Heritage Kayak Tour

TAKING A STEP (OR PADDLE!) BACK IN TIME…

The coastline of Newquay holds an incredible amount of historic happenings and is littered with tales of piracy, witchcraft, shipwrecks and storms. Retrace the steps of gin-smuggling pirates as you explore the caves and caverns of old. Imagine what it would have been like to approach these treacherous shores under the cover of darkness long before torches or buoyancy aids had been invented!

Witness the same landscapes that smugglers would have seen on their return from the Caribbean coming into Cornwall. Feel the same rock face and explore the same caves that many pirates would have used to store their exotic plunder on our historic kayak tour.

LEARNING THE FUNDAMENTALS

From the comfort of our on-site heated changing rooms, you will be kitted up with a Rip Curl wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet and paddle. Following an in-depth kit familiarisation talk from your instructor, you will move on to learn basic paddle techniques, emergency signals and water safety information before grabbing a kayak and heading down to the beach.

From here you will prepare yourself for adventure with a short warm-up prior to launching your kayak from a sheltered stretch of coastline.

We launch and land from two of Newquay’s lush, semi-secret coves. The start to experience is an adventure, as we walk down a rock path to the water’s edge. It’s worth it as the scenery is breath taking, there is some incredible coastal wildlife in the area, and you really are experiencing the best of Newquay’s coastal fringe. We take the walk down to the water slowly, the kayaks will be waiting in the cove for you.

We pride ourselves in sharing a well-rounded learning experience, which will on many tours see you given the opportunity to experience both a double and single kayak. If you start in a double kayak but want to try a single, we swap mid-way on either one of the secret beaches that we visit or in the ocean environment. We cannot guarantee that you will have a single or a double kayak for the duration of the tour. But will have the opportunity to experience both, or one or the other.

Your instructor will be on hand to help and guide you through the break, answering any questions and allowing you to put into practice your land-based learning.

STUNNING SCENERY

Famous amongst locals, The Gazzle, a 2-kilometre stretch of historic Atlantic coastline, makes for an excellent base from which to learn all about Newquay’s varied history. Its crags and caverns hold a whole host of mystical and historical tales ready to be explored on our Heritage Kayak Tour.

Kayaks provide a great perspective from which to see the dramatic sections of inaccessible coastline, its smugglers caves, natural rapids, craggy inlets and hidden coves. The tidal zone offers the chance to cruise at your own pace with our instructors on hand to help you up-skill your technique and navigate the route.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS EXTREME WEATHER?

We are super fortunate to operate many of our activities in the shelter of Towan beach. We choose the tide and weather times that deliver the very best conditions for Kayak Tours. However, we are at the mercy of Mother Nature and sometimes she may have different plans for us. We always check the forecasted conditions but if the wind or swell picks up unexpectedly, we will move your session on to our Super SUPs, this will ensure you still cover the same route and session content but will be on a craft that is more resilient against the conditions. Alternatively, we may offer a different time or location for your tour.

Over 95% of our tours go ahead unaffected by the weather but, in the unlikely event that this does happen, we have excellent back-up options for you to choose from. We appreciate your understanding.