Thurso-based Pentland Canoe Club celebrates 40 years of adventures on the water
From kayaking to a Caithness castle for afternoon tea to skills development, Pentland Canoe Club’s Emily Kearl celebrates the group’s 40th anniversary
Paddling has long been popular in Caithness, initially through the Caithness Kayak Club based in Wick. In recognition of a growing number of Thurso-based paddlers, the Pentland Canoe Club was formed with an inaugural committee meeting held on March 15, 1984.
Roger Stuart was the original driving force behind the club being created and building its foundations.
The club got straight to work with the building of the first club equipment store, the first club trip to the River Spey, the first club beach clean, and the Scottish Surf Kayak Championship being held in Thurso for the first time.
It was a busy year for the original committee; Roger Stuart (chairman), Ken Nicol (secretary), Rowland Shallcross (treasurer), Terry Jones, Isobel Buchan (Stronach), Steve Foster, Chris Dowling, Bridget Jones and the five other founding members.
The years that followed continued on the themes of training, competition, adventure and equipment. The year 1985 saw the first club members, Bridget Jones and Isobel Buchan (now Stronach), represent Scotland at the kayaking surfing Home Internationals in Jersey.
Others started to explore the coastline of the far north and the waters of the Pentland Firth – both notorious locations amongst seafarers, so it’s no surprise that the committee was also working hard towards achieving various qualifications and awards. Club equipment was also purchased, which allowed members to try different boats and disciplines, but also made kayaking accessible to everyone.
By its 10th anniversary, the club was going from strength to strength and the club store project was finally complete. Various members of the club were being selected to represent Scotland internationally and at Home Internationals and World Surf Competitions.
In 1997 the club organised the World Kayak Surf Championship – Paddlesurf 97 – hosted in Caithness. The fleet of club boats was also growing to accommodate a variety of paddlers and paddling disciplines.
Weekend adventures have been enjoyed by many club members over the years, with visits to the north and west coasts, the Great Glen, the Speyside rivers, Orkney and the Summer Isles to name a few. Some trips included further flung locations such as Norway, South Greenland, and Croatia.
For the 30th anniversary, the then club chairman, Ben Macgregor, organised a paddling event based from a local castle. Ben continues to organise this annual castle paddle and the club is indebted to the owner for this. Sea paddling to a castle for afternoon tea is an excellent experience!
Training remains a high priority for the club with many undertaking a variety of safety and rescue courses leading to coaching and leadership qualifications. Members have regularly attended various events, including various sea kayak symposia and the SCA Club Volunteer Conference.
These events have provided excellent opportunities to see old friends, make new friends, and top up on skills development and paddling variety.
Since the beginning, winter training in the local swimming pool has allowed individuals to try the sport and develop skills. Key to the success of these sessions is the good relationship with the leisure centre staff. During Covid, thanks to this strong, established relationship, the leisure centre encouraged the club to resume pool training sessions at an early stage. This included developing and trialling appropriate procedures for activities. The club appreciates their support to promote the sport.
Under the guidance of Iain Baikie and the current chairman, Gary Youngson, the club has been part of a joint sea kayak training programme with two other local clubs, Caithness Kayak Club and East Sutherland Canoe Club. This is developing future sea kayak leaders in the far north.
Over the years, whilst focusing on the training and development of members, the club has delivered taster and training sessions for various youth organisations. The next generation are key for the future of paddling, and two of our young members have recently been selected for the SCA Fit for Girls Programme – an excellent opportunity, and the club looks forward to watching their journey.
As individuals who enjoy spending time outside and on the water, we can’t help but notice the human impact on the cleanliness of our beaches and waterways. From our very first year we were organising beach cleans, and have continued to do so throughout the last 40 years.
In 2023 the club took part in the Big Paddle Clean Up, during which 1.5 tonnes of plastic waste was collected from four beaches in Caithness, and two of our committee members joined the SCA environmental committee.
In the winter of 2022, the same sea that provides us with so much happy paddling caused irreparable damage to the club store on Thurso beach during a storm. But, as they say, a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor – or paddler – and the committee set to work on retrieving the equipment, arranging temporary storage, and finding a new store location.
The summer of 2023 was spent repairing and fitting out storage containers for our new base in Scrabster. The new location has additional benefits, including access to the Pentland Firth Yacht Club clubhouse.
Recently, working with the yacht club and other clubs and organisations, an annual Watersports Day has been established – hosted from Scrabster beach. This has been very successful and the same clubs and organisations are working towards the future development of a watersports community hub.
With our largest membership to date at the beginning of 2024 – of which over 50 per cent is female – the club is thriving and is looking forward to the next 40 years of paddling.
The success of Pentland Canoe Club is owed to the hard work, dedication, and spirit of those who take voluntary roles, either on the committee or as active members.
One name in particular is prominent throughout the club’s history. Ken Nicol has been secretary of Pentland Canoe Club for its entire 40 years. But more than as a secretary, Ken is an experienced, competent, and kind instructor, coach, and trainer, as well as being the driving force behind many of the club’s funding applications, trips and activities.
There are many paddlers in Caithness and beyond who owe their kayaking success, at least in part, to Ken.
And finally, over the years the club has received financial support from a number of funders, for which the club continues to be hugely grateful. Thanks go to Awards for All, the Baillie Wind Farm Community Fund, the Caithness & North Sutherland Fund, the Caithness Sports Council, the Dounreay Communities Fund, the Highland Council Wards Discretionary fund, and Spirit of Caithness.
