Has anyone ever done Coastering?

It is the most dangerous thing have ever done and proof that the health and safety culture still does not reach the darkest corners of Wales. We went out today with instructors and were taken to a rocky outcrop off St Davids. We were taken to “The toilet bowl”, basically an inlet that was boiling with swell and the instructor jumped in and told three of us to follow. All seemed ok for a few seconds until my world nearly ended. I was suddenly at the bottom of the sea, being buffeted from rock to rock with no sense of orientation at all. It felt like I was under 30/40 ft of water and I desperately kicked for the surface, but my helmet banged on rock. I swam upwards as hard as I could, but could not see light, only boiling water. This just went on and on and on and I reached the point when I knew I would have to breath and started to accept that it was all over. Just as I was about to give up, my head came above water, 20 metres from the inlet. A very very very worried looking instructor threw me a rope from the rocks and they dragged me in. I was dazed, bleeding and badly bruised. My two colleagues were in a similar state, and the instructor who had been in the water with us didn’t look to good either.

Anyway, they patched us up and laughed it off. They claimed this was “normal” and we were perfectly safe as we would always have been spat out somewhere. Apparently, it was a freak wave that washed over us and then dragged us under as it resurged. I’m an experienced diver and I’m not so sure. A few more seconds under water and I would definitely have breathed in, I can’t see how they would have got me back on shore and resussed etc…

We did finish the trip and did the high jumps as well (30+ feet). But I’m not sure I want to do it again!!

maybe all their other customers (victims ?) are dead and cannot complain ?

and the name of these instructors, just so I can put them in my little black book of “presents for the mother-in-law”…?

I always fancied doing this but that sounds a bit grim

I’ve always thought that ‘jumping off a cliff into the sea’ was a bit shite as a ‘sport’ that you can pay money for someone to show you how it’s done.

I’ve done coasteering once near South Stack in Anglesey in what the instructor termed “marginal” conditions. It was a bit choppy but was great fun and I’d really like to do it again. Sounds like you had freak conditions/dodgy instructor. Try not to let it put you off.

You’ve never been kayaking then 😉 you can hold your breath longer than you think.

Sounds like you were very unlucky – the guys down there are very experienced.

Been down there quite a few times with them over the last 12 years.
Fun though, eh? ;o)

never really fancied it to be honest, the recount of your experience has not changed this

Did you start at Abereidy Beach?

… recounts like that are what make me scared as **** of the sea/water. not for me, i’ll stick to land 😯

Ironically on Countryfile now…

…see Countryfile now for Julia Bradbury having a go

Featured on Country File tonight with Julia Bradbury in a wetsuit.

Sounds like a riot, where do i sign up?

As said earlier, its amazing how much you can hold your breath when you need to! 3:33 is my longest so far, but while swimming in a panic it’s only 2 lengths of a pool, that moving thing really saps the oxygen!

I’ve been canyoning (in Austria) and that was the single most scary ‘sport’ I’ve done. Coasteering looks ten times worse – no chance! But kudos for completing the trip.

Yep just finished watching the gorgeous Julia in a wetsuit. Not sure about the shorts mind. The toilet bowl looked a bit tame. Guess it was a bit choppier when you tried it David.

Now should I switch channels and watch her again on Wainwrights Walks or catch the Chris Boardman hour record programme?

well i’ve been a coasteering instructor for 9 years in Pembrokeshire, and it sounds like a typical session in the Toilet at St Nons in conditions where the sets can pick up abit…
were you with TYF or PV?

IN 9 years the worst injury I’ve encountered was a twisted ankle on the coast path…with a winter suit and BA it’s very rare to have a hold down that long, I’m quite jealous!

With regard to H&S, all the centres in Pembrokeshire have a very healthy attitude to not killing paying guests…there haven’t been any deaths in this county with organised trips. We all work very closely, in fact most of the instructors are freelance and work at all the centres and our Outdoor Charter group is often asked for guidance from outside the county on best practice. We are also in the process of starting a national governing body to regulate centres and PEmbrokeshire folk are the driving force behind this.

Sorry to be so serious but coasteering is the livelihood of a lot of people I know and we are all VERY serious about it.

Matt
ps who nearly drowned you? I’ll have a word if you like 😉

this is not the sort of thread you want to read when you’re off on a lad’s weekend away coasteering and sea-kayaking on/off anglesey next weekend… 😕

CountZero – Member

Featured on Country File tonight with Julia Bradbury in a wetsuit.

Oh god! That thought will be with me all night………..

OT it’s an adventure sport so things may happen. Still, your experience is more than a bit worrying.

I got a red letter day coasteering,but unfortunately I never took it up before they went bust.
Up that way in 2 weeks might go down for a heckle!

lister

It was neither, the firm is a new one I think (Celtic..?), can’t remember the name as a mate organised it. To be fair I do think our experience was a total one off and we were unlucky.

As regards holding your breath, yes you can do minutes..when you are prepared for it. We were suddenly under water and had no time to take a breath, under those conditions when you are panicking to get to the surface you have seconds.

oh yeah, Celtic QUest I think…just turned up this year but are employing a few of the regular lads down here who know their onions.

I agree with the holding breath thing, in cold sea water it’s a whole lot different to in a warm pool, I’ve had a couple of big accidental hold downs and came up feeling fairly empty! The sea does need alot of respect on big days, as a group of instructors we go out in big stuff to train and play, it’s amazing how much you can get away with…:-)

Still, it all adds to lifes rich tapestry, just think if you hadn’t done it, then your weekend wouldn’t have been so interesting.

I definitely agree with that mate, we will talk about this for years! and we were all dead chuffed to not bottle the high jump at the end.

I think I know the spot, we went with TYF years ago. I got dragged out in a resurge, but it doesn’t sound as dramatic as yours, maybe twenty seconds under. Glad to hear you’re well.

Sounds like the kind of adventure I would love to do. Im usually bored unless there is real danger, not the sanitised safe stuff organised by a H&S compliant company.

No such things as freak waves.

There are stupid unprepared guides though.

Did they say “Rad” a lot and make little pointy shapes with their fingers?

I did coasteering there and it was a right old laugh. The missus did find it a bit scary

If you want to try something seriously life threatening, why not give this a go

http://www.riversurfing.co.nz/

I felt as if my life genuinelly was in danger. Brilliant fun!!!

Ahhh, harden up ya big girl!

I’m guessing you haven’t spent that much time in the sea, hey? It can be quite a powerful animal if you’re not expecting it.

I used to do quite a bit of coastering back in the days when it used to be called “Messing About Having Fun around the Rocks by the Sea and Jumping In”. Even managed to do a degree with it!

“I’m guessing you haven’t spent that much time in the sea, hey? It can be quite a powerful animal if you’re not expecting it.”

Grew up in Padstow North Cornwall, Advanced level trained diver 30+ logged UK shore dives. Friend is a SETT trained free diver. Believe me I know when it is nearly all over, and both of us sat covered in blood recovering and agreed we had nearly died.

Sorry, I didn’t get that from your post. You were obviously pretty shaken up by the thing.

Guess it’s just one of those things, hey? Do you think there was anything you might have done differently if you were to do it again?

If you were alright for only a few seconds before you got walloped by the wave, did you not get a look at the sets coming in beforehand?

I’m with Trimix, the only time I tend to really feel alive and excited is when I’m actually in real danger. I have done a fair few “adrenalin” sports and generally find I get bored of them until something goes wrong, then I can never replicate it without having to do something “stupid”, which is against my sensible inner voice 🙂

The ‘toilet bowl’ was on Country File yesterday with the female presenter doing it…….looked a piece of p*ss, get a grip!

Seriously, hope you’re ok. I do quite a bit of sea angling and have seen people (and animals) in trouble, not nice. You’ve obviously got huge respect for the sea – goes to show how unpredictable mother nature can be.

Hi Coffeeking – good to hear Im not the only one. I had thought anyone else with similar tastes had died out 🙂

“If you were alright for only a few seconds before you got walloped by the wave, did you not get a look at the sets coming in beforehand? “

This is where I do think we went wrong. We got down there and got straight in without looking at the sets and assessing worst case, the instructors seemed happy to get right in. My problem was that I was swimming into the toilet, so could not see what was coming or prepare for it. If I did it again I would definitely try to be more aware of what is about to happen, experience gives you that!! To let you know how bad it was, my shorts were ripped off and lost in the incident.

Re-reading my OP it is a bit negative I suppose. I was pretty shocked with how close we came and I guess that is unusual. Funny thing is, in the pub the night before we were all worried it would be too tame and HSE controlled!!!!!!!

I sometimes have recurring nightmares about diving into a body of water, then kicking for the surface, only the surface never comes. Wake up gulping in a massive breath of air.

So, in short, balls to that for a game of soldiers.

Don’t tell my GF or she’ll not want to do it herself ina few weeks 😉

Sounds like fun to me!

“I sometimes have recurring nightmares about diving into a body of water, then kicking for the surface, only the surface never comes”

I will have now.