Can you costal kayaking types in the Pacific Northwest suggest a good club or school offering basic instruction in Sea Kayaking?
I have a daughter who lives in Marysville WA. She and her husband just tried kayaking in the San Juan islands and liked it a lot. I may give them the two wooden kit boats I built.
She asked about instruction in the area. Quite a few sites popped up on a quick search but I was hoping for a specific recommendation.
Maybe these?
I have only worked with a couple of folks from that coast, so can't comment on all of these coaches. But maybe someone else here knows these outfits better. On a cursory review, I found the following that seemed to be solid full-service operations in sea kayaking. I am sure there are more.
The Sea Kayak Shop, out of Anacortes. http://seakayakshop.com/anacortes_kayak_tours_instruction_rentals/index.php
The Kayak Academy, http://www.kayakacademy.com/, in the Seattle area. Google has it an hour and some change from Marysville.
Body, Boat and Blade, http://www.bodyboatblade.com, in Eastsound in the San Juans. Google has it 3 hrs and change from Marysville, so it might be an overnight. But their two day courses are quite effective and it's challenging at the least to get all the basics in a single day.
what they said
and the upper 20somethingth West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium is in Port Townsend on SEP 18-21. always a good time and lots of learnin’ going on!
steve
George Gronseth’s Kayak Academy
Excellent!
I second Body boat & Blade
Shawna Franklin is awesome.(so is Leon)
Thanks
Thanks for the tips, all.
I had stumbled across both the Kayak Academy and Boat, Body and Blade and they both looked promising, but it’s nice to get a testimonial from someone who has had personal experience.
I’ll pass the info along to my daughter and son-in-law.
also
Columbia River Kayaking Near Cathlamet on the lower Columbia. Their LoCo Roundup is always a good time and great instruction. Kind of far from Marysville, though. Other choices mentioned are good, too.
I used to teach surf kayaking for
The kayak Academy and I think George has a superbly comprehensive program. I hear great about these others as well, so you can’t really go wrong. Matt in Anacortes also does a great job 360-299-2300 and may be a good call for one on one, private instruction.
Matt
Isn’t he running the Anacortes Kayak Shop now?
There are two kayak gigs in A-town
Matt is one, and the other is run by a fellow named Eric who I do not know. The later is affiliated with Island Adventures, a whale watching outfit. Hear good things about them as well.
wcsks
I believe the Port Townsend symposium is the last weekend in Sep this year, 25-27. It was changed from the weekend it has been held on for the past 15 years or so… probably lots of other changes this year as well.
Eric the guide
Probably the guy I saw prepping kayaks at Bowman Bay campground area for a tour. When I mentioned this to Shawna Franklin (I was taking some lessons from BBB), she said the guy was probably Eric, that he was a great guide and had been through their (BBB) training.
I third it
Great instructors, fun classes, and they have boats and paddles for small paddlers as well as “average” and large.