Coasteering

Although all aspects of coasteering have been informally practised by people for a very long time, ==Activities==

Coasteering may include all or some of the following activities: • Swimming or Adventure Swimming: These activities can occur in calm, rough or white water; and/or tidal currents. Dressing for swimming in the sea (wetsuits, buoyancy aids, etc.) is often an integral part of coasteering, even on routes where it is possible to stay dry. A route, or activity, where the group start out with the intention of staying dry – whether through route choice or the use of ropes and harnesses – would not usually be considered as coasteering but sea level traversing, which is usually a dry pursuit. • Climbing, scrambling: The very nature of the coastline that is needed for coasteering demands aspects of these activities. Ropes, as security on rock, are not used. Any climbing activity usually takes place above deep water, with safety spotters used where appropriate. There is a similarity to the sport of deep-water soloing, but this would normally be carried out by experienced individuals not wearing equipment suitable for coasteering. Coasteering is not usually intended as an 'always dry', climbing activity. • Jumping into water: Coasteering "...often involves a series of jumps into deep water." ==Guided adventure experience==

The rocky cliff coasts of western Britain provide the world's principal location for organised guided coasteering, where it is available from over 100 activity centres. Usually half-day or one-day trips are offered at a variety of levels catering for beginners, intermediates and advanced. Some trips are especially slanted towards study of coastal ecology. Some centres cater for parties of schoolchildren. ==Adventure races==

Coasteering may be included as one of the disciplines for a stage of an adventure race. This is especially common in New Zealand, but is also to be found in Australia, Canada, and the USA. ==Safety==

In 2015 in the UK a document giving safety advice for coasteering providers was published. Also in the UK, the HSE has an information sheet of good practice for the Adventure Activities Industry. Basic safety equipment Safety equipment reflects the environment in which the sport is performed and often includes: • Wetsuit (for cooler waters outside the tropics) • Protective clothing and gloves to prevent abrasions – may be provided by the wetsuit • Buoyancy aid • Helmet • Shoes to provide grip on rocks • Wetsuit boots, trainers or canyoning boots (closed toes) • Throw line • Communications – hand-held VHF and/or mobile telephone • Knife ==Hazards==

When jumping into water from height, water resistance increases with the speed of entry, so entering the water at high-velocity induces rapid and potentially dangerous decelleration. Jumping from a height of 20 feet (6.1 m) results in a person hitting the water at 25 mph (40 km/h). • Clothing or feet being caught in rocks or objects underneath the water surface • Cold water shock • Drowning • Jumping from height and impacting with rocks above the water surface ==Places known for coasteering==

• Hong Kong • Wales • England • Scotland • Madeira • Athens • Goa • New Zealand • Big Sur, California, USA ==See also==