“The RCN experience is not fulfilled unless you really step out of your comfort zone and experience the world in a whole new light”, they say. The three-day, two night kayaking adventure we took part in was nothing short of a true RCN experience – including being outdoors in a “whole new experience of rain”! Collectively, we were all elated and slightly nervous about embarking on our kayaking journey. After a couple of hours the previous day learning how to fall over (easy) and learning how to help each other back into the kayak (surprisingly do-able), we packed up and drove to Korssund, to set off in our kayaks, a bit clumsily at first, appreciating a fresh burst of cool sea breeze. The windy conditions just added to the anticipation for the adventure to comes. Continuing around the west coastline, with open seas on our left, we experienced some breathtaking views – including the island of Alden and paddled past the WW2 Nazi bunkers at Lammetun, enjoying seeing a seal, eagles, and an otter. Despite the weather being a little rough at times, we pushed through and found a great campsite near a farm, shielded from the wind by trees. We quickly had to figure out how to set up the tents, a team effort for the most part because many of us hadn’t been camping before. After everything was sorted we got cosy and made dinner together and enjoyed a warm cup of hot chocolate to conclude the day. The next day’s weather was a little wetter and windier, but it didn’t stop us and we felt we had gained quite a bit of experience from the day before; we also really appreciated using the new RCN dry suits, especially with so much rain. As a team we seemed to work together more cohesively, looking out for each other. We continued along Dalsfjord, had  one capsize event, and another night’s camp in cosy dry tents through a downpour. The next morning we paddled along a calm (and rainy) fjord, enjoying lunch under a tarpaulin at Jensbua.

A lot of lessons were learned, friendships made, and memories to last a lifetime: this sea kayaking and camping PBL was a fulfilling experience that impacted us in many different ways!

Amber (Belize)