About us: A brief history
Nigel Dennis began sea kayaking at the age of 23, and within 3 years had completed the first circumnavigation of Britain, with fellow kayaker Paul Caffyn. This took almost three months to complete and provided a catalyst for other adventure-seeking clients wishing to use Nigel’s expertise to lead them to other remarkable destinations, most notable the taking of Rebecca and John Ridgeway, plus camera crew around Cape Horn, televised in 1992.
Soon after this Nigel wished to set up his own kayak school, but was put off by the cost of buying a fleet of boats for the centre. Using his practical experience gained whilst on the sea in demanding conditions, both of the limitations of other brands and some new key ideas, and also helped by a friend who was very skilful with the design as well as paddling ability, Nigel built his own fleet of kayaks and the first Anglesey Sea and Surf Centre was started.
These very first kayaks were built to withstand the constant use and abuse by groups at the centre and also incorporated two new ideas. An off-set day hatch to enable the unsupported paddler to access provisions whilst afloat, and the keyhole cockpit in a sea kayak, which compared with the original very small ocean cockpit, allowed for a faster, easier entry and exit, to and from the kayak. Not surprisingly, in hindsight, those who came to the kayak courses held at the centre liked the kayaks, particularly the qualities of speed andstability. The demand increased and NDK was officially registered on the 7th May 1993.
Since then Nigel has continued to lead groundbreaking kayak expeditions. Nigel’s kayaks have not only benefited from this wealth of experience and expertise in the design, they have also been adapted and modified for expedition use, and then tried and tested in severe weather conditions and extremes of temperature. Prominent breakthroughs for Nigel in his own kayaks were the self-sufficient expeditions to Easter Island (circumnavigation), and Antarctica (Penguin count) in 1999 and 2000 respectively.
Courtesy of Keirron Tastagh a Sponsored Paddler
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