Sea Kayaking with Stage 2 Outdoor Ed
By Outdoor Ed teacher Caillan Symons
Our Stage 2 Outdoor Education class at Darwin High School have been exploring human connections to nature and how developing reciprocal relationships leads to human health benefits and improved environmental sustainability. To put ideas into action, the class spent a half-day paddling out to East Point and doing a small beach clean-up.
This was a way of giving back to the environment, but also getting in touch with nature and building our connections to the natural world while solidifying trusting relationships with peers. The class found significant amounts of soft and hard plastics, metal, glass, styrofoam, ceramics, and even multiple car tyres in our clean-up. Some of this rubbish had been swept ashore from the sea while much had been deliberately dumped from the cliffs above or by visitors to the beach.
Having gathered so much that we were unable to bundle it up and paddle it back to school, we hauled it up to Dudley Point where we were able to fill up a few of the provided public bins before cleaning ourselves up and heading back to school for lunch. The students had a great time and it was also a fulfilling activity to make a significant positive impact on a local environment in just a short period of time.
Well done to Mr Symons and the Stage 2 Outdoor Ed students!
