Intro to Kayaking for Adults
This course is designed for both the 18+ casual coastal paddler and those interested in beginning some overnight touring. While the course is perfect for the beginner, anyone who has never had formal instruction will benefit. Participants must be comfortable with deep, over-your-head water while wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). Having some upper-body strength and a strong kick will make some exercises easier. Participants will get wet! Although this class is an excellent intro to kayaking, but does not imply any certification or infer any skill qualification.
We will cover:
anatomy of a kayak
basic outfitting & gear
safe ways to enter and exit a kayak
wet exits (how to get out if you flip over)
self-rescue and assisted rescue techniques
proper paddle stroke techniques for maneuvering
weather, tides, and currents for paddlers
suggested launch sites on Whidbey
Class Times:
Day #1: 3:30pm - 7:30pm @ Goss Lake Community Park at 4879 Lakeside Drive, Langley. (This is not the public access, it’s across the lake)
Day #2: 5:30pm - 7:00pm via Zoom
Day #3: 3:30pm - 7:30pm @ Goss Lake or Langley Marina, 201 Wharf St., tbd by instructor & class
2021 Class Dates:
Tuesday, May 25th - Thursday, May 27th
Tuesday, June 22nd - Thursday, June 24th
Tuesday, August 17th - Thursday, August 19th
What To Wear & Bring
Please wear comfortable clothes/layers that can get wet (synthetic fabrics or wool; absolutely no cotton) and/or a bathing suit. Wetsuits/drysuits are highly recommended but not required. You may rent a wetsuit from us for $20.
Drysuits are highly recommended and can be easily rented from the Kayak Academy. Please bring a hat with a brim and/or sunglasses w/ a retaining strap for glasses, nose plugs (optional), a towel, sunscreen, a snack, and a bottle of water. A thermos with a warm drink and warm, dry clothes are recommended for after the class.
Instructors:
Whidbey Island Kayaking owners and guide(s), all who are ACA (American Canoe Assoc.) certified instructors. Sufficient staff will be on hand to ensure a low instructor to student ratio and so each participant receives copious personal attention!
Course Fees, Kayak Rental, and How To Register:
$200 per student. If you have your own kayak, we would prefer to teach you using you own boat. If you do not have a kayak, you may rent one for the duration of the class along with all needed gear like PFD and paddle, for $50. Please reserve your kayak when booking the class.
**When booking online, only the first class session will be shown on the booking software, but the class will be a total of three sessions.
“It has been a very long time since I was in a instructional/ class environment and did not know what to expect. I learned so much about the sport and what is involved to be confident and smart on the water. A huge shout out to Nick Butterfield, he was great, explained everything very well and was extremely patient... All in all I had a great time, had a great class, great instructor. I would definitely do it again!”