Over the last number of years we have been staggered by the popularity of Coasteering at Shielbaggan Outdoor Education Centre. We estimate that we have taken out over 12, 000 clients since we started 6 years ago. This popularity is not suprising though, as it is perhaps one sport that has it all, here I suspect, you may be divided into 2 camps, those who have coasteered and are dancing up and down and nodding in agreement and those who are saying ‘what is coasteering?’. I think the best reply to this, is a photo;
Coasteering at Hook head With Shielbaggan
This is Toine, one of our instructors doing a perfect parachute jump into deep water.
Its not just about the jumps however, there are caves, blowholes, gullies and of course swell. It is the swell running in and out off the coast that makes coasteering, riding the surge through channels in the rock and ducking into caves.
Shielbaggan Outdoor Education Centre has been leading the way in developing Coasteering qualifications within Ireland. We have linked up with Gtown, Achill OEC and Gartan OEC to bring the British Coasteering Federation Guides award, into Ireland. This means that if you access coasteering from any of these centres, it is properly organised, safe and will have universal operating guidelines. A guaranteed great day out for all.
If you would like to improve your skills, try it for the first time or just explore a new coastline then
contact us for more information.
Perhaps sometimes when you do something for too long you feel that it is hard to be suprised, however days like today keep the enthusiasm flowing and remind those of us lucky enough to work in the outdoors that great experiences are created by adding just a little extra.
At shielbaggan OEC we have been working with almost certainly around a hundred thousand clients over the last 33 years creating great Outdoor Education experiences for groups, individuals and now mobile adventure. We also work in partnership with a number of organisations which are also experts at what they do and this includes the National Hertitage Park at Ferrycarrig just outside Wexford. With them we have worked to provide archery and corachs (corracles) with the ambition of creating an interactive approach to the historical experience in the park.
Todays group may have been the first but not the last for sure!
Outdoor Education Through History
Working as a team on Wexford's newest High Ropes Course
So what makes great Outdoor Education…..
Firstly lets remember that its all about people……. Great facilities may look well but certainly won’t create memorable interactions so firstly its all about the quality of instructors, and at Shielbaggan OEC at the Hook Wexford we are justifibly proud of the experience, Qualifications and most importantly the passion of our instructors. There are not many centres that can boast of 2 x Level 4 Kayak instructors, an MIA as well as a plethora of other qualifications. But it dosen’t stop there, we have 3 Masters, one PHD in progress as well as lots of other academic qualifications. Not forgeting that we have one qualified teacher and 2 other instructors with Outdoor Education degrees on staff. If you then mix this with the fact that staff have paddled the Zambezi, climbed Kilimanjaro, ascended the vertical mile of El Capitan, Heliskiied, Helipaddled, Sailed the Atlantic, as well as being passionate about the personal development and enjoyment of the outdoors of each and every person who they meet then we are getting close!
Also facilities and equipment do matter (sorry), not from the fact that you can’t learn well using old equipment, but rather that its demotivating both for clients and instrctors. There is also equipment which can provide great developmental experiences, such as Wexford’s newest High Ropes Course at Shielbaggan OEC. Also its important to remain innovative, watching new developments, such as the move towards the adventure coming to you, Leading Shielbaggan OEC to create its Mobile Adventure offering.
Finally theres location, oh yes there are lots of great inner city Outdoor Education experiences, but its hard to beat Kayaking under the shadow of the world’s oldest operational lighthouse in Wexford sunshine (hopefully, we are the sunny south east after all) to move the soul.
Don’t forget to contact us for some soul therapy!
Sea Kayaking off the Wexford Coast
Leap Of Faith at the high Ropes Course, Shielbaggan OEC
Shielbaggan OEC is delighted to announce that its high ropes course is now finished. This new course will complement the other activities already available from Shielbaggan.
News | admin May 26, 2012 | 
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