Paddling the 'Real' Jersey Shore - Report by TRAK Pilot Anthony Sousa

After a busy summer working for NOLS in Alaska, I decided to take a trip to an exciting new destination filled with rocks and cliffs, fascinating tidal flows and even castles!  You guessed it: I went to Jersey!  

No, not that Jersey, but the Bailiwick of Jersey in Europe!

Jersey, as opposed to the “New” version in the U.S., is an autonomous territory of the British Islands, about 14 miles off the Normandy coast of France.  It features an impressive rocky coastline perfect for “rock gardening” or “rock hopping,” a tidal range of 36 feet that generates fast races, and exposure to the Atlantic offers plenty of swell and surf.  

Scouting a gap in the rocks for a possible run.

One paddling highlight for me was putting the TRAK 2.0 portable skin-on-frame kayak to the test, paddling it over and around rocks. Yes, I flew to Europe with a kayak in my luggage!  The TRAK performed very well.  With its light weight, hard chines and added rocker, I found it nimble and maneuverable for moving among the rocks or in big swells.  I felt comfortable pushing the TRAK to its limits.  When I surpassed those limits by putting a small tear in the skin, the patch kit worked perfectly to keep it moving with minimal delay.  What I think I proved to myself was, while the TRAK won’t likely be my go-to for rock gardening anymore so than a composite kayak would be, I can’t think of any other kayak that could pull off what the TRAK did.  It allowed me to pack up everything I needed, including kayak, and paddle in advanced conditions in an international destination.

Seymour Tower lies 1 mile offshore, but you can walk to it at low tide due to extreme tidal ranges of up to 36 feet on Jersey.

A second highlight was paddling amazing waters in the shadow of fascinating historical landmarks, including castles, towers and German World War II coastal defenses.  Jersey’s location made it a strategic location for control of the English Channel for centuries and the fortified coastline is proof of that.

I partnered with Derek Hairon, a British Canoeing/Paddle UK expert coach and trainer, and owner of Jersey Kayak Adventures, for this amazing experience. In 10 days of paddling and exploring with Derek the goals were two-fold.  One effort was to refine personal skills in the conditions offered, especially rocks and current.  Another goal was to work on coaching skills in the advanced water environment.  I appreciated Derek for supporting me to work with his students and learn from his strategies.   

Blowholes are vertical shafts in coastal rock where waves entering sea caves compress air and force it out, creating a high-pressured spray of water. They are fun to explore with a kayak while rock gardening, timing a good swell to get a blast of water.

One learning takeaway from the trip was making weather and sea state observations relative to terrain to find ideal spots for play and coaching opportunities in advanced water.  Throughout the week, because of Jersey’s exposure, we would often have days forecast for winds blowing anywhere from 20-30 knots with even higher gusts.  But, pouring over weather resources and tidal stream data, we could find locations that allowed for great learning experiences as well as access to protection in case of emergencies.  Since the group Derek and I were working with was German, another learning was coaching paddlers for whom English was a second or other language. 

New paddling friends – aspiring sea kayak leaders from northern Germany. 

Jersey was also amazing to explore on land.  The island has a long history and is a crossroads of many cultures.  I made sure to sample as much of the ice cream and dairy products from the famous Jersey cows, as well as personally thank several cows for their efforts.  There were, of course, several end-of-the-paddling-day visits to local pubs to sample the local faire, as Jersey is well-regarded for its seafood.  An off-water highlight was a moonlight low tide walk well off shore to observe bioluminescent organisms with Trudie, Derek’s partner and an expert guide for all things Jersey. 

Derek and I sample the fine dairy from the famous Jersey cows. Thank you, ladies!