A mother who lost her only son to a kayaking accident on Wellington Harbour just over a year ago is funding a course to make the popular water activity safer.

Karen Skellett is hoping some good may come out of funds raised in the wake of Jack Skellet's death on a kayak mission out to Matiu/Somes Island.

She is putting $5000 Jack's friends raised in a Givealittle fundraiser into providing a kayaking safety course on the harbour this week.

The Matamata woman says it will be bittersweet watching people go through kayaking training.

In December 2021, Karen's son Jack, 23, went for a kayaking adventure from Petone Beach to the island in Wellington. He never came home.

The free Kayak Safety Workshop will be held at Days Bay this Thursday facilitated by local company Wildfinder.

'I hope this makes a difference,” says Karen.

'Jack's dad Adam got the ball rolling with this and I have carried it on. It upsets me a bit because I want to save others, but I wish I could have done something more to save Jack. But I know I can't change that. So, this is all about helping others.”

Jack bought his kayak off TradeMe and he set off from Petone Beach in fine conditions.

The Coastguard found his body near Camp Bay the next day after an extensive search by his friends, family and colleagues.

'You don't know what you don't know,” she says.

'None of Jack's friends knew that you use different kayaks for different situations. Jack bought his kayak and got in and started paddling, but it isn't enough, is it? We need to do more.”

There were 93 preventable drownings in New Zealand last year, the highest number since 2008.

A nurse at a practice in Matamata, Karen has taken some time out with her partner to go campervanning around the country.

The kayak safety workshop was a comprehensive one-day event covering every aspect of water kayaking safety, focussing on theory and building awareness, plus practical and skills development.

It was aimed at all ages from beginner to intermediate level and the session could accommodate 16 people on a first-come first-served basis.

Karen says she will like to see a significant uptake in the workshop.

'I hope the fact that it's free will motivate people to get involved. I know people are struggling financially at the minute, so we want to help.”

ACC injury prevention programme leader James Whitaker says Jack's story shows that a drowning is a devastating event for any whānau and community.

'We want to thank Karen for being brave in telling her story and for investing this money into making a difference.”

James says too many New Zealanders are drowning and getting injured, and these incidents are preventable.

'If we take time to assess the risks and make smart choices before we jump in, we can keep on doing the things we love.”

-Piers Fuller/Stuff.