There is a moment, about forty minutes into a coasteering session, when a guide points at a ledge a few metres above the water and says: "Anyone who wants to, off here." Your wetsuit is heavy, your helmet is dripping, and the sea looks a lot further down than it did from the beach. Then someone goes, and the whole thing suddenly makes sense.
Coasteering is a guided journey along the coast in which you swim, scramble, climb and jump. In Pembrokeshire that usually means a stretch of the national park coastline — around Abereiddy, St Davids, Stackpole or the bays near Tenby — where the rock is full of gullies, zawns and ledges that make a natural route. Here is what a first session is really like, from the tide planning to the feeling of landing in cold water.
Tides decide the route, not the other way round
Guides plan a session around the tide, not around the clock. A stretch that is a simple scramble at low water can be a tricky swim at high tide. Some jumps only work in the hour or two around high water; others only on a falling tide, when the ledge below is clear of swell. Add wind direction and swell height and you have three variables that change daily.
What that means for you
Your slot might be an awkward one — early morning, or late afternoon. That is not the operator being difficult. Book the day you want, then accept the time you are given. If the sea is too rough, they will move you or refund you, and that is a good sign rather than a disappointment.
Getting kitted out
You will be wearing a lot of neoprene. Expect a thick wetsuit, often five millimetres with a hood, plus neoprene socks, boots, gloves if it is cold, a helmet and a buoyancy aid. On top of that you need your own trainers or sturdy shoes that you do not mind soaking.
- Fit matters more than brand. A wetsuit that is loose at the neck and wrists will flush cold water every time you jump. Tell the guide if it feels baggy.
- Lace your trainers properly. Wet rock and slippery seaweed are the main hazard, not the jumps. Well-tied, flat-soled shoes beat fashion every time.
- Leave the jewellery behind. Rings and loose bracelets can catch on rock. Glasses are fine, but a strap is sensible; contact lenses can shift in the water.
- Bring a towel and dry clothes. Including a warm hat and a fleece for afterwards. There is no dignified way to get out of a wetsuit in a car park.
The safety briefing, decoded
This takes ten or fifteen minutes and it is the most useful part of the day. You will hear about conditions, the planned route, where you get out, and what to do if you get separated. Pay attention to the signals.
Most operators use a whistle: one blast for stop and look at me, two for something else — ask, because systems vary. You will also be shown how to move across wet rock (low, three points of contact), how to enter the water safely from a ledge and how to get out again. That last one matters more than it sounds. Climbing out of the sea onto a rock shelf takes effort, especially when swell is pushing you around.
What the jumps actually feel like
Small jumps — a metre or two — are barely more than a big step. You land, you go under, the buoyancy aid pops you back up within a second or two, and you are grinning.
The bigger ones are the ones you remember. The build-up is the worst part: standing on the ledge, feeling the wind, watching the water move. Guides count you down, usually in threes, and it helps to pick a spot on the horizon, step out rather than down, and keep your arms crossed over your chest with one hand pinching your nose if you want to. Feet together. Do not look at your feet.
The cold, and the shock
Cold water on your face triggers a sharp intake of breath followed by a few rapid ones. That is normal and it passes within seconds. If you can, breathe out slowly as you fall. Once you are in and the wetsuit has flooded and warmed, the shock fades and you realise the whole thing lasted about three seconds.
Nobody has to jump. Guides will offer an alternative — a swim round, a lower ledge, a scramble. Say no if you want to. Plenty of people who sit out one jump do the next one.
The bits in between
Coasteering is not a series of jumps with a walk in between. It is mostly water. You will swim through narrow gullies between rock walls, haul yourself onto ledges, sit in what guides call the washing machine — a channel where the swell surges in and out — and float on your back looking up at cliffs you would never see from the coast path. There may be jellyfish. There is almost always the hope of seals.
You will be in the sea for two to three hours, which is longer than it sounds. If you are reasonably fit and happy in the water, you will be fine. If you are nervous about deep water or cannot swim confidently, say so when you book — most operators can adapt a session, but they need to know in advance.
Practical things to sort before you go
Book with a provider that is properly insured and whose guides hold recognised coasteering qualifications. Ask how many people there are per guide, what the maximum jump height is, and what happens if conditions change. Small groups make a real difference to how the day feels.
Eat something beforehand, but not a huge meal. Bring water, a snack and any medication you might need — an inhaler in a waterproof pouch, for example. Mention asthma, epilepsy, heart conditions, pregnancy or recent injuries when you book. The operator may ask you to check with a doctor first, and that is worth doing rather than guessing.
Then let it go. The first jump is the one you will talk about for weeks; the rest of the day is just fun.
Photo: hoangtung1809 / Pixabay
