Kachemak Kayak Fest - This fun-filled 10-day event will feature many chances to participate in free and inexpensive kayak skills courses; observe paddling, rescue, and safety demonstrations; attend lectures and workshops on sea kayaking, paddle in a sea kayak race, take in a film festival, and much more. Here is a list of our festival offerings: Sea kayak-demo & test drive, paddling and rescue demonstration, sea kayak design and function, hypothermia and clothing (dry suit swim), sea kayak rescue workshop, marine hazards for the sea kayaker, and more. See us at our demo kayak site at the Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin on the Homer Spit.

Dates: 23 May - 1 June
Where: Homer Spit and Kachemak Bay
Registration: Contact us at (907) 235-2090 or email [email protected]
For more information visit: www.kachemakkayakfest.com

List of Courses and Programs
Alaska Canoe Base and Kayak / Alaska Kayak School

23 May, Friday - Paddling Film Festival
24 May, Saturday - Kayak Test Drive - Demo Event, Kayaking Skills Demonstration, & Sea Kayak Design and Function.
25 May, Sunday - Kayak Test Drive - Demo Event, and Intro to Kayaking
26 May, Monday - Open Water Sea Kayak Skills Workshop; Hypothermia, clothing and dry suit swim; & Kayak Rescue Workshop.
27 May, Tuesday - Sea Kayaking Skills Workshop
28 May, Wednesday - Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue
29 May, Thursday - Ride the Tide - Paddling Sea Kayaks in tidal current
30 May, Friday - Open Water Sea Kayaking Skills
31 May, Saturday - Kayak Test Drive - Demo Event; Rough Water Rescues, Kayaking Skills Demonstration, Kayak Design and Function, Kayaker Fashion Show.
1 June, Sunday - Kayak Test Drive - Demo Event, and Kayaking Skills Demonstration, Rough Water Workshop.

Course and Program Descriptions

Friday 23 May

Paddling Film Festival
View selected clips of instructional and recreational paddling videos from Cackle Productions, Performance Video and Kent Ford, Lindgren Productions, Nigel Foster and Starling Productions, and a locally produced video of Kachemak Bay kayaking and more.
Where: Alice's Champagne Palace
When: 7:00-9:30 PM
Fee: Donation at Door

Saturday 24 May

Kayak Test Drive - Demo Event: 9:30 AM-4:30 PM. Test a wide array of modern kayaks in a controlled environment with support from sea kayak instructors and guides. Dress in layered insulating clothing, synthetics best. You will receive a safety orientation before launching.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin.
Fee: $5/person for duration of Fest.

Kayaking Skills and Rescue Demonstration 10:30-11:30 AM. Come watch local experts and instructors perform the art of maneuvering sea kayaks while demonstrating strokes, maneuvers, prevent capsizes, recovery strokes, Eskimo rolls to regain balance, and efficient assisted and self-rescues. Wear warm protective clothing.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin.
FREE

Sea Kayak Design and Function 11:30AM-12:15 PM. Learn the safety and design features of and see many examples of composite and plastic sea kayaks with and without rudders. Learn how kayaks "work" and why they "weather- or lee-cock" in wind.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin.
FREE

Sunday 25 May

Kayak Test Drive - Demo Event: 8:30-11:30 AM. Test a wide array of modern sea kayaks in a controlled environment with support from sea kayak instructors and guides. Dress in layered insulating clothing, synthetics best. You will receive a safety orientation to testing kayaks prior launching. Please respect the demo kayaks and follow the kayak demo personnel's instructions. Wear warm protective clothing.
Where Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin.
Fee: $5/person for duration of event

Introduction to Kayaking: 1:00-5:00 PM - Practice the basics in an afternoon of games, drills, races and skill building. Safe carrying and lifting, launching and landing, balance, propulsion, stopping, turning, prevent a capsize, safe capsize and rescue, hypothermia and clothing, group awareness, kayak & paddle design and function and more. All paddling gear provided. Novice to Intermediate paddlers.
Space limited.
Contact: [email protected] or 235-2090.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin.
Fee: $40

Monday 26 May

Open Water Sea Kayak Skills Workshop: 8:30-12:30 PM- Paddling in wind and current, assisted rescues, group awareness, towing, safety equipment, launching and landing. Beginner to intermediate/advanced paddlers. All paddling gear provided.
Space limited.
Contact: [email protected] or 235-2090.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin.
Fee: $40

Hypothermia, Clothing and Dry suit Swim 1:00 to 3:15 PM. Causes and effects of hypothermia and how to combat them will be discussed and practiced. Splash into the Bay in a paddling dry suit. Dress in layered insulating clothes, synthetic best. Get an otter's point of view! Space limited for the swim, first-come, first-served. All welcome to the lecture and observe.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin.
Fee: $10

Kayak Rescue Workshop - 3:30-5:30 PM. Practice safe and effective sea kayak rescue techniques. Be prepared to get wet and physical. All paddling gear (including dry suits) provided.
Space limited.
Contact: [email protected] or 235-2090.
Space limited.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin
Fee: $10 Proceeds to Fest

Tuesday 27 May

Sea Kayaking Skills Workshop - 9:00-5:00 PM. Practice and learn efficient strokes, maneuvers, and rescues on this full day of paddling fun - group sessions with individual coaching. Safe use of the body, harnessing the power of the torso, using the lower body to maneuver the kayak, developing and testing your balance, effective bracing and recovery techniques, "fast" assisted rescues, towing, group awareness, hypothermia and clothing. Beginner to advanced paddlers. All paddling gear provided.
Space limited
Contact: [email protected] or 235-2090.
Where: Depends on sea conditions
Fee: $65

Wednesday 28 May

Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue: 9:00-5:00 PM. - Learn about safety and design features of clothing, PFDs, paddles, & kayaks. Learn about signaling equipment, hypothermia prevention and clothing, emergency shelters, group awareness, clean wet exit, swim with your kayak, cowboy scramble, t-rescue, x-rescue, Eskimo rescue, on the water first aid, on the water boat repair. Beginner to Advanced paddlers. All paddling gear provided.
Space limited.
Contact: [email protected] or 235-2090.
Fee: $65
Where: Depends on sea conditions

Thursday 29 May

Ride the Tide - Paddling Sea Kayaks in Tidal Current. 9:00-5:00 PM. Water taxi to Glacier Spit and tune your strokes and maneuvers on the short paddle to the entrance of Halibut Cove Lagoon. Ride the tidal stream into the lagoon on the flood and practice: turning in current, ferries (moving across current), eddy turns (turning out of current), peel outs (turning into current), and rescues in fast moving water. Strong beginners to advanced paddlers. All paddling gear provided.
Space limited.
Contact: [email protected] or 235-2090.
Where: Halibut Cove Lagoon
Fee: $85

Friday 30 May

Open Water Sea Kayaking Skills: 9:00-5:00 PM - Stroke and rescue tune-up, trip planning, equipment, group awareness, navigation, hypothermia prevention/treatment, paddling in wind and waves, blue water surfing, open water rescues, on the water first aid and kayak repairs, towing, signaling, and plans "b-z". Strong beginners to advanced paddlers. All paddling gear provided.
Space limited.
Contact: [email protected] or 235-2090.
Where: Kachemak Bay, location depending on conditions
Fee: $65

Saturday 31 May

Kayak Test Drive - Demo Event: 9:30 AM-12:30 PM. Test a wide array of modern kayaks in a controlled environment with support from sea kayak instructors and guides. Dress in layered insulating clothing, synthetics best. You will receive a 15-minute orientation to testing kayaks prior to setting off on your demonstration paddle. Please care for the demo kayaks and follow to the demo staff's instructions.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin
Fee: $5/person for duration of fest.

Rough Water Rescues - practiced in calm water. 1:00-3:30 PM. Practice and improve your sea kayak rescue skills: efficient Eskimo rescues, assisted rescues, towing and "back-deck" riding. This is a quick and dirty session on the basics of rough water rescue. Beginners to advanced paddlers.
Space limited.
Contact: [email protected] or 235-2090.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin
Fee: $35

Kayaking Skills and Rescue Demonstration 4:00-5:00 PM. Come watch local experts and instructors perform the art of maneuvering sea kayaks while demonstrating strokes, maneuvers, prevent capsizes, recovery strokes, Eskimo rolls to regain balance, and efficient assisted and self-rescues.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin
FREE

Kayak Design and Function Forum 5:15-6:15 PM. We'll review safety and design features of modern kayaks: with and without rudders, plastic composite, wood, single and double. Learn how kayaks move through the water and discover what designs are best for long distance touring, ocean play, surfing or just poking around the pond.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin
FREE

Kayaker Fashion Show and Auction 7:30- 9:00 PM. Watch local Homerites saunter down the catwalk in the gamut of kayak apparel. Drysuits to neoprene booties will be shown off and an explanation will be given on each item’s purpose and how it could possibly save your life (or not). There will also be an auction for a date with a local kayak aficionado to benefit the Fest. Come check out the styles: "Storm Dude", "Surfer Girl", "Day Tripper", "Rain Robin", "Boot Girl" and "Tropical Dan".
Where: Alice’s
Sunday, 1 June

Kayak Demo and Test Drive 9:00- 12:00 AM. Test a wide array of modern kayaks in a controlled environment with support from sea kayak instructors and guides. Dress in layered insulating clothing, synthetics best. You will receive a 15-minute orientation to testing kayaks prior to setting off on your demonstration paddle. Please care for the demo kayaks and follow to the demo staff's instructions.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin
Fee: $5/person for duration of Fest.

Kayaking Skills Demonstration 9:30 - 10:30 AM. Come watch local experts and instructors perform the art of maneuvering sea kayaks while demonstrating strokes, maneuvers, prevent capsizes, recovery strokes, Eskimo rolls to regain balance, and efficient assisted and self-rescues.
Where: Homer Spit Marine Terminal barge basin
FREE

Rough Water Workshop 1:00-5:00 PM. Practice paddling as a member of a group in bumpy water. Practice communicating, paddle strokes and maneuvers, rescues, towing, and on the water repairs and first aid - in waves and wind. Pre-requisites: Sound foundation of kayaking skills in lower end conditions and permission of instructors. Very physical, very wet, very fun. All equipment provided.
Where: Kachemak Bay, depending on conditions
Fee: $35