Sea Kayak Rockhopping in Norway
5-minute read
The rugged and beautiful Norwegian coast is ideal for “rockhopping” in sea kayaks. We asked Reidar Sether to tell us more about this adventurous paddling activity and why he loves it.
Reidar Sether, Norwegian native and Aqua Bound Ambassador, has honed his sea kayaking skills through courses and plenty of experience. After just a handful of years, he’s learned enough to become a teacher and guide himself.
While he thoroughly enjoys quiet water kayaking with friends surrounded by the stunning Norwegian land and seascape, he especially loves the adrenaline-filled adventure of rockhopping.
We asked him to tell us more! Here’s our conversation with Reidar:
AQUA BOUND: What is rockhopping?
REIDAR: Rockhopping with a kayak—also called “rock gardening” or “ocean play”—is an activity where you paddle your sea kayak between rocks, islets and islands in swells and waves. You use the waves to surf and jump over rocks or just play in the breaking waves.
Swells are better for rockhopping than wind waves. Good conditions are swells from .5-2 meters [1.5-6.5 feet] with a long period between each wave and not too much wind.
Reidar crests a wave (Photo by @kajakkguiden)
AB: What kinds of kayaking skills do you need to rockhop safely?
REIDAR: Rockhopping is for experienced kayakers who are comfortable in rough water and have good paddling skills. It can be dangerous. You should always go out with an experienced group and never paddle alone. You should always assess the area you are going to paddle, the weather conditions and the skill level of the group members before going out.
Skills that are important when rockhopping are:
- Knowing when to back out and not take unnecessary risks is probably the most important skill.
- You have to feel confident paddling in big waves and demanding conditions.
- Good maneuvering skills will be important as you often have limited space between the rocks, through narrow channels and other obstacles.
- You must have a good knowledge of rescue techniques.
- You should be comfortable being in the water and know how to swim.
- Having good balance and an automated low brace will reduce the number of swims.
- Being able to roll up when you find yourself upside down reduces swimming even more.
- Rockhopping can be quite exhausting, so good paddling stamina will be helpful.
Knowing the low brace and roll will enhance your rockhopping experiences
AB: Are there guides or outfitters who teach this?
REIDAR: There are many guides who teach roughwater kayaking. This would give you the experience and knowledge required to build rockhopping skills. Some guides run specific rockhopping classes.
You will usually find these in areas that have good conditions for rockhopping like the Norwegian coast, Wales in the UK, and along the western US and Canadian coasts.
AB: What’s the best way to gain those skills?
REIDAR: I recommend starting with a basic sea kayaking course and then paddling as often as possible to gain experience. Increase the difficulty as you get confident by introducing waves and wind.
When out paddling, always seek for possibilities to play. Facing big waves from a passing vessel, paddling under a dock or launching your kayak from the dock are things that are fun and will increase your paddling skills.
You should also get comfortable being in the water and train self-rescues and assisted rescues.
A local paddling club is often a good place to find other paddlers with similar interests that you can go paddling with. You will also learn a lot from paddling with more experienced sea kayakers. When you feel ready, find a group that is going to paddle rough waters and ask if you can join to learn.
Do not rush into anything you don’t feel confident with. The first few times just being out there in the waves can be fun enough. Kayaking skills build over time!
AB: What kind of gear do you need?
REIDAR: You can go rockhopping with “standard” sea kayaking gear, but you will most likely have a better experience if you have more suitable gear.
Mandatory safety equipment:
- Always wear a helmet. There are many types of water sports helmets available.
- You should have a PFD with good buoyancy that fits you well. Bonus if the PFD has a quick-release harness for towing.
- Dry suit or wetsuit depending on the water temperature, both for safety and comfort.
- Wear gloves to protect your hands and fingers from sharp rocks and sea shells.
- Wear a towline connected to your PFD.
- Extra clothes in a dry bag when paddling in cold weather.
- The group should bring a First Aid kit, communication equipment and other safety equipment required for paddling in coastal waters.
Recommended kayak and paddle:
- A sturdy and easily maneuverable sea kayak. This would typically be a polyethylene sea kayak less than 5 meters (16.5 feet) long. P&H Delphin, P&H Virgo, Boreal Designs Baffin, Dagger Stratos, Valley Gemini and NDK Romany are kayaks often used for rockhopping.
- A robust high-angle paddle. The paddle will get slammed against rocks and exposed to a lot of force. My favorite rockhopping paddle is the Aqua Bound Whiskey. I use the carbon shaft and fiberglass blade version, as I then get the benefits of the lightweight shaft and the robust blade.
- A neoprene spray skirt, preferably one that is rather snug.
- An extra paddle. The risk of damaging or losing a paddle is quite high!
AB: What do you love about rockhopping?
REIDAR: There are a lot of things that make rockhopping so enjoyable for me. Most of all, I like the action and the feeling of being able to handle rough waters and extreme conditions. Getting a serious sidesurf or rolling up after being tossed around by a big wave gives me an adrenaline rush like nothing else.
I have always found the ocean—and big waves in particular—very fascinating. Being able to sit in the middle of it in a sea kayak is just fantastic. Observing, trying to figure out what comes next and bracing for impact.
Whitewater is best when it’s salty :)
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Here’s a 5-minute video of Reidar’s taken during a rockhopping workshop in Hitra, Norway. It’ll give you a good idea of what rockhopping is all about:
A huge thanks to Reidar for his time and photos! You can follow him and his sea kayaking adventures on Instagram and YouTube.
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us here: 715-755-3405 or [email protected]
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