Intro to White Water Kayaking – Learning the Basics

OVERVIEW

Have you ever wanted to try white water kayaking? Whether you’re an adrenaline junky looking for another extreme sport to quench your thirst, or like leisurely cruising down rivers with the sun on your shoulders, white water kayaking is the next outdoor recreational activity you should try! This class is designed to teach you the basics of white water kayaking: information about white water (ww) kayaks, how to paddle and maneuver a ww kayak, wet exiting, T-rescues, and recovery techniques. You will also have the opportunity to learn the Eskimo roll. This trip goes out “rain or shine”. It will only be canceled by a thunder storm. The water has finally reached a comfortable temperature to most standards so your basic swim wear should be appropriate, but you might want to bring extra layers just in case.

I’m going to be meeting everyone at Beaver Creek Park (~10 miles west of town, near Crozet), so I will need drivers to make this work. I’ll try to organize car pooling with the meeting point at Echols dorm (corner of Hancock and McCormick; follow links posted with adventure for directions to Echols and Beaver Creek Park).

If you wish to put your new skills to the test on a river, I’ll be leading some river adventures this spring, summer, and fall with the first starting in a couple of weeks (weather/water level permitting). In order to be qualified to go on a river trip you must first take this intro class. Please contact me with any questions – clark@outdoorsocial.com or (434) 962-9737.

The Club Provides: Gear (boats, skirts, paddles, pfds (personal flotation devices), helmets, noseplugs, wetsuits)

The trip fee covers: trailer rental for gear transport

You should bring: swimwear, towel, change of clothes, water, snacks, sunscreen