Revised 11/27/12

Kayaking Instruction - ACA (American Canoe Association)

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ACA Coastal Kayak Instructor Certification Workshop : Levels 1-2 ICW

Become an ACA Coastal Kayak Instructor on the island of Roatan this Winter!

ACA Instructor Certification Exam: Levels 1-4 (conditions permitting)

Instruction So, you’ve taken your IDW, you’ve been practicing and gotten your pre-req’s out of the way, like first aid certification and joining the ACA. Now its time to bring those efforts to light in a practical setting to teach your peers and be evaluated. You’ll be evaluated on all levels, so you’ll leave as a certified ACA Coastal instructor at the highest level appropriate for your skills. We are holding this course in the fall to take advantage of fall warm waters and the greatest chance for Level 4 conditions.

Dates and Costs:
TBA - $295/person course fee + $40 materials fee. Food and Lodging package for 3 days/nights is $150.

Registration is by check or credit card directly with Uncommon Adventures, 1-866-882-5525

Venue for Courses: Our classroom setting in Sleeping Bear Country is unrivaled. Courses are held at a remote camp location on Lower Herring Lake (paddle in only) with beaches on both an inland lake and on Lake Michigan. All meals and lodging are conveniently on site as well as a rustic lodge classroom and wood fired hot tub. You’ll spend your time learning with and from one another instead of moving gear around to various water sites.

ACA (American Canoe Association) Level 3 Training and Assessment

This 16 hour course combines Coastal Kayak Basic Strokes and Rescues along with Strokes and Maneuver's refinement. Dry land portions include very basic navigation, radio use, rules of the navigable road and emergency equipment. In the water, we'll cover a variety of group and solo rescues, bracing, boat handling and towing scenarios.

Instruction Prerequisites: Basic forward strokes and wet exits as well as ACA membership

Dates and Costs:
TBA - $425 / person lodge based: includes meals and lodging
TBA - $350/person includes meals and two nights camping

Please email or call us at 231-882-5525 for more information or to register.

ACA (American Canoe Association) Level 4 Surf Zone Training

Instruction This 7-8 hour class precedes our Surfest 2010 to lay groundwork for being better able to handle coastal kayaks in moving water in waves up to 3 feet.

Dates and Costs: TBA - $150 / person including a night's camping

Please email or call us at 231-882-5525 for more information or to register.

Kayak Skills Camp (A.K.A. ACA week)

Beach Launch Here's your opportunity to work on your open water skills without driving all the way to Georgia to do it. Held in the fall when our waters have had all summer to warm, we combine and ACA Level 3 Training and Assessment with Level 4 Surfzone training and morph into our Surfestival on the weekend for you to put it all together to finish off your summer with new skills and a great bunch of friends! As our numbers grow, we'll bring in some of the tremendous wealth of talented instructors that we have in the Great Lakes.

Dates and Costs: TBA
$550/person for instruction, 5 nights luxury camping (ie, hot showers!) breakfasts, use of outdoor kitchen and a couple of dinners.

More Information

Ocean Training Program - Budget Instructional Trips in Alaska

Alaska We are proud to co-sponsor this program facilitated by Tom Pogson of Alaska Kayak School. Tom is a well known BCU coach level 4 and is just plain talented. This program is designed for independent paddlers looking to increase their paddling skills, gain some ocean experience and do it all against the beautiful Alaskan backdrop of Kachemak Bay.

Big tides, marine animals, a halo of snow-capped peaks, Homer brews and maybe even a paddle-up-espresso bar provide context for this training program leading to the BCU 3 star sea award or ACA level 3. It is a personalized individual coaching program to "shepherd" paddlers to their 3 star assessment.

Lower 48 paddlers should look for 4-night/5-day wilderness tours starting at $650. This includes: 5-days instruction on a 4-night expedition and all kayaking gear, including drysuits. this is quality gear...Kokatat drysuits, Werner and Lendal paddles and kayaks by Valley and Nigel Dennis. You save money by providing your own food and camping gear.

If you've ever wanted to paddle in Alaska, this is your chance to get a wilderness fix, increase your proficiency and have blast in one of the most beautiful places on earth for relatively few dollars.

Dates by arrangement. Additional services like food, help with transport and lodging may be available for additional cost. Check out: http://www.alaskakayakschool.com/news.htm#training