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| Paddler on a classic beginner run on the Snoqualmie River. |
If you want to become a better, safer, more confident sea kayaker, take our whiter water kayaking lessons. To paddle safely in open water, sea kayakers need the kind of practice that white water rivers offer. With proper training, river kayaking can be safer than sea kayaking because it's easier to control the level of challenge on a river than in the sea - where things can really get wild. River and sea kayaking are more intimately related than most people realize - the paddling strokes and skills for reading currents are mostly the same and so is much of the equipment. The skills and confidence gained from a whitewater course will translate directly to paddling your sea kayak in rough open water and ocean surf. You'll also discover that river kayaking can be fun for people of all ages and abilities. River kayaking isn't just about adrenaline rushes and waterfalls; it can be as relaxing or challenging as you want to make it. River kayaking is inherently more social than sea kayaking, and river kayaking often rivals sea kayaking for scenery and wildlife. Sea kayakers who haven't tried white water are missing out on a lot of fun and good skill building.
If you've already begun sea or river kayaking, and don't need to start over with the basic equipment lectures and wet-exits in pools, then we have the perfect entry level white water kayaking lessons for you. We offer three-day (typically Friday - Sunday or Saturday - Monday) courses. These courses are limited to intermediates, so those without basic kayaking instruction will need to start with our flat water lessons. To accelerate your learning, we maximize your time on the river, hence we have prerequisites. To assure that you receive plenty of individual instruction, we limit our class size to a maximum of three students.
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| Surfing river waves for the fun of it! |
All year round there are numerous rivers for paddlers of all skill levels within an hour's drive of our base in Seattle. Few other locations are so ideal for learning and enjoying river kayaking.
Rolling and River Kayaking
This three full day course is designed for kayakers who've already had some success at Eskimo rolling and want the training needed to begin running rivers with their friends and clubs (in sea or river kayaks). It's also good practice for sea kayakers who want to get some combat roll experience and develop a higher level of bracing and rough water skill.
Before going on a river, you'll review the paddling strokes, work on bomb-proofing your Eskimo rolls, and learn to handle a highly maneuverable river kayak. Then after extending your safety knowledge to include river hazards and basic river rescues, you will get two and a half days of hands-on white water kayaking experience including running a Class II+ river*.
Tuition: $668, Equipment rental package: $105 (includes use of a dry suit, helmet, river kayak, and basic paddling equipment)
Instructor: George Gronseth
* Rivers are classified I - IV in ascending order of difficulty.
Classes are limited to a maximum of three students, so sign up early to avoid disappointment. To register call the Academy at (206) 527-1825.
Call us to make a reservation or E-Mail us for more information:
Phone/Voice mail (206) 527-1825
View the Course Schedule
© George Gronseth 2003, all rights reserved.