http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8007556.stm

"We would recommend that people have appropriate training for the activity they are undertaking".

This begs the question: does BCA (or anyone) provide a sea cave kayaking leadership course?

Nope and they never will 'cos how will any potential course providers ever get the necessary skills and experience to run such a course if there isn't one for them to go on in the first place?  :-\

There is a book ....

I'd like to hear the kayaker's take on what actually happened.

I believe many years ago cavers visited caves at Beachy Head and did so on an overtide visit, working in the caves while the tide rose and fell. The story ran that they had become foolishly trapped in the caves. In retrospect their only error was not telling the coastguard service what their plans were.

I doubt the situation was the same in Devon, but nevertheless there is often another take on such stories.

You can't have a course for everything He was  a wally for paddling into a blind alley in a swell. Anybody with a bit of common sense would have thunk twice about it.  it's not training he needs it's the ability to think a bit. You have to be careful even when swimming into such caves. Mind you if you like sea cave kayaking there is a brilliant one on Berry Head with about 60 metres of passage and three entrances which can be negotiated at high water - but not with a swell!

"Appropriate training" means exactly that. It does not mean there is a need to go on an accredited course and achieve a qualification. Perhaps a couple of sessions on a sea kayaking course and some lessons on how to read a tide table might be all that was needed.