ACA Whitewater Leadership/Instructor Development and Certification - June 1-6, 2020

Please sign up and email me directly if you would like to participate. Space may be limited, so please consider and plan ahead to participate.

R2 paddler rating (or higher) and Standard Swim Test Required.

The American Canoe Association (ACA) is the industry standard for paddle sports in North America and is a recognized standard worldwide.

Why: ACA training/certification in paddling, teaching, safety, and leadership skills is essential and highly valued for those who intend to work and/or play in the outdoors. 

Here is your opportunity close to home in one of our favorite Wisconsin rivers - the Wolf.

The expectation is that you will develop and grow your skills throughout the week. With a lot of opportunities for mentored hands-on skills development and practice.

When: June 1-6, 2020 (Most folks will arrive on Sunday afternoon or Sunday evening May 31, 2020.)

Where: Gardner Dam Scout camp in White Lake WI. (On the Wolf River.)

Cost: The 2019 cost was only $250 and covered all week, and included instruction, materials, indoor lodging, and all food. (This was an incredibly discounted cost that essentially covered everything.)

Boats/Gear: All available through the Hoofers Outing Club at no additional cost.

What: ACA instructor Development Workshop and Instructor Certification Exam.

Goals (Learn & Earn):
1. Learn/refine paddling, safety, teaching, and leadership skills.
2. Earn ACA Instructor Certification at level that matches the skills you demonstrate by the conclusion of the course..

Let's go and grow as a paddling community.

Note: There will also likely be one or two weekends in May 2020 to paddle on Wolf Section 2 (and possibly section 3) with the Instructor Trainer to help prepare and refresh skills on the river. The upcoming pool sessions are excellent opportunities to learn, practice, and prepare for the upcoming season.

Hello!

Have you been attending pool sessions all winter, and done some early paddles on the smaller lakes around Madison? Are you eager to get out on the big lakes up north? Well this is your chance to do exactly that. 

This trip will get the summer started right with three days of early season paddling on Lake Superior. Why do I say early season when the trip is scheduled for June? Because Superior stays cool all summer, and June might still have some frosty evenings and mornings.  But don't worry! The plan for this trip is to spend three days paddling in the area around Cornucopia, WI and the Apostle Islands while we spend our evenings at the Lost Creek Adventures bunkhouse on shore. With heat, showers, flush toilets, and a kitchenette only a short walk from the beach we'll be living in the paddler's lap of luxury.

While we will decide our exact plans closer to the trip, this area offers many beautiful venues for sea kayaking.  Siskiwit and Bark Bays offer protected venues where those new to Great Lakes paddling can practice their skills on Superior, and the Meyer's Beach Sea Caves are within comfortable paddling distance from the put-in near the bunkhouse (or very easy distance if we put in at Meyer's Beach).  With a short drive we could also launch from Little Sand Bay and paddle to Sand Island, should conditions allow. In case of adverse conditions on Superior, there are also a number of scenic (and warmer) inland lakes in the area that we could spend some time paddling on.  Our final paddling plans will be determined by participants' skill levels and environmental conditions during the trip. 

Overview

Where: Cornucopia, WI and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

When: June 11-15th

Required Rating: SK1 or higher.  Also, you will need to have paddled with me at some point prior to the start of the trip (but don't worry, we will arrange some trips near Madison earlier in the season to ensure this happens).

Tentative Itinerary: We would drive up from Madison on the 11th, and maybe do some skills/rescue practice in Siskiwit Bay that afternoon if time allows. From the 12th-14th we would spend the days paddling in the area, returning to Cornucopia in the late afternoon each day.  We would then depart Cornucopia for Madison on the morning of the 15th. 

Lodging: Lost Creek Adventures Bunkhouse ($20 per night, which is only $5 more than the nearest campground) located just down the road from the beach. Once the trip roster is confirmed, I will collect the trip deposits and reserve the necessary number of bunks for us.

Food: TBD, but probably bring your own. There is a kitchenette (including a microwave and minifridge) in the bunkhouse, and all the restaurants in Cornucopia probably won't open until the last week of June; beyond that, there are some restaurants we might visit, but they require a 30-40 minute drive to get to. 

Notable Gear:  The water will be cold, so wetsuits/drysuits and neoprene boots will be absolutely required, as will additional thermal layers that are warm  when wet. The club can supply wetsuits.  All other regular equipment (boat, paddle, pfd, sprayskirt, helmet, etc.), which can also be obtained from the club. A gear list will be forthcoming to participants.

Cost: Exact cost TBD, but it will need to cover expenses for lodging and gas. Anticpate approx. $150; any unused funds will be evenly distributed among trip members after trip completion.

Join us as we paddle either the Spanish River or the Turtle River in northern Ontario, Canada. It's like the Boundary Waters, but with rapids and far fewer people.

To go on this trip, you'll need an R2p paddler rating in a tandem open canoe (although a limited number of R1s may go if we can pair you with a higher rated paddler). If you don't have the needed rating, there will be opportunities prior to this trip (e.g. Pine River trip (May 2-3), Memorial Day WW trip (May 23-25), or Sierra Club whitewater canoe clinic (June 6-7). 

Since this trip is in Canada, you will need a valid passport.

Estimated cost is $300-$350/person. This announcement is a placeholder. More details and online payment options will be added later.

2020 Door County Sea Kayak Symposium - July 9/10-12, 2020 (Arrival to Door County evening of July 9)

This symposium is sponsored by Rutabaga and hosted at Rowley's Bay Resort in beautiful Door County. This is a chance for Hoofers to paddle sea kayaks on Lake Michigan in a beautiful setting and to get quality mentorship/training outside of the club and to bring their skills back to the club. I have attended and taught before, and many other club members have either attended or instructed at the symposium. Pleae feel free to ask us about our experience. If you intend to register and attend, please contact me to coordinate boat and gear. Given the scheduling and costs involved, I am posting early to enable folks to plan and coordinate boat, gear, and lodging. I am also hoping that this will motivate you to develop skills through the club to enable you to make the most of the experience. I am working on ways to possibly reduce the costs for Hoofers.

What’s it about? Watch this video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y2ga_7EgN8

Door County Sea Kayak Symposium Website:

http://www.paddlers.com/everyonepaddles/page.asp?pgid=1016

When: July 9/10-12, 2020 (Participants often arrive on the evening of July 9 to be ready to participate on July 10.)

Where: On Lake Michigan at Rowley Bay Resort in Door County, WI. ~ 5hrs drive from Madison.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/eUuPpAAMrdFS1k2M9

Rating Required:SK1 and up (If you need help deciding if this is a good fit for you, please feel free to contact me directly by email.)

Why's it so great: This symposium offers dozens of courses organized by skill level. It is run by ACA and BCU certified instructors and covers every aspect of sea kayaking.  You choose your own class schedule based on skill level. There are land and water-based instructional courses as well as guided expeditions around Lake Michigan. Some examples of instructional classes are Greenland paddling, Navigation, and Surf & Waves. Guided trips are both full and half-day. You have the choice of skill-builder trips where rescue scenarios are mixed with the expedition, or you can strictly do touring.

Skill level descriptions will be on the website and instructors will be double checking your abilities. So, choose what you think is the most appropriate level. If you intend to register and attend, please contact me to coordinate boat and gear and if you would like help choosing classes/trips. The full schedule and details for registration should be available in December 2019.

Cost: You are responsible for symposium and lodging costs (below) and food (some meals are provided by symposium).

You will need to register through the symposium’s website and pay registration fees (more info below). If you intend to register and attend, please contact me so I can help coordinate boat and gear. Using Hoofers Club Gear makes this much more affordable.

When you look at the variety of guided expeditions and instructional opportunities the value goes a long way.  If you need sea kayak equipment we are approved to use Hoofer equipment. This saves the expense of having to rent boats/paddles/skirts.

REGISTRATION/FEES (will be updated in December 2019)
Symposium Details and Registration

http://www.paddlers.com/everyonepaddles/page.asp?pgid=1016

Scheduling: You have the choice to attend 1, 2, or all 3 days. Cost varies upon how many days you sign up for.  

Below are the prices from 2019. These may change slightly when the details are updated. I am working on ways to possibly reduce the costs for Hoofers 

Before April 15th
3 day: $350/person
2 day: $320/person
1 day: $240/person

After April 15th
3 day: $380/person
2 day: $350/person
1 day: $260/person

LODGING: There are rooms available at Rowley's Bay Resort. You can also camp at Wagontrail Campgound and have the choice of bringing a tent (your own or through the club) or a reserving a yert. Links are below.

Rowley's Bay Resort:
http://rowleysbayresort.com/

Wagontrail Campgroud:
http://www.wagontrailcampground.com/

Camping, hiking, boating, and the best free music festival ever. Dennis Mossholder, and I are leading a trip to the High Cliff state park on Lake Winnebago during the same time period as the 8^th annual Mile of Music festival in nearby Appleton Wi. July 30th - August 2nd, 2020. We have 2 adjoining campsites reserved for 3 nights and 4 days. The plan would be to kayak on Lake Winnebago or the nearby Fox river in the mornings and early afternoons and then go the Mile of Music fest. The music fest is along a one mile stretch of College Ave. Last year’s event had over 200 original artists playing at 70 different venues and over 900 sets over the 4 days. Music included 19 genres from Alternative to Folk, Bluegrass, Soul, Punk and Pop Rock etc. The event highlights homegrown talent and the best emerging artists from all over the U.S. and even internationally. Come for all 4 days or part of the weekend. Cost for food and gas and camping site will most like be around $75 per person. You will need additional money for food at the festival. Bring your own camping gear or use club gear. We currently have plans for 3 cars going but let me know if you can also drive if needed. Thursday, July 30^st through Sunday, Aug 2nd 2020. Sign up today. Trip deposit will be collected in July 2020. Trip size may be expanded as we get more interest. Anyone is welcome to come. Some participants might leave on Friday. 

2020 Sea Kayak & Camping & More at Door County - Labor Day Weekend - Save the Date -- More details to follow