British Canoe Union Level 5 Sea Kayak Coach and Director of Jersey Kayak Adventures Ltd, Derek Hairon is one of the leading specialist sit-on-top kayak outfitters in the UK. Derek has kayaked for over 40 years. He first learned to kayak around the incredible coastline of Jersey in the Channel Islands (which has some of the highest tides in the world) after his father built him a sit-on-top kayak. He has undertaken many sea kayak expeditions, most notably a circumnavigation of Ireland in 58 days and expeditions to Alaska, Canada, and whitewater kayaking in Nepal. Closer to home he has paddled extensively in the Channel Islands, including 35-mile open crossings. He has kayaked most of the best sea kayaking spots in the UK. In his younger days he was a member of the Jersey surf kayak team and has been active in coaching sea kayaking in Jersey. In 2004 he set up Jersey Kayak Adventures in order to offer kayaking tours and courses to cater for the growth in this popular sport.