About Sea Kayak Alice

Based in Edinburgh, Sea Kayak Alice has been in operation since 2017 delivering sea kayak coaching and guiding. It is run by me, Alice McInnes, and I offer bespoke sea kayak coaching and guided trips to adults keen to develop their skills and knowledge of sea kayaking. Regularly working in the Firth of Forth and East Lothian, also multi-day expeditions on the west and north coasts of Scotland in places such as the island of Bute, Arran, Oban, the Slate Islands, Skye, Shetland, Orkney. I’ve also worked in Devon, Wales at several events.

In addition to my own clients, I do the following:

• Work with local kayak clubs
• Freelance instructor with Glenmore Lodge,
• Kayak guide in Antarctica during the winter months
• Operate as a sales dealer for Tiderace Sea Kayaks

Qualifications

• British Canoeing Advanced Sea kayak Leader
• Sea Kayak Coach Advanced Water
• Provider for British Canoeing Sea Kayak Leader and Personal Performance Awards
• 3 star white water kayak
• Outdoor First Aid (REC level two)
• Foundation PaddleAbility
• Winter and Summer Mountain Leader
• RYA Day Skipper / Power Boat 2

Supporting Women on the Water

Supported through Paddle Scotlan, I coach groups of women looking to achieve leadership and coaching sea kayak qualifications.

I was a founder of the Women’s Sea Kayak Festival, a UK-based all-female event which helped promote female paddlers and coaches on and off the water. Started in 2012, at the time it was the UK’s only all-female sea kayaking event.

Places I love to Paddle

The UK and Scotland has arguably some of the best sea kayaking in the world. I am lucky to have paddled many areas, including:

• Isle of Skye
• Shetland
• Arisaig and the Small Isles including Rum, Eigg and Canna
• North-west Scotland, Summer isles, Handa.
• Clyde and the Cumbraes – Bute and Arran, Great Cumbrae and Wee Cumbrae
• Firth of Forth and East Lothian – the islands of the Forth, including Bass Rock, St Abbs.
• Firth of Lorn – Lismore, Shuna
• Isles of Scilly
• The Farne islands
• North Wales
• Cornwall
• Brittany’s surf and tideraces.

My backstory

I started sea kayaking in 2009, having spent many years in the mountains walking, climbing and biking. I  fell in love with sea kayaking and opportunitites for 360 degree views, encounters with marine life, weather that can be literally thrown at you, access to the most fantastic beaches in the country, and a friendly international community of fellow paddlers.

In 2017, I took the option of redundancy from a job in a well-known bank in Edinburgh, and swapped my office chair for a kayak seat and my spreadsheets for a marine chart, and I am pursuing my passion for coaching people through kayaking and the outdoors.

Coaching philosophy

I have a programme of continuing personal development. I occasionally use a surf kayak, a river kayak, I’m developing my skills and confidence in winter mountains and embarking on work as a polar guide in Antartica. This makes me understand the value of continual learning. I encourage trial and experimentation and see the value in failing on the way to success.