Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children.

 

 

Ancient Proverb

 

 

 

 

Symposium, Who’s Going, Course Descriptions and Schedule,Venue, Costs, & Forms, Directions and the fine print.

Course Descriptions

BCU 4 Star Leadership Training

The BCU 4 Star Leader Sea Kayak award aims to develop trip leader skills and leadership abilities to lead and guide a group of up to four paddlers on shorter day journeys in moderate tidal water with winds and sea states below Force 5. It is a leadership award. (Please see the coaching courses for coach awards.) This is a welcome advancement to the older BCU 4 Star and moves this new award toward the existing 5 Star award. It extends the leadership requirement reach down toward those interested in leading others on the sea, but who are less experienced than the 5 Star paddler. This new 4 Star expects its candidates to have a working understanding of the variety of environments, conditions, hazards and overall responsibilities applied to leading other paddlers in moderate tidal conditions and sea states. Training is three days, assessment is two days. Pre-requisites.

 

Surf and Rescue Clinic

The real excitement of sea kayaking lies in its rough water paddling. Sea kayaks are particularly adept in bumpier seas. This course focuses on running down wave on beach breaks or races. We’ll work on wave shape and choice, surf technique, surf survival, real-world bracing and rolling, specialized stroke development, while practicing the latest in rough water paddling and rescue techniques. Portions of this course may be taught in whitewater/surf boats. Prior rough water experience and braces required, along with your helmet. Roll helpful. Come get wet, it's a gas. See Surf and Rescue Clinic outline

Rock Garden Play

Paddling along New England’s beautiful rocky coasts offers excitement and skills more attuned to whitewater paddling. We’ll be focusing on controlling your bow and receiving wave energy from all sides and angles, sliding down into holes and over to safety. You’ll be studying the underwater rocks and ledges, the release of wave energy, the intersection of surf traveling through refracting and reflecting waves. Learn that rocks are your friend! This wet, challenging day is for those seeking the thrill and challenge of sliding about in the rocking and rolling environment of New England’s rock gardens. Rocks and ledges train us for dynamic, effective strokes, in a wide variety of rough water and seemingly erratic breaking waves. Exhilarating and challenging, you will learn how to tune in, study confused surf zones, and practice real life rescues. Course may be taught in whitewater/surf boats. Prior experience required. This is not a machismo experience. We recommend this training for most all paddlers given appropriate conditions. Developing bracing skills a minimum, and bring your helmets. See Rock Gardens Clinic outline.

 

Intermediate Strokes in Conditions

This workshop will increase your confidence and commitment to effective strokes in moderate conditions. For those who have the basics of their strokes on board, this on-water workshop is designed to help you develop effective strokes in bouncy waters…to get you more comfortable in varied conditions. We can tune up your maneuvering and bracing while playing in appropriate seas. You’ll increase your zone of safety and understand better the connection between you boat, paddle and body. You’ll leave better connected to your boat and paddle as we’ll be taking your existing strokes to a more functional level.  See Fundamentals 3 Intermediate Strokes in Conditions – abstract of outline

 

Tidal Training 1

So you’ve got your basic strokes and rescues, now lets apply them to the sea’s unique tidal environment. We’ll cover the basic theories of tide and currents, the effect of landforms and of swells, how to plan and prepare for paddling in tides, safety procedures and specialized skill sets. Both classroom and on water. Basic rescues and braces required.Go to reservations page.

Tidal Training 2

We’ll venture out into conditions of tidal movement and practice boat control, group awareness, navigation in tidal streams, safety procedures and rescues. We’ll study and experience where and how the sea state changes with the tides. Basic awareness and experience with tide streams expected, along with basic rescues and braces. Go to reservations page.

 

Tidal Training 3

Training content will be much like the Race Rock Adv Leadership and BCU 5 Star Training with less emphasis on developing your leadership judgment and skills, and more focus on your personal paddling skills in a committing tidal race.

 

This workshop will be heading out to the stronger of the tidal streams available each day and so pre-requisites are adequate experience to take care of yourself and to help others in tidal streams of 3+ knots. Coaches may want to have experience with you prior to this journey.  The volume of moving water will be greater, and require an ability to paddle hard for extended periods of time. Fishers Race involves a ten mile commute (out and back and often against the tide) before the hard work is engaged.

 

Advanced Open Water leadership training & BCU 5 Star TIDAL Training

Leadership in off shore expeditioning and stronger tidal work is the hallmark of the BCU’s Five Star Sea award. Anyone who plays in such waters needs to be on-board with developing their leadership capabilities. This course is suitable for solid 4 Star paddlers, for guides, trip leaders and advanced paddlers taking people into exposed, open sea conditions.
Develop your personal paddling and seamanship skills while emphasizing leadership and decision making in moving water conditions. The format is designed to train you to operate in exposed zones with no landing zones, while overseeing and helping your group perform at its best. The course is especially appropriate for those with a clear commitment to leading, guiding or actively assisting others on multi day trips or in exposed conditions. See BCU 5 Star Sea for greater understanding of these days. This workshop will likely be conducted at Fishers Race and Race Rock Light and venues deeper into Long Island Sound. The power increases significantly on the ebb.
A solid day here can satisfy the BCU 5 Star Tidal endorsement training day at the Coaches discretion.

 

 

Greenland 08 at RWS

"A kaiak man who has entirely mastered the art of righting himself can defy almost any weather. If he is capsized, he is on even keel again in a moment, and can play like a sea-bird with the waves, and cut right through them. If the sea is very heavy, he lays the broadside of his kaiak to it, holds the paddle flat out on the windward side, pressing it against the deck, bends forward, and lets the wave roll over him; or else he throws himself on his side towards it, resting on his flat paddle, and rights himself again when it has passed. The prettiest feat of seamanship I have ever heard of is that to which some fishers, I am told, have recourse among overwhelming rollers. As the sea curls down over them they voluntarily capsize, receive it on the bottom of the kaiak, and when it has passed right themselves again. I think it would be difficult to name a more intrepid method of dealing with a heavy sea."
Fridtjof Nansen, in Eskimo Life (1893)

Rock and Roll

Haven’t mastered that mysterious roll? Want to learn a storm roll? How about a hand roll? No matter what blade you use, learn to roll from your core. Using a light skin on frame kayak and a buoyant Greenland blade, like the ancients, offers several advantages to understanding rolling mechanics. Then transfer these new understandings to your own blade, and boat. Go to reservations page.

Moving Water Basics for the GP

Skinny stickers that haven’t yet played in moving water, explore the ebb and flow of the coastal environment, and develop a better understanding of the effect of swells and currents. Improve your understanding of the Greenland strokes for conditions, and, practice rolling/bracing skills in moving water. Go to reservations page.

Moving Water Intermediate for the GP

Intermediate and advanced traditional paddlers, come play with us in the ebb and flow of the coastal environment, in waves, surf and tidal streams! Develop a better understanding of the effect of swells and currents. Fine tune your GP strokes in moving water, in waves, and in rougher conditions. Develop open water rolling and bracing skills. Depending on conditions of the day, experience surf by skinny stick. GP and a reliable roll required. Forward-finishing rolls [reverse sweep/storm] highly recommended. Go to reservations page

 

Schedule

Courses and workshops curently scheduled	Fri	Sat	Sun
BCU 4 Star Leadership Training
Surf and Rescue Clinic
Rock Garden Play
Intermediate Strokes in Conditions
Tidal Training 1
Tideal Training 2
Tidal Traininig 3
Adv Open Water Leadership and 5 Star Tidal Training
Rock and Roll GP
Moving Water Basics GP
Moving Water Intermediate GP