Safety at Sea for Sea Kayakers

Sea Cliff Paddlers (SCP) is a “paddle on sea / open water” kayaking club. All on-water activities involve a level of risk and present a range of hazards, most of which can be eliminated by thorough planning, good leadership skills, and effective management. 

Well-run activities will: 

• contribute to the safety of participants and the public 

• assist in the smooth running of the activity 

• add to the enjoyment of the participants. 

The SCP safety mantra follows three simple rules: 

Priority one: All paddlers return safely 

Priority two: Complete the paddle better mates than when you started 

Priority three: Finish planned paddle with boats and equipment intact leaving no trace. 

• All members are responsible for their own safety and must be prepared to assist other paddlers requiring assistance where possible.  

• Paddlers are to ensure they have the minimum safety equipment required for their operating environment.  

• Individuals must conduct a personal risk assessment which includes a self-health assessment.  

• Paddlers are responsible for maintaining their sea kayak and equipment to ensure seaworthiness.  

• Paddlers must inform leaders and other paddlers if they are unwell or are uncomfortable with the plan or conditions.  

• All Leaders are responsible for ensuring that they undertake a thorough risk assessment before activities, to ensure that additional requirements are considered and if required undertaken. 

SCP is formally affiliated with both PaddleNSW and Paddle Australia, the peak bodies for paddling in NSW and Australia respectively.  SCP follows the training guidelines as set out by Paddle Australia and holds additional club-specific training days several times a year. 

Paddle Aust: https://paddle.org.au  

Paddle NSW: https://nsw.paddle.org.au