Outdoor & Adventure Sports

The Guernsey Sports Commission has established the Hold Fast Water Skills Academy to help promote water safety and provide a range of training courses for the community to build confidence and skills on and around our beautiful coastline.

Guernsey's historic water safety record is extremely good but with so many people enjoying the seas around our island it is unfortunately inevitable that an accident will happen at some point.

Our research shows that on average each year there are 42 water-based incidents involving swimmers, kayakers and SUPs in Guernsey. However, the biggest percentage of incidents relate to people that did not intend to be in the water. The highest risk factor are people stranded on rocks, cut off from the tide, which is something that with some knowledge can be eliminated, or at least reduced, with the right information.

We can offer:

• Community Water Safety Awareness Training

• Business/Office Water Safety Training

• Qualification in Water Safety - States of Guernsey approved and 1st4Sport accredited qualification with 3 different levels

• Hotel & Restaurant Water Safety Course

For further information on any of these opportunities please email info@guernseysports.com or call or message Alan Jenner on 07781 118253

You can also download our information leaflet here

You can read the Guernsey Water Safety Management Strategy 2024-2029 here

Dates for your diary!

Hold Fast SUP and water safety sessions for children in Years 4 to 9 will be back for the summer holidays 2024.

We will be running sessions every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 23rd July to 29th August.

BOOK HERE

Venues will be dependent on the weather and tides but will be either Havelet, Pembroke or Grande Havre/Ladies Bay - you will be advised of the venue a minimum of 24 hours in advance. The 90 minute sessions, delivered by our fully qualified SUP instructor Alan Jenner, are £20 and wetsuits will be available to hire for those that don't have one.

If the weather prevents us from running the scheduled SUP sessions we will endeavour to run an alternative fun water safety session if the tide/weather allows.

We will try to give 24 hours notice for any weather cancellations.

You can access our Terms and Conditions here

We introduced the AquaSmart Schools Course in 2022 as part of Education Services' Cultural Enrichment Programme for Year 4 pupils in all States Primary Schools.

This course has been written in conjunction with Dr. Cliff Nelson of Atlantic Crest, who is a water safety expert based in the UK. We have therefore been able to use, under licence, the AquaSmart water confidence course which includes bespoke professional guidance for Guernsey, covering our unique and dynamic environment.

The pupils receive 3 lessons:

1. The Guernsey Environment and life skills

2. The AquaSmart Water safety course

3. A beach trip applying the skills provided and then enhancing beach and coastline knowledge

We are continuing to grow and develop this offer to primary schools.

The Guernsey Sports Commission offers the British Stand Up Paddle Association (BSUPA) 'Born To' series of courses to juniors.

The Born to Ride course is designed for beginners and will teach how to:

• Launch and recover safely (with assistance where required)

• Set up paddle, board and leash (with assistance where required) Know how to fall safely and recover to shore using a recovery method.

• Have a good basic paddle stroke

• Perform a series of turns

• Show competence and confidence afloat.

• Have an understanding of how weather effects SUP

We can also provide progression through to the Born to Race and Born to Tour courses.

For further information contact info@guernseysports.com 

We are continuing our work in partnership with other organisations to establish and implement a Water Safety Strategy for the island.

We hope to continue and expand our work with Bailiwick Social Prescribing and other agencies and schools to offer bespoke opportunities based around various water-based activities.

We will continue to provide various water safety training courses and qualifications on-island to teachers and other providers.

We are working on establishing the island's first ever Snorkel Trail which will offer guided or self-guided opportunities at a specific location which is rich in sea life. Working with a dedicated Channel Island Dive School, we hope to offer snorkel courses to train people to guide the Snorkel Trail.

We will continue our work growing and developing Life Skills and Lifesaving courses for adults and juniors.