we are rolling, historically the kayak roll and other methods of rescue were developed by the native population of Greenland because if they capsized whilst hunting they needed a means to rescue themselves or each other. A “wet exit” would not be a choice due to a combination of factors, including the way they were sealed into their kayaks, water temperature, their clothing and equipment. So rolling in a manner that was less than ideal in regards to stability of joints (shoulders, elbows etc.) or that may cause ongoing injury wasn’t really a major issue for them as the alternatives were immediate drowning or death through hypothermia!
We are in a bit of a different situation in our modern paddling world, with the equipment we now use it can be very straight forward to wet exit from a kayak and self-rescue, or be assisted by others to get back in the boat and going again with few ill effects (except a bashed ego). In this modern context it seems illogical to use rolling techniques that could cause us immediate serious problems (such as a dislocated shoulder) or on going repetitive strain injuries.
In addition to this the training opportunities we have to learn and perfect our roll are very different to the Greenlandic pioneers of kayaking, we have every opportunity to roll in comfort and warm environments, taking time to break down and learn individual components to ensure our technique is correct, efficient, reliable and safe.
So why would we practice (or teach others) anything but the most reliable and safe techniques?
The answer to this is partly to do with misinterpretation of what is going on during the kayak roll, it actually doesn’t matter what type of rolling (Greenlandic, WW, sweep rolls, back deck rolls) we are learning, done properly they all rely on the same principles and concepts.
The breakdown in this generally comes from how people perceive the roll to be happening, the first Europeans to successfully learn to roll kayaks managed to right the craft but did so with leverage and force, missing the critical techniques completely, still to this day when people are learning they find that applying a bit of leverage or force can give them success, the problem with this though is that it develops incorrect body movement and creates a roll that may have some use but lacks reliability in the long run as it under utilises the critical concepts.
The critical concepts of all kayak rolling are essentially the same as the main concepts of all kayak strokes, often defined as the three B’s – Body, boat, blade (as with all strokes a fourth most important B can also be added – Brain!).
The principles and concepts that all rolls have in common (when done properly) are the ones that we should practice, consistent and deliberate practice of these will give us a solid, reliable and safe roll. Those principles are,
Training good and correct body movement is the most important aspect to developing quality rolling technique, there are many ways to roll a kayak, including brute force, whilst reliance on brute force, or resistance may give you initial or quick success it should be avoided completely if you wish to develop a long term, reliable and safe technique.
It may take longer to develop but rolling through good body movement will be safer, more reliable and in fact easier once the skill is developed.
So what is the best kayak roll? “one that brings you back up and keeps you in your boat” but is also safe, reliable and reliant on body movement (as opposed to resistance and force).
29th November 2017
(This article was first published as an abridged version in the Australian Education Reporter – term 4 2017 issue)
Maintaining adventure whilst ensuring safety
The varying definitions of adventure will be very familiar to most of us, as will the positive and enriching experiences that outdoor education and adventure activities can provide, though where we have potential for great positive outcomes, we also have equal potential for negative experience.
The unknown outcome or new experience is all part of the adventure, however, within the context of outdoor education and adventure activities provided to students, returning safely and unharmed should be a certainty.
Quality Safety Management Systems are the critical component to maintaining adventure whilst ensuring safety.It is common to see very different approaches to safety management, the focus for some is on risk and negating liability, for others compliance, documentation and paper trails are key.
My background and experience is in technical skills training and the delivery of adventure activities across a broad range of the industry, through the practical application of risk management and safety management systems, I have developed an insight into those principles that are realistic and effective, within this article, I will discuss both what I believe the important overarching principles to be and why application of these principles can improve the quality and safety of programmes provided.
(My technical expertise is within outdoor adventure activities, not law, there for the thoughts I express should not be taken to have any bearing on issues of legality or liability)
Important overarching principles
Prevention of serious injuries and fatalities
At first look, this may seem too obvious to mention, it should be constantly in our thoughts though and should direct our actions within everything we do. Through focusing on safety management (as opposed to risk management) and preventing significant injury and fatalities it keeps in our minds on what we should be doing, that is, taking responsibility for our actions and looking after those who are dependent on us.
Documented Safety Management System
Again, this appears to be another obvious aspect, it would be worrying if anyone operating within the outdoor education or adventure activity industry didn’t have written risk assessments, standard operating procedures, emergency action plans etc.
Importantly though is how credible and relevant is our documentation? What is it based on (Adventure Activity Standards, department policies, national organisation safety guidelines, international standards), who created it / who has reviewed it and what relevant technical expertise do they possess, does it outline all important processes (leadership and management, roles and responsibilities, induction and training, hazard identification and management, staff qualification and competence, dynamic hazard management, incident management, continual improvement, to name just a few).
If our processes and documentation are well developed then we should also be looking at how realistic they are, are the documented systems applied practically and consistently? Do the documented systems and processes genuinely improve safety? Would they stand up to scrutiny?
Practical application of Safety Management Systems
Outdoor education and adventure activities are practical by nature, which means the ways in which we apply our safety management systems are critical, even with the best will and documentation in the world, if the processes aren’t followed practically or the staff delivering programmes on site do not have the experience, competence and qualification for the operational environment then safety will be compromised.
The spectrum of operational areas is large, at one end of the scale we have largely controlled and constructed environments (such as on site multi activity camps, indoor climbing walls), which have limited or controllable variables. On the other end of the scale we have uncontrollable, unmodified environments (Whitewater rivers, remote bush areas, mountain environments), with many constantly changing variables.
The systems used and the way in which we apply them need to be appropriate for the area of the spectrum we operate in. One size definitely does not fit all.
Common themes and good practice
There is a vast amount of information available globally on safety management and good practice within outdoor adventure environments. Each country has its own approach that reflects it cultural values, experiences and populations acceptance of risk and consequence. Approaches range from zero controls through to highly regulated and legislated requirements enforced through government intervention.
Whether applied through voluntary schemes or government regulation, there are a number of common themes and approaches to good practice that significantly improve the safety of participants of outdoor adventurous activities.
Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have all had their own investigations into near miss incidents or major accidents, in each country different government organisations have taken an in depth look at the processes applied to ensure safety in the outdoors, then proceeded to make recommendations, in both NZ and the UK this has extended into varying degrees of legislation and enforcement to ensure adoption of the parts deemed most important to protect public safety.
Whilst each of these countries have differences in application there are also recommendations all three have in common, applying these common themes to our safety management systems is a good start to improving safety standards.
Australian recommendations (Taken from near miss incident report written by a governmental department)
New Zealand requirements (To gain consent to operate)
UK requirements (to gain a AALA licence, has a specific application though used widely as quality assurance)
The summaries outlined above show some very specific common themes, if these common approaches are properly applied then quality and safety of outdoor programmes is improved. I would collate and list these critical aspects as,
Good practice approaches
There is more than one way to achieve a quality safety management system, aiming towards what would be considered “good practice” though should be our goal.
Much like the wide spectrum of operational areas that exist within the outdoor industry, there is a wide spectrum of providers of outdoor education and adventure activities, at one end of the spectrum is private recreation and volunteer based clubs, at the other is commercial providers. The nature of participation and expectation of duty of care is different depending on where on this spectrum the provider sits.
If I was participating in (or allowing children I was responsible for to participate in) an outdoor adventure event run by a volunteer based organisation or recreational club I would be doing it based on personal knowledge and trust of the individuals within that group, whilst I would expect them to look after our safety I would ultimately be responsible for it as I am aware that it is essentially private recreation. Many clubs will aim towards professional standards of safety management, to expect that as standard though is unrealistic as they are essentially private recreation organisations.
On the other hand, if that participation in an outdoor adventure event was with commercial provider or education provider to whom I had paid money, or participation was in some way required (through being part of the curriculum) then I would expect the highest of professional standards, my participation would now be based of paying for a professional service (or through curriculum requirement) and there for my expectation on the duty of care owed to me would be significantly higher.
What would be accepted as good practice for your organisation? If you have a high expected level of duty of care for your participants then good practice would be incorporating the widely established professional standards of the outdoor industry.
When we ensure that the expected level of duty of care we owe our participants is met by an appropriate level of good practice we improve programmes for all involved, the documented safety management system expresses high level management commitment and responsibility, which provides the structure and support operational staff require.
Operational staff, that possess activity specific qualification, experience and current competence have the abilities and knowledge to not only look after participants, but also to structure and run quality inspirational sessions. This gives participants a safer and better adventure experience.
External review provides the quality assurance and independence of thought that disseminates thoughts on changes to good practice and allows the industry as a whole to progress and improve.
27th June 2017
The old adage states that we should never judge a book by its cover, quite often though, when making decisions about outdoor activity providers (whether working for them or using them to provide courses) that is exactly what we are required to do. We make a decision about the company or organisation based on their public profile, their website and if we are lucky a recommendation from someone we trust. Often the jargon involved will sound very impressive, how much of it though can be substantiated and what does it really mean?
To shed some light on the terminology used and assist people in making informed decisions some of the commonly used accreditations and claims are explained below, understanding what each of these means and their limitations should ensure you have a better understanding of the organisations you work with or engage.
There are many claims made by organisations and providers beyond the ones outlined above, it is important to fully understand what the claims or accreditations mean as they can often sound more impressive than they are. The value of participation in outdoor adventure activities is partly in the nature of the unknown or potential risks and rewards involved, these potential risks though should be adequately controlled for the situation, outdoor leaders who have the appropriate experience, competency and qualification are the critical aspect in ensuring good supervision and continual risk management.
As with books look beyond the exterior cover and delve into the content.
24th October 2016
Adventure activities in the Great Southern region of WA
With a change in season down here in the Great Southern comes a change in the adventures that are available to keep us entertained.
We have had an excellent winter which provided plenty of water to keep the rivers topped up meaning the whitewater kayaking and canoeing opportunities were plentiful, after four and a half months of quality levels (and some really good high water) the white-water season would now seem to be officially over.
The Frankland river has probably seen more WW paddling than it has in many years (possibly ever), with a few locals getting out regularly, a couple of visits from groups from Perth and instructional WW canoe and kayak courses using various sections, the river has received plenty of attention. Towards the end of the season it even had a bit of high quality filming done that will show off some of the best known sections in a bid to inspire more WW enthusiasts (hopefully the footage will be available soon).
The river had it’s own fun throughout the season claiming a few swims, two broken paddles, two lost paddles and a lost GoPro (and possibly a few others that I don’t know about?), hopefully we will come across the lost items and be able to return them to their owners when we go down at low water levels to sort out a few potential hazards.
Now the weather has changed it is time to look at other options for adventurous fun, down here on the south coast there is certainly no shortage of opportunities. The drier weather means that some of our fantastic rock climbing venues are good to go again, West Cape Howe, The Stirling ranges and Torndirrup national park are providing vast amounts of quality routes for getting onto.
There is also still paddling to be done, sea kayaking, open canoeing and surf kayaking will be taking up plenty of my time.
As always we are running a full range of skills and instructor training / assessment courses for all these activities throughout the year, if you would like to learn new skills or get qualified then give us a shout.
If you have never explored the adventure activities and areas of the Great Southern before then get yourself down here as you will not be disappointed.
20th July 2016
I recently came across a document, it was stated in it that,
“ DET sources estimate that there are 600 outdoor educators in WA public schools (450 in secondary schools and 150 in primary schools) who need to be trained up to the required competencies outlined in the AAS”
Granted this document is four years old and the situation may have changed since then, but given that the AAS (Adventure Activity Standards) outline minimum competencies based on the Outdoor Recreation national training package then it would appear there is significant under qualification, this got me thinking, what do we call qualified?
When it comes to people taking on leadership or instructional roles in outdoor adventure environments, whether they are teachers, outdoor instructors, outdoor guides or multi activity camp instructors, there are large variations in what they mean or what the organisation requires them to have in regards to being qualified. I have seen in practice and read in safety management plans a whole range of opinions on what constitutes qualified, some of which I would agree with, others that I would strongly oppose. There appears to often be confusion around skills or qualifications a qualified leader / instructor would have and what makes them qualified to operate in a given environment.
“First aid certificate, WWC (Working with children check), Police clearance” – These are all commonly required by those working in the outdoors, I would agree that all outdoor instructors should posses these, however nothing about any of these certifications or qualifications specifically provides people with the skills to operate in any outdoor environment.
“Bronze medallion” or “Aquatic rescue qualification” – again commonly required by those working in the outdoors, appropriate for those supervising participants in water activities ( though lifeguard qualifications are probably more appropriate). Often used as a way to suggest a person is qualified to supervise canoeing and kayaking activities, even though nothing within them addresses canoeing or kayaking competency?
“Abseil guide single pitch natural surface” (from the outdoor rec training package) – commonly used as an all encompassing “roping” qualification (though there is no such activity as roping),this is an appropriate qualification for use as it is designed (ie. Single pitch natural surface abseil guiding, working under defined procedures, with more qualified supervision available). Not suitable for guiding rock climbing, canyoning or caving activities. These other activities whilst having similarities have there own specific techniques and systems that are not covered by a foundation level abseil qualification.
“In house” or “ site specific trained” – internal training and assessment systems are commonly used and are very appropriate to environments where people operate in a limited capacity, they can range from extremely robust and credible, to a complete farce. If the process is run by people with high levels of qualification, training / assessment experience and is well documented then it can be of a standard on par with any national system, on the other hand if it is people with only limited experience, foundation level qualification and knowledge, passing on what they were told without any critical analysis, then the quality and credibility can be significantly lower.
Outdoor instruction and teaching in the outdoors is a significantly judgement based occupation, we work in a variable environment and need to be constantly risk assessing and reviewing the situation as it progresses. I have a very clear view on what I consider to be “Qualified”, it is not based on one specific qualification or a specific scheme, I do however expect that people have appropriate training and have been assessed by a credible organisation or person as having activity specific competence in a true, holistic setting.
Qualification is really only the starting point, we still have current competency and experience to consider, each of which are equally critical to providing safe quality experiences in outdoor adventure environments. If you have involvement in making decisions on what is “Qualified” in regards to choosing adventure camps, outdoor instructors or outdoors ed teachers then it may be worth evaluating what is acceptable to you and exploring if it would be justifiable to others.
31st January 2016
Establishing appropriate ratios for conducting outdoor adventure activities is extremely important, there are many organisations that prescribe or recommend differing levels of supervision, because of this anyone who has been involved within the outdoor industry has likely been put in a position at some point where they have been asked to (or expected to) stretch the acceptable ratios. Where do we draw the line?
There are numerous reasons that we have recommended group sizes and supervision levels, obviously safety but also session quality, environmental impact, impact on other site users and the general public.
Within these reasons there are more variables such as the activity being undertaken, the participants age and ability, the environment we are operating in, the instructors qualification / current competency and experience. As professional outdoor instructors it is our role to take into account all the recommendations and variables and exercise judgement that ensures that we operate in a safe sustainable manner and provide quality experiences.
A common theme amongst organisations is to use a process that incorporates an additional “responsible adult” and use this as a basis to stretch the accepted ratio, the reality of this however is that the “qualified instructor” is now supervising the original group of dependant participants plus the “responsible adult” and the additional dependent participants from the stretched ratio.
A slight modification on the above theme is the use of a “skilled assistant” to justify an increase in the number of dependent participants, this suffers from the same problems as the “responsible adult” approach, the “qualified instructor” is put into a position of supervising the original group plus the “skilled assistant” and additional dependent participants (whether a “skilled assistant” increases or decreases the margin of safety is heavily dependent on their individual experience, knowledge and competency).
A better way to look at the situation is to ask ourselves “are we making the group stronger or weaker?”.
We really only have a few different types of roles involved with any outdoor adventure group, these are,
Qualified instructors – they have been assessed by a reputable organisation as having the appropriate level of competency and experience to allow them to look after others within a given activity and environment.
Competent individuals – people who have a level of skill and ability to look after themselves within a given activity and environment and are not reliant on a qualified instructor for their safe participation.
Dependent participants – people who are reliant on the qualified instructor and would not be participating in a given activity or environment without direction from them.
Would adding a Competent individual make the group stronger overall?
Quite possibly, under the direction of the qualified instructor their individual skills and abilities could benefit the group.
Would adding a Competent individual plus additional dependent participants make the group stronger overall?
Probably not, the larger number of dependent participants puts more supervision pressure on the “Qualified instructor” the “Competent individual” is now being relied upon to supervise.
Being an adult does not automatically make a person a Competent individual in regards to operation or participation within outdoor adventure activities. If you are the Qualified instructor running the session all the people involved (adults, minors, Competent individuals, Dependent participants) are your responsibility, there for you need to be sure you are able to supply appropriate supervision to all (and can justify the numbers you supervise).
There will always be pressures to stretch ratios, you certainly do not want to be involved when the stretch finally snaps! The ratios developed by professional organisations both nationally and internationally have been done so in response to serious incidents, I would encourage all professional instructors to “draw their line” as recommended by those professional organisations.
19th November 2015
Top Tips for outdoor instruction
Working as an outdoor instructor in different areas I have had the opportunity to work alongside many talented outdoor professionals, in this time I have “borrowed” (or blatantly stolen?) and used many of the different approaches that I have seen, below are a selection of the top tips that I have learned over time (there are many more, these are merely a selection of my current favourites).
Ensure your approach to all instruction is simple, effective and efficient
Negative instruction rarely has positive outcomes (be positive with instructions and demonstrations)
There is no such thing as a stupid client, only a bad instructor
Learn to lead your group from an appropriate position (not just the front)
If your group is bored, you are boring
Good judgement is critical as an outdoor instructor
Attempting to work beyond your ability or experience is not a good idea
Just because you have used the same approach for 20 years doesn’t mean there isn’t a better way
Avoid judging people by their appearance
Observe as many other instructors / coaches as possible, adopt or adapt what you like and learn from what you don’t
CLAP – Communication, Line of sight, Avoidance, Position of maximum use
If you can’t see your group, how do you know what they are doing? If you don’t know what they are doing, can you claim to be in control?
Have your own experiences and epics, don’t confine outdoor adventure only to work
4th September 2015
Whitewater fun on the Frankland
Over the last month or so we have been spending a bit of time on the whitewater sections of the Frankland river just outside Walpole, the river provides some very scenic paddling combined with a variety of whitewater sections that will keep most kayakers and canoeists entertained, with the good amount of rain we get down in this direction it makes for an excellent venue for all of our whitewater paddling and rescue courses.
Just another good reason to get into the outdoors down south in the Denmark / Walpole area.
We are not the only ones who appreciate the Frankland river, below is a testimonial from one of our course participants,
“Stuart of Adventure Training Consultants coached me in the introduction to white-water kayaking course in August 2015 on the Frankland River. Stuart is passionate about white-water kayaking and, I gather, all the outdoor activities in which he participates. At all times I felt I was being coached to a level suitable for my skills and experience. I felt safe while being challenged to step outside my comfort zone and at the same time we could have a laugh. I have no doubt about Stuart’s competence as a kayaking instructor. When I tested Stuart’s rescue and recovery skills on several occasions, Stuart came through with “flying colours” and with good cheer. Finally, the Frankland River is a world class river. To kayak through stunning Karri and Tingle forest is truly unique. A “must do”.”
Craig McKie – Introduction to WW kayaking course August 2015
4th July 2015
To help people maintain currency and spread wider industry thoughts on good practice, Adventure Training Consultants will be facilitating a number of free one day CPD workshops on various outdoor instructing / coaching topics, the topics we have in mind at the moment are,
Systems and rigging for single pitch abseiling / climbing
Canoe / kayak games and activities for skill development
Single pitch abseil / climbing safety and rescue
These workshops are for qualified outdoor leaders, trainers, assessors and teachers, the idea being to introduce and experiment with different systems and approaches whilst exploring good practice options, they are a good way to ensure currency and get any thoughts or questions you may have answered, participants should bring required equipment and an open / questioning mind.
If interested get in touch, places are limited, dates will be set once a group of interested people are identified.
25th June 2015
I am often asked by people who would like to become outdoor guides or instructors how they should go about it and what qualifications / courses they should do, there exists a whole selection of options and pathways and for those who are not familiar with the industry it can become confusing and frustrating.
The first concept to understand is that a qualification is essentially just confirmation of your experience and competency by an external organisation, there for the credibility of any qualification will ultimately be judged on the expertise and reputation of the organisation that awards / administers it.
In Australia there are essentially two pathways of recognised technical qualifications within the outdoor industry, they are,
Qualifications and skill sets from the Nationally endorsed training package are delivered by RTO’s (Registered Training Organisations) and TAFE’s, there can be significant differences in the way the required units and elements are interpreted and delivered by the different organisations, there are RTO’s and TAFE’s that specialise in the delivery of the outdoor recreation package and provide high quality training and assessment processes, there are also RTO’s that deliver from the training package that do not have the same level of specialist knowledge or expertise which is then reflected in the quality of training and assessment provided.
National organisations, activity specific professional bodies and independent companies deliver training and guide / instructor schemes that they have created themselves, and work to their own syllabus and moderation processes, these organisations tend to consist of the leading instructors / coaches within the activity specific area and tend to have links to other international organisations, because they have control over their training and assessment processes there is normally more consistency with standards, a higher expected level of involvement / proficiency within the activity and an ongoing membership / qualification currency requirement.
Many outdoor professionals will be qualified through both or a mixture of these pathways, the key to being considered useful within the industry is being able to show Experience, Competency and Qualification. With that in mind if you would like to work as an outdoor instructor or guide you should,
Participate in the activity you want to guide or instruct, to be able to guide or instruct others in an outdoor activity you need to develop good judgement which only comes through experience.
Practice the activity you wish to guide or instruct, attend training courses and skills development courses, practice and participate with your peers, to guide or instruct others and look after their safety in the outdoors requires you to be able to operate in the environment with ease, your personal skills and abilities need to be high enough to look after yourself and the people with you.
Prove your abilities through demonstration / assessment to a respected recognisable organisation (RTO, TAFE, National organisation, professional body etc.) to gain a qualification / certificate that indicates they agree with you that you have the required skills and experience.
Most organisations offer a training and assessment process, this is good as it helps you develop your instructional / guiding abilities and have consolidation time to practice and develop them, you can then be assessed when you feel you have developed the required ability level.
Once any outdoor activity qualification is achieved you should consider it the start of the process and aim to progress up through the qualification system or broaden your ability and knowledge base through continued development, systems and good practice are constantly evolving processes, continued improvement and development should be the aim.
