What is coasteering?
When I first started working at Adventure Specialties, I had no idea what it was!
I wasn’t even sure what the instructors were saying at first.
Co-steering? Whaaaaa?!?
Anyway, after asking around, looking at photos from our programmes, and watching this staff video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InsOe3LoDwo&t=37s), and (of course) asking Wikipedia, I slowly figured it out …
Firstly, it’s combination of the words “coast” (surprise!) and “mountaineering” (the activity of climbing a snow-covered mountain).
Coasteering is an outdoor adventure activity where you make your way around a section of coast, on foot and by water.
So it can involve walking, climbing, scrambling, swimming (normally with wetsuits and life jackets), jumping off rocks or waterfalls, climbing up rocks, diving, the occasional back flip … anything to get you from one spot on a coast to another, with maximum fun!
The appeal of it comes from travelling through the “impact zone.” The area where the tidal ocean meets the land, a high energy zone.
Both our Auckland and Christchurch branches include coasteering in our outdoor adventure programmes. I haven’t had the chance to try #coasteering for myself yet, but I’m definitely keen to tag along at the next available opportunity!
Have you tried coasteering? Or anything similar? What is it like?
– Bex
