*** Note about our schedule and our courses. ***

We can run any course or trip for you and your friends and family with a minumum of 4 paddlers (at our regular prices) private, semi-private and small groups also possible!

If we're not booked on a scheduled course, we'll teach or lead full and half days (65% of full day price):

• private (1 student-1 instructor) $375/day/student
• semi-private (2 students, 1 instructor) $185/day/student
• small group (3 students, 1 instructor) $150/day/student
• group (4-8 students, 1 instructor) $105-$125/day (depends on course)

** Water Taxi fees, if applicable, not included in these fees **

All paddling equipment, including drysuits provided. You provide insulating layers, socks, and eyeglass retainers. Water and food appropriate for an active day on the water.

Any trip or course you find in the course archives is fair game, from placid water canoeing to sea kayaking rocky coasts and all in between, for paddlers of the right experience level, of course.

Call or email us and ask about openings in our Skills Progression Training Series, or about your adventure ideas. See you on the water!

Alaska Kayak School Courses
Sea Skill Progression Series

• Skills 1 - general control of the kayak (BCU 1 and 2 star) intro to rescues, edging, sculling, etc.

• Skills 2 - technical performance of strokes and maneuvers, solid rescues, towing, navigation and planning, environmental awareness, and basics of rolling. (BCU 3 star).

• Safety and Rescue - awareness and prevention, rescue yourself and others in conditions you paddle in on a regular basis, how to get help, who to To register, how to help other paddlers in difficulty in a water emergency.

• Wind and Waves - planning, equipment and seaworthiness, controlling your kayak and having fun in open water, strokes, maneuvers, rescues, towing, efficient paddling, all in waves 3-5', wind to 16 knots, tidal streams of up to 3 knots, and 3' surf (4.5' breaking near shore). 3 parts: Open water, rock gardens, and surf (usually taught on separate days, but 2 possible if conditions allow).

• Tides and Currents - Planning, understanding, using, controlling kayak in moving water, strokes & maneuvers (such as eddy turns and peel outs, normally reserved for whitewater) rescues, and tons of fun! 2 Parts, not taugh in the same day: Moving Water Skills, Tidal Races.

These training courses can help prepare you for passing professional skill assessments in the British Canoe Union training and assessment scheme. Test yourself against the largest most well-used kayak skills syllabus in the World. With good coaching, practice and a little perseverance, you can master a wide repertoire of skills. KNOW The strokes the experts know ……

Discover the possibilities ……..

Or let us know your goals for water fun and paddling and let us design a custom trip/course to suit your needs.
• To register [email protected], 907-235-2090
Additional information and registration materials •

Course Descriptions

Dates: 30 June (Wed),
Fee: $125
Where: Kasilof River
Pre-requisites: Confident wet exit and good swimming ability, or a confident pool roll. Not for novices.
Call or email. 235-2090, [email protected]

2. Woz River Trip: Woz Glacier to Kachemak Bay. Be one of a few to have paddled the Woz River in Kachemak Bay State Park, a lovely class I-II bouncy and very scenic wilderness run is a very short flight across Kachemak Bay from Homer. Braided in places, several chutes and wave trains carry you down to rocky walls and several tight corners, sweepers and log jams in places require easy portages. Great Fun! We fly from Beluga Lake and land and launch into the glacial lake under the Woz Glacier. Spend a day practicing river-paddling moves while winding down to Neptune Bay beach on the shores of Kachemak Bay. This is just about due south of Lands End on the Homer Spit. This is the reason you learned to kayak! Join the fun!!!

Dates: 1 July (Thu),
Fee: $195 *
Where: Beluga Lake. Time tbd
Pre-requisites: Basic River Kayaking Skills, or Confident wet exit and good swimming ability, or a confident pool roll, Introduction to River Paddling is recommended.
To register: 235-2090, [email protected]
* may be adjusted depending on number of participants.

3. Tides and Currents. Moving Water Skills. Halibut Cove Lagoon. 10 AM-6 PM. What are the differences between tides and currents? What are tidal streams? Tidal Races? Overfalls? Increase your confidence and ability to paddle in tidal channels, tidal races, and overfalls where the speed of the current is faster than you can paddle! Practice wet exits and rescues, and learn to make "whitewater" moves in a sea kayak: eddy-turns, peel outs, ferries, etc. Great place to put your pool roll to the test! All equipment provided, including Kokatat Gore-tex dry suits. Space limited.

Dates: 2 July (Fri)
Where: Mako's Water Taxi, Homer Spit 9 AM.
Pre-requisites: Confident wet exit.
Fee: $155
To register: (907) 235-2090, [email protected]

4. Tides and Currents. Tidal Races. 10 AM-6 PM. Improve your sea kayaking skills by practicing skills and rescues in tidal races, moving open water. Paddle across Kachemak Bay to Moosehead Point (and back) to access the tidal race at the mouth of China Poot Bay. Eddy turns, peel outs, ferries, assisted rescues, Eskimo rolling in current, t-rescues, towing, and sea kayak surfing the tidal race waves, and more. This is a long day with strenuous physical play as part of the focus. Previous experience with wet exits, paddling skills training, and rescues (practiced outdoors) important skills to have before taking this course.

Dates: 3 July (Fri), 5 July (Mon)
Where: Captain's Coffee, 9AM.
Pre-requisites: Confident wet exit and rescue skills, previous open water sea kayaking experience and good boat control skills. Previous experience paddling sea kayak in moving water desirable.
Fee: $125
To register: (907) 235-2090, [email protected]

5. Kayak Hiking Trip. - Glacier Creek. Water taxi to the Saddle Trail or Glacier Spit in Kachemak Bay State Park. Carry a whitewater kayak and your gear to Grewink Glacier lake and paddle among the bergs. But the best is yet to come. Then you get to paddle 2.5 miles of lovely Class II Grewink Creek down to Kachemak Bay at Glacier Spit for the water taxi ride home. This is not a trip for novices. Class II or better kayakers with functional Eskimo rolls only. Perfect finale for a progression of our river skills courses
( intro to river kayaking, intro to river play boating, and the class II Woz River Trip). On the Grewink, you "earn" your fun by hiking your gear over a hiking trail to the lake. Not for the faint of heart, you must carry your own boat and gear. Drysuits, helmets, skirts, paddles, pfds and kayaks can be provided. Total trip can take 6-8 hours dock to dock.

Dates: 4 July, (Sun), 21 July (Wed.).
Where: Mako's water taxi, time tbd
Fee: $165 + tax
Pre-requisites: previous river kayaking experience and reliable river roll.
To register: (907) 235-2090, [email protected]

6. Introduction to Playboating. River Kayaks. Learn how to catch and surf river waves, and perform front surfing moves such as ferries, bottom turns, cut backs, enders and pirrouettes. This course is a follow-up day to any introductory river kayaking course. Must have a reliable pool roll or outdoor combat roll. This will be a day road trip to find rivers to play and learn on, Anchor, Kasilof, Kenai? We may end up on the Kenai River near Soldotna. Count on 4-5 hours of river play and instruction and an all day kayaking road trip.

Dates: 7 July (Wed)
Where: Captain's Coffee, 730 AM meeting
Pre-requisites: Reliable pool roll, or outdoor combat roll
Fee: $85 + tax
To register: (907) 235-2090, [email protected]

7. Sea Skills Series: Skills 1-2, & Wind and Waves - Open Water. Learn and practice the basics of sea kayaking in a day of drills, games, competitions and fun. Safe carrying and lifting, launching and landing, safe capsize and wet exit, rescues and capsize prevention, use of the body to power and maneuver the kayak, towing, stopping, turning, group awareness, kayak, paddle, and more. Follow this up with a day of paddling in Kachemak Bay and getting the hang of paddling in open-water, includes paddling in wind and waves, group dynamics, rescues, towing and more - good fun!. Novice to intermediate paddlers. All equipment provided, including Kokatat Gore-tex dry suits.

Dates: 10, 11 July (Sat-Sun)
Where: Sat Bridge Creek Res. 9 AM, Sunday Captain's Coffee 10 AM
Pre-requisites: this is along physical weekend, stamina
Fee: $210 + Tax; or $105 + tax per day.
To register: (907) 235-2090, [email protected]

8. Sea Skills I & II and Wind and Waves. Rock Gardens (Ocean play in rocky coastlines). 9 AM-5 PM. Learn and practice the basics of sea kayaking in a day of drills, games, competitions and fun. Safe carrying and lifting, launching and landing, safe capsize and wet exit, rescues and capsize prevention, use of the body to power and maneuver the kayak, towing, stopping, turning, group awareness, kayak, paddle, and more. Novice to intermediate paddlers. Follow this with a day of rock garden play - Apply your boat control skills (sweep turn, low brace turn , bow rudder, etc.) and safety awareness to practice learning how to maneuver in and around rock gardens. Plastic sea kayaks provided. All equipment provided, including Kokatat Gore-tex dry suits.

All equipment provided, including Kokatat Gore-tex dry suits.

Dates: 13 and 14 July (Tue & Wed)
Where: Tue (Bridge Creek Res 930 AM), Wed, Captain's Coffee 10 AM
Pre-requisites: Previous kayaking experience desirable, completion of day one prepares for day 2. Perfect for Alaska Kayak School students of skills 1 and 2 courses, and wind and waves - open water courses.
Fees: day 1 - $105 (+tax), day 2 - $145+ tax, both days - $240 + tax
To Register: (907) 235-2090, [email protected]

9. Kachemak Bay Sea School: beginner/intermediate Sea Kayaking skills - 3 Days @ Otter Cove Resort, Eldred Passage. Spend a long weekend developing the full repertoire of skills you'll need to safely paddle sea kayaks as member of a group in placid to moderate conditions. Trip planning, safe carrying, launching and landing, group awareness, clothing and essential gear, effective strokes and maneuvers, safety equipment and procedures, rescues, towing, ocean play, navigation, and more. Includes water taxi, 2 dinners, 3 lunches, 2 breakfasts, 2 nights lodging in 4-person cabins, and all kayaking instruction and equipment (including dry suit). Depart Homer Harbor for Tutka Bay 10 AM of day 1. Expect first afternoon orientation and short paddle, and all-day session on second and third days. Water taxi departure back to Homer around 5:30 PM of day 3. You bring personal clothing, sleeping bag and other personal items. Pre-requisites: previous sea kayaking experience and confident wet exit desirable, but not essential.

Dates: 17, 18, 19 July (Sat-Mon)
Where:: Otter Cover Resort
Fee: $450 + tax
Pre-requisites: None
Registration: Homer Ocean Charters, www.homerocean.com, (800) 426-6212, or Alaska Kayak School, [email protected], (907) 235-2090.

10. Passage Canal Sea School - Beginner/intermediate Sea Kayaking skills - Whittier. Develop open water paddling skills during this 2-day course in beautiful Passage Canal. First day devoted to general boat control, safety, clothing, rescues, and group awareness. Put it all together on a day trip on the second day. Trip planning, safe carrying, launching and landing, clothing and essential gear, effective strokes and maneuvers, safety equipment and procedures, rescues, towing, ocean play, navigation, and more. Pre-requisites: previous sea kayaking experience and confident wet exit desirable, but not essential. Beginners to Advanced.

Dates: 24. 25 July (Sat., Sun.)
Where: Alaska Sea Kayakers, Passage Canal, Whittier
Fee: $265 + tax
Registration: Call or email AKS 235-2090, [email protected]
or Alaska Sea Kayakers 907-472-2534, www.alaskaseakayakers.com