Portland, Maine 04103 United States
Register on Portland Paddle’s website! Price is $30 per session, or $80 for all three. Each workshop is indoors; we do not go on the water for this series.
The series is broken into three sessions on successive Saturday mornings, March 30th, April 6th, and April 13th. Each session covers a different topic. Students will receive access to a course website with exercises and resources that we will discuss during our class.
Session 1: Navigation
This session will prepare you to navigate through fog, cross busy boating channels and use navigation tools like compasses and parallel rules. Gaining familiarity with some basic principles and skills of navigation will make you much more prepared to sea kayak safely and confidently.
Session 2: Tides, Currents, and Waves
This session will give you a deeper understanding of how to read the tides, currents and waves of the Maine coast and how to use them to your advantage when paddling. We’ll review the dynamics behind the natural cycles and the tools that are available to paddlers to predict them.
Session 3: Trip Planning on the Maine Coast
This session is designed to prepare you to use the skills learned in the previous sessions to plan a safe, fun and adventurous paddling trip on coastal waters. We’ll talk about what to consider when choosing a destination; the gear you’ll need; safety precautions to take before and during your trip; managing group dynamics on the water; and many other topics. We’ll also plan a hypothetical trip together.
Instructors:
The course is taught by Suzanne Blackburn and Zack Anchors, both of whom are licensed Master Maine Sea Kayak Guides and ACA-certified coastal kayaking instructors.