At the last AGM of the Australian Canoe Federation a new steering committee for Sea Touring was elected. Delegates from Tasmania, South Australia, and New South Wales met to organize a body to promote a ‘new’ and rapidly expanding branch of canoeing. Until now sea canoeists have had to rely on reports from overseas, principally Britain, and a few articles in club magazines, to equip themselves with useful information that might help them at sea. Mostly, though, this knowledge has been gained through hard earned personal experience. It is the aim of the present committee to introduce a national information service for sea paddlers, and to help those interested in trying this branch of canoeing.

This new magazine will be a principal source of such material. To make it work, however, requires the cooperation of many sea paddlers. Each state has a dedicated group who look at the sea as either a challenge to their endurance, or just a nice place to paddle. It is through sharing of their experiences that each of us can benefit to some degree, whether through practical suggestions or simply learning about a part of Australia we may never have visited. We still need keen people in Queensland, Western Australia, Victoria, and the Northern Territory to make a contribution.

Probably the best way to learn about the sport is through contact with other sea canoeists. The steering committee strongly supports the organization of an annual convention to bring Aust sea paddlers together. It has been proposed to hold such a ‘meet’ in Queensland in May 1980 while interest is focused on the annual Whitewater Championships at Cairns. A get-together at Cairns followed by a trip to one of the island groups off the Queensland coast, probably the Whitsunday Group, will be organized.  (stop press, see page 26)

As well as conducting meetings of sea canoeists from each state, the committee will be looking at an award system for those paddlers interested in testing their skills they have learned at sea. It will follow along the lines of the British Canoe Union award for sea canoeists (presently adopted) but will be modified to cater for Australian conditions. Progress on the award scheme will be published in future editions of THE SEA CANOEIST.

In the next year the steering committee hopes to bring all Australian sea canoeists closer together and to share with others the pleasure of a ‘new’ discipline in canoeing.
  SEAN DIXON
(Sec., ACF Sea Touring Comm.)