Open Water Session

Field trip: Basic Sea Kayaking Course

Open Water Session - Lake Sammamish State Park

This location was chosen for those students who do not own their own kayaks and equipment and are not able to transport a kayak and equipment. It’s Two days of on the water activities, learning basic kayak skills: Wet exits, Rescues, and basic paddle strokes will be covered. Be Prepared to spend much of the days in the water.

  • Easy
  • Mileage: 2.0 nm

Meeting place and time
We’ll meet at 2000 NW Sammish Rd, Issaquah, WA 98027 at 8:00am
Park in the parking lot nearest to Tibbetts Beach, on the same beach as Issaquah Paddle Sports.
Please check in with Clinic Beach Coordinator, Esther Ladwig. She will be wearing a bright ORANGE vest. She’ll have a place for your keys & fobs in case those need to be kept safe from water damage.
We will have a beach huddle with everyone for any announcements or important information that needs to be relayed to all individuals.
There will also be an agenda for the day you will receive the night before the clinic on Lake Sammamish.
For female students: Female Urinary device (FUD): Be sure to bring this for those that need one. One of the training leaders will instruct you how to use it first thing in the morning before we go into the water.
READ THIS STUFF
In your Student Manual there’s an in-depth discussion of what to wear to all paddles. This includes your on-the-water session days (see pages 10, 11, and 12).
Bring the following if you have them:

Two layers of wool and or synthetic pants, such as long underwear or exercise pants, as long as they are a Smart wool, Merino wool blended with a synthetic or polypropylene, or polyester type bottoms.
If you tend to get cold, consider wearing at least two layers on top and wearing at least one long sleeve layer.
If you tend to get warm, consider just one layer on top, but do bring an extra layer just in case.
Come prepared to have fun learning how to kayak. We’ll cover how to be comfortable in a kayak, efficient paddle strokes, paddle signs to help communicate on trips, and most importantly, how to wet exit (get out of your kayak if you flip over) and how to get back in (T-rescues and self-rescues).
Leader's notes
The instruction will be performed in a protected, yet open water setting.  The training will typically be two students to an instructor in certain circumstances such as learning rescues and strokes.

The instruction will be performed in a protected, yet open water setting.  The training will typically be two students to an instructor in certain circumstances such as learning rescues and strokes. 

Route/Place

Lake Sammamish State Park


Roster
Required Equipment

Required Equipment

NOTE ITS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU DONOT PURCHASE A KAYAK prior to completing this Clinic. Unless You already happen to own your equipment in which case that's ok.  We encourage  not buying ahead of the clinic; so you're given an opportunity to paddle several different types and brands of kayaks.  Note for a kayak to be considered  a Sea Kayak it needs to be a minimum length of 14 1/2 feet and ideally not have a rudder but instead be equipped with a skag.. 

We highly recommended if you don’t already own a kayak to barrow, or rent one until you’ve completed your two club sponsored paddles.

The link attached will take you to Kayak Academy, who will help you set up a Kayak and equipment rental package design for our clinics.

RSVP with (KA) at this (LINK TBD)

Sea Kayak, paddle, PFD, spray skirt, pump, and dry suit as a minimum. Neoprene cap is recommended for practicing rescues. Discuss other requirements with the instructor.

Trip Reports