The Chinese character for sea, 海, combines the characters for water and mother—the mother of all water.
Fitting then, that the inaugeral International Sea Kayaking Educators Symposium (ISKES) was held in December 2015 on Wong Wan Chau (Double Island) in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It is the role of outdoor educators to bring people together and reveal the truths and lessons inherent in our outdoor experiences. At Wong Wan Chau, ISKES brought this discussion to the mother of all teachers—the sea.
There are other conferences where sea kayakers gather, but these tend to emphasize the process of sea kayaking—teaching techniques, the how and what rather than the why of journeying in small craft on big waters. Where does one learn about the developmental benefits of sea kayaking? Discover whether it can be used to alleviate stress in adults or provide opportunities for urbanized youth to develop proprioceptive senses? Together, Australia’s Monash University and Outward Bound Hong Kong conceived ISKES to explore these educational opportunities.
Bringing together nearly 40 paddlers and educators from North America, Europe and Australasia, the maritime symposium was held over six days in Yan Chau Tong Marine Park. The cadence of the symposium was set to the rhythms of the sea. Practical and theoretical sessions interspersed through- out the day, and a fleet of sea kayaks lined the beachfront. Over coffee and campfires, participants explored the immense educational opportunities available through sea kayaking.
DEVELOPING CONNECTIONS
A recurring theme that arose and echoed throughout the conference was recognizing the need to develop stronger connections to place and to each other. Strategies were discussed on ways to intentionally focus on connecting to the place and moment we are in. For example, altering the pace of our adventures, slowing down to provide space for reflection and exploration.
Participants shared ideas from an array of experience and cultures: From an American college’s interdisciplinary course utilizing sea kayaks to paddle from source to sea, to urban youth in Hong Kong who are encouraged to join sea kayak expeditions to promote positive growth through exposure to the natural environment.
The ebb and flow of conversations and sessions also provided ISKES participants with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the spectacular coastal environment of Yan Chau Tong Marine Park. Highlights included beach camping at Tung Wan, feasting on seafood at a fishing village on Kat O Chau (Crooked Island), and a night paddle with a beautiful biolumines- cent display.
The next International Sea Kayaking Educators Symposium is sched- uled for 2018, to be held at Port Albert on the Southern Australian coast. To learn more about the symposium’s goals and outcomes, visit www.ISKES.org.
Jake Taylor is an outdoor educator and sea kayak instructor currently based at Outward Bound Hong Kong.
This article first appeared in the April issue of Paddling Magazine. To read the entire issue, click here.
