The pursuit of good paddling technique runs like a common thread through the lives of all good paddlers. Only those who never stop being curious and open to learning and practicing, develop further. It doesn’t matter at what point in the journey you are. At Salty Cosmos there is no pressure to perform, no comparisons and no competitive mentality. At the most, we want to encourage you to try things and awaken the curiosity and fire inside of you. This is how learning works for us.

Learning paddling technique doesn't just mean learning to go straight – although a really efficient forward paddling technique is actually something that you have to develop over a long time. Equally important and exciting are control strokes, applied stroke combinations, edging, supporting, sculling and rolling. Everything that helps you have optimal control of your kayak in all situations.

By the way, at Salty Cosmos we are big fans of the Greenland paddle. But that doesn't mean at all that you as a "Euro-paddler" wouldn't be equally welcome with us and couldn't benefit. At least we are sure that we can give you a different perspective and new inputs that come from our world of experience: new tools in your personal "toolbox". Our own paddling style is not “traditional” Greenlandic, but rather uses a variety of elements from all types of kayaking. We are not fans of rigid dogmas and do not believe in “pure doctrine” or the “one truth”. Rather, we are convinced that there is still an infinite amount out there to discover, learn and develop – not least for ourselves. And if we can share some of it with you and you find it useful, then that makes us happy.

There are paddlers for whom sea kayaking primarily means making distance. Often these people paddle purposefully in a straight line past the most beautiful coasts – and overlook all the small and large things that there are to discover. So many beautiful things, so many incredible things, so many spontaneous adventures – if you take the time for them. That's exactly what we mean by "exploring the coast": taking advantage of every opportunity for experiences and fascinating discoveries. The lines between “touring” and “play” blur depending on what presents itself to us. Depending on the tide, swell, wind and weather, a coastline is always different.

We don't measure the success of a paddle-day in kilometers, but in the number of "Wows"! And believe us: there are a lot of them where we go sea kayaking with you.

Touring doesn't always mean that you have to paddle for several days with a lot of luggage: Exciting day trips let you enjoy the juicy bits of a coast and you're back at the base camp in the evening. And at the same time, a "day trip" doesn't always have to be synonymous with touring: Just as often as we undertake an excursion-style day trip, we go on paddle-strolls "just around the corner" to a particularly cool rock garden, a tide race or Surf beach and see what happens there. This way, without paddling many kilometers, we also make great, fulfilling and exciting days of sea kayaking.

Next to surfing, rock hopping is certainly the most playful activity in the vast cosmos of sea kayaking. Paddling with the waves at exactly the right moment over a washed-over granite rock, through narrow passages and into bubbling rock features – always in the rhythm of the waves – that's rock hopping. It takes timing, skill, good observation skills, confident control strokes and a bit of boat control, which fortunately grows with each session.

Rock hopping is an activity that quickly becomes addictive and is a lot of fun. There is no need for big waves. On the contrary: the best rock hopping sessions take place in generally rather calm conditions. Even small waves can create turbulence, suction and very dynamic conditions between the rocks. You have to accept scratches and dents in your kayak before involving in this activity, otherwise it definitely won't be fun. Even a small hole in the boat can happen from time to time, which is why we always have repair materials with us. And to ensure that no injuries occur, we always exercise caution. A good rule for rock hopping is: never play where you don't want to swim.

Paddling in dynamic water – whether generated by wind, tide or swell – provides variety and excitement. And it makes you a better paddler.

It is part of our course structure to accompany you step by step from the calm lake to increasingly challenging conditions. What is “challenging” on this journey and what is specifically understood as “dynamic water” – that is highly subjective and is ultimately determined by you, your skills and, above all, your comfort zone, which we will try to carefully expand together. That's why we work with you to find conditions that challenge you without overwhelming you or generating bad experiences. Because we want you to have new experiences, become a safer paddler and walk away from the water with a good feeling and a big grin after each day with us.

Sea kayaking is not just a sport, but a complex activity in nature. That's why you also need knowledge of navigation, among other things. If you only paddle within sight of shores with a clear and easily recognisable shoreline, remembering where you parked your car is probably enough. Things get a lot more complex though in areas like the archipelagoes of Sweden or Finland, where you travel between hundreds of very similar-looking islands. If you don't know how to use a map and compass while paddling here, it won't take long for you to get hopelessly lost. Tours in areas with tidal currents are even worse: If here you are not fully on top of the matter and can calculate and paddle a course precisely, you'll probably not reach your destination but end up somewhere far out at sea. A very unpleasant situation at best…

Navigation is a fundamentally important and exciting topic that we take great pleasure in teaching in our courses. And it is absolutely part of safe sea kayaking.

Land on a cliff just to make espresso... Open your spraydeck and go for a swim in a bubbling gully… Get up in your kayak and do some "stand up paddling"… Go backwards through the tide race... Surf without a paddle... Or what about a rodeo with a person on the back deck? Or would you rather try a roll with a “koala” on your bow? Why? Just because you can do it. And because it's fun. There are a thousand ways to have fun and learn in sea kayaking (and a million more that we haven't invented yet)! At least for everyone who doesn't take themselves too seriously and who hasn't stopped being curious.

The foundation for a successful sea kayak trip is robust planning. And unfortunately, a lack of (or incorrect) planning is usually the first step down the road towards what eventually evolves into a mayday. It's that simple.

Here you will learn all the basics to prepare for a completely successful, safe and, in the most positive sense, unforgettable sea kayak trip: weather, sea state, safety, emergency planning, required (and useful) equipment, communication, navigation.

If you really want to be safe on the sea in a kayak, you have to practice rescues regularly. By the way, this also applies to paddlers who go on guided tours! The stronger and safer a group, the more your guide can do with you. And the feeling is even better.

That's why our courses include rescue training: from simple and common to difficult and complex. We always practice first in calm water, but eventually in places that are a little more realistic and challenging.

In addition to training on the water, other things are also very important to us in this context: Above all, essential knowledge about topics such as radio, signaling devices and emergency equipment, first aid, sea survival and hypothermia.