Taster Lesson | Playing in the Rocks – Pour-overs

This is a 20-minute taster lesson taken directly from our newest course, Playing in the Rocks. This lesson focuses on pour-overs. One of the most common (and fun) features you’ll encounter when rock hopping or rock gardening. In the lesson, course coaches Kelly Marie Henry and Laura Zulliger break down what to look for, how to judge whether a pour-over is worth paddling, and how to approach it with a clear plan rather than guesswork.

It’s a great example of how the full course turns what can feel like chaotic white water into something readable, understandable, and playful.

More about ➡️ Playing in the Rocks 🌊

Playing in the Rocks is the latest course to be released on the OSK platform. You might hear this style of paddling referred to as rock hopping or rock gardening, but at its core, it’s about exploring the rock environment and having fun with the features it offers, from pour-overs and slots to caves and dynamic linking moves.

This course is designed to give you the tools to judge features, make good decisions, and paddle with confidence, while still keeping safety front and centre.

What the course covers ⬇️

The course is structured to take you from big-picture understanding through to specific skills and confidence-building exercises.

It begins with a course introduction and general safety overview, setting the scene for paddling in close proximity to the rocks and highlighting the key risks and considerations.

From there, the foundations section looks at equipment choices, core technical skills and an overview of the rock environment, helping you understand how waves, swell and coastline shape interact.

You’ll then move into reading the water and assessing features. This is where Kelly and Laura introduce a clear framework for decision-making, including zones and the WORMS system (Water, Obstacles, Route, Markers and Safety), giving you a repeatable process for judging whether a feature is appropriate and how to approach it.

The features section goes into detail on specific rock features, including pour-overs, slots and gaps, reefs, rebound waves, caves and arches. Each feature is broken down so you understand what to look for, how to paddle it, and where the common pitfalls are.

Finally, the course finishes with a set of exercises focused on developing skills and confidence. These sessions are designed to help you progressively build comfort and control in the rock environment, rather than relying on big, all-or-nothing moves

Learning from Kelly and Laura

Kelly Marie Henry and Laura Zulliger bring a wealth of experience from sea kayaking, white water and surf kayaking. They’ve coached paddlers worldwide and are passionate about helping people gain confidence and independence in complex environments.

A key theme throughout the course is changing how paddlers see the rocks, turning something that once felt intimidating into a place to explore, play, and enjoy, while still making informed, sensible decisions.

California, Wales and Cornwall

To show the full range of rock environments, this course was filmed across multiple locations:

* California, with its long wave period and powerful, playful features
* Wales showcases short wave periods and caves.
* Cornwall, offers a different coastal feel and a variety of features.

Seeing the same principles applied in different places highlights just how versatile sea kayaks are for exploring the coastline.

Want to watch more?

If you’d like full access to this course (and all of our OSK content), all of our subscriptions start with a 7-day free trial, giving you plenty of time to explore the lessons and decide if it’s right for you.