Quick Details
This winter we are offering our Ocean Skills Workshops as a 3-part in-person series of workshops taught in the beautiful offices of the Maine Island Trail Association! (In recent years the workshops have been offered online only). Each session meets for three hours. We recommend taking all three workshops together, but it is okay to only take one or two if you have scheduling restrictions or are most interested in learning the topic in a certain workshop. Each workshop is indoors; we do not go on the water for this series.
Students will receive access to a course website with exercises and resources that we will discuss during our class. The course is taught by Suzanne Blackburn and Zack Anchors, both of whom are licensed Maine Sea Kayak Guides and ACA-certified coastal kayaking instructors.
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.
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.
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.