seakayakspecialists.com
sam@SeaKayakSpecialists.com
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Exploring coastlines and camping out of a sea kayak is one the things that Sam loves to do. Sea kayaking has enabled him to do trips around Lake Superior, on the US coasts, British Columbia, Finland, Sweden as well as circumnavigating Ireland. Sam is also an American Canoe Association Level 5 Advanced Open Water Instructor Trainer Educator and an Adaptive Paddling Equipment Instructor.
Define by Water, Sea Kayaking the UP Michigan's Upper Peninsula is surrounded by three Great Lakes, making it a land defined by water. The U.P. is an intersection of beauty, history and geology, providing a great paddling environment to explore. The U.P. is home to places such as Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Grand Island National Recreation Area, Mackinaw Straits, Garden Peninsula and the Keweenaw Peninsula, and Sam has paddled them all and is eager to share his experiences with you.
Stuff and the Art of Packing a Kayak If George Carlin were a paddler, he might ask: "Where do I put all my paddling stuff when I am paddling?" Which leads to…"Where the heck did I put that?" And before a camping trip…"Is all of this stuff going to fit?" Whether going on a day paddle or a major an expedition, we all have stuff (a.k.a. gear) to bring along. Some of it is essential to safety, some of it is essential to our enjoyment, some of it we bring just because.
Sam's system is to deconstruct the “stuff” then learn what gear to bring along: from a whistle, pump, first aid kit to spare paddle, extra clothes to sleeping bag, cookset and more. You'll learn how to pack all that gear to meet three goals. 1) Your safety gear is accessible 2) Your boat handling & performance is not compromised 3) You’re packing efficiently so you don't have to buy a bigger boat just to carry all of your stuff.
Navigation Basics Where am I? Where have I been? Where am I going? Are these the words of a person on the verge of seeing their therapist? Possibly…but they are also the questions paddlers can answer when they know navigation skills.
This practical session will teach you about the tools and basic concepts for navigating on the water as a canoeist or a kayaker. Compass, topo maps, nautical charts, map & chart symbols and more are some of the tools. Piloting, ded reckoning, using ranges and more are some of the concepts. Put these together for the basis of practical navigation skills that make a lifetime of paddling more enjoyable.
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