Brittany: Big Surf, Swell & Tide Races
Dates
Duration
Price
Ratio
Coach
Course dates
Brittany: The Advanced Sea Kayak Playground
This is dynamic paddling at its best in one of the most amazing sea kayak locations. You'll learn to play in some of Mother Nature's most exciting playgrounds and focus on and develop the skills needed to handle advanced conditions out on the ocean. We look at fast-flowing tidal water, paddling through tide races, launching and landing through bigger surf and developing your surf skills and experience.
This course opens up some of the best paddling locations sea kayaking has to offer, with stunning beaches, impressive cliffs and of course the iconic Pointe de Raz and its tide race. The West Coast of Brittany offers a variety of locations to develop our confidence step by step and enable us to manage and enjoy bigger conditions. When conditions on the West coast are too big, we can fall back on other locations around the Presq'ile de Crozon, Quiberon and the Golfe de Morbihan.
During this course, we cover the technical skills and rescue aspects of the British Canoeing Advanced Sea Kayak Award. In combination with the Brittany Big Tides course, we would cover all aspects of the award. After the course, we will give you a personalised action plan to support your development in achieving the award. If you have the required level and experience, it is also possible to be signed off during the week.
Course Goal
Our primary objectives for this course:
- Develop confidence in bigger conditions
- Develop the skills in order to paddle comfortably in the tide races, surf and wind & waves out at sea.
Course Details
Tide Races:
- Planning around tide race paddling and tidal gates
- Tactics for paddling through tide races
- Breaking in and out of fast flow
- Surfing standing waves
- Safety & rescues in tide races
Surf:
- Understanding the forecast and reality of surf taking surf size, swell size and period into account
- Tactics for landing and launching in big surf
- Managing safety and performing rescues in the surf
- Dealing with bigger waves on the side
- Surfing skills - take-offs, diagonal runs and turning whilst surfing
Swell, Waves & Wind
- Returning to the basics: using fundamental boat handling skills in more demanding conditions
- Using the wind and waves to help manoeuvre your boat
- Understanding the forecast and knowing what that looks like out on the sea
Before You Book
This is for sea kayak paddlers who want to spend a week in advanced conditions and gain confidence in dynamic conditions.
This course is for sea kayakers with some experience in the surf, wind and waves. You should be around the level of the British Canoeing Coastal Sea Kayak Award to start working on the Advanced Sea Kayak Award.
Challenging
This course combines paddling over 20km a day in moderate to advanced conditions with constant exposure to winds of Bft 4 and beyond, significant waves, surf, and tidal flow. These are full days in exposed and committing locations where a high level of fitness and a solid grounding in foundation skills are required.
- Day 1: Arrival (Meet at 19.00)
- Day 2: Course Day 1
- Day 3: Course Day 2
- Day 4: Course Day 3
- Day 5: Flexible Rest Day or Weather Buffer
- Day 6: Course Day 4
- Day 7: Course Day 5
- Day 8: Departure (Course finishes at 09.00)
Accommodation is not included in the course fee. For our level 5 courses, we book joint accommodation the week before the course in order for us to remain flexible in the course location choice. As this is low season in Brittany, finding accommodation at this point isn't a problem. We may also change location mid-week to enable us to get the most out of the course.
Join us in reducing our environmental footprint by choosing sustainable travel options.
- By Train: Quimper & Auray are reached by direct train from Paris, with trains from Basel taking around 8 hours. We recommend travelling by public transport to reduce our environmental footprint, and travelling by train is by far the most comfortable way to make the long journey to Brittany.
- By Car: We may be able to offer a car share one way, depending on when we travel, and otherwise we will create a WhatsApp group to coordinate car sharing amongst the group. We can assist with luggage and boat transport. Travelling by car to the West coast of Brittany is around a 12-hour journey from Interlaken.
- We define the final meeting point just before the course. Our first choice meeting location is near Pointe de Raz in Plogoff, with Quiberon, Crozon and the Golfe de Morbihan as backup locations if conditions are too big.
- If travelling by train, we suggest booking to Quimper where we can arrange onward transport, and if necessary, you can get off at Auray before if we first decide to access the golfe de Morbihan & Quiberon.
- We will try to arrange a common pickup where possible.
- 5 days of Coaching at a ratio of 1:4 with a British Canoeing Advanced Sea and Performance Coach.
- Any supplementary equipment can also be ordered through us in advance and is without charge.
On the Water: Base Layers
- For Under a Drysuit: * Thermal base layers (top and bottom).
- Thin fleece or lightweight sweaters (layering is key).
- Warm socks.
- For Under a Wetsuit: * Swimwear or quick-drying underwear.
- Rashguard or UV-protection shirt.
- Headwear: A warm beanie for cold sessions and a peaked cap/hat for sunny days.
Technical Gear & Accessories
- Footwear: Closed-toe shoes for use on the water (e.g., neoprene boots or water shoes).
- Dry Storage: Personal dry bags (Pro tip: "double-bag" anything that absolutely must stay dry).
- Electronics: Mobile phone and a dedicated waterproof phone case/dry bag.
- Lighting: A headlamp (essential for evenings or early starts).
Lunch & Hydration
- Water Bottle: Reusable bottle for daily hydration.
- Lunch Box: A sturdy Tupperware-style box (this keeps your lunch dry and prevents it from being crushed in the kayak).
- Cutlery: A fork or spoon (if you plan on having anything other than sandwiches).
- Snacks: Your favorite energy snacks (bars, nuts, or fruit).
Personal Care & Clothing
- Shore Wear: Casual clothing, including shorts and T-shirts for warm weather.
- Sun Protection: Sunscreen and sunglasses (ideally with a retention strap).
Ready to pack? Click here for the full Packing List (PDF)
3. Cancellation by the customer
The withdrawal must be in writing and cancellation fees will be calculated as follows:
The Percentage refers to the cancellation fee from the total course or tour fee. For all our activities we recommend purchasing cancellation insurance at the time of booking.
3.3 Courses and Tours Abroad
- Up to 180 days before course start: 100% refund of the course fees.
- 179 - 90 days before course start: 75% refund of the course fees.
- 89 - 60 days before course start: 50% refund of the course fees.
- from 59 days to course start: 0% refund.
Directions to Plogoff
Meet The Team
Jolien Gekiere
Become a part of the Hightide Outdoor & Paddle Community
We want to share our love of the outdoors and paddling with as many people as possible. We look forward to more paddling and outdoor events together. You want to be part of it? Then make sure you get your regular online outdoor and kayak inspiration and sign up for our newsletter! We would be happy if you become a part of our community.
Coaching Philosophy
At Hightide, we believe in coaching the individual. Our courses start from where you are and guide you toward your personal paddling goals.
For some, this means building confidence to paddle and enjoy nature. For others, it’s about improving efficiency for expeditions or long-distance paddling. It could also involve developing the skills to venture onto the sea or mastering techniques for rivers, rock gardens, and surf.
Whatever your aim, our extensive experience on the ocean and deep understanding of sea kayaking will help you move forward. All our coaches come from a sea kayaking background, hold professional qualifications, and are passionate not just about paddling but also about coaching. We’ve spent years refining what truly makes a difference in the sport and are committed to delivering it in the most effective way—by making you feel the learning.
When you join a Hightide course, you’ll leave with a clear understanding of how to keep improving and a structured way to retain what you've learned. We see our role as creating the right conditions for learning, so your progress continues long after the course ends.