After School Kayaking
The Potomac River and its surrounding parks are only a short drive from Maryland and District schools – with wildlife, and islands and white water rapids, that make it a paddlers’ paradise.
You can easily learn the skills needed to enjoy this beautiful and exciting natural resource.
The 2012 Schedule: (Please check the calendar (link on Right) for days and times. Look for: Westland, Pyle, or High School Kayaking).
Pyle After School Levels 1 & 2 - In a six week program, you will paddle various flat and moving water sections of the Potomac River working on your skills as we go. Students will be introduced to: boat control, rolling steps, safety awareness and rescue skills. Levels 1 & 2 classes are offered at the same time,Wednesday afternoons. We will pick up right outside of Pyle and return to Whitman High School at 6:15 pm.
Westland After School Levels 1 & 2 - In a six week program, you will paddle various flat and moving water sections of the Potomac River working on your skills as we go. Students will be introduced to: boat control, rolling steps, safety awareness and rescue skills. Levels 1 & 2 classes are offered at the same time, Thursday afternoons. We will pick up right outside of Westland and return to Whitman High School at 6:15 pm.
High School Kayaking - For High Schoolers (or Middle Schoolers who are advanced in white water from prior programs), we will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays at 2:45 outside of Whitman High School. We will divide into 2 sections- beginners and those who can roll in moving water. Beginners will learn all important maneuvers: ferrying, scouting rapids, playing in waves, and rolling. For the more advanced paddlers, we will go out on class II-III white water, play in the water features, and take on fun challenges. This is for paddlers from high school, who have been in our classes a couple of times or have comparable experience in other programs.
To Register: Register and pay through our online registration system for High School Kayaking, Pyle, or Westland (click ‘register’ on the right).
What to bring: All kayak equipment is provided, including boat, PFD (lifejacket), helmet, spray skirt, sprayjacket, and paddle. On chilly days, students should have one or two thick layers of synthetic pile or fleece shirts (depending on the temperature) to wear under a spray jacket. Students must have appropriate water shoes.
Cost for after school classes: $ 200 for 6 afternoons on the river.
Signup: You can register directly from this website by following the registration link on the right. Click “register” and “create a student account”. After logging in, you will be able to register for your class. Scroll down to “Youth” and select the section you want to take.
Transportation is provided for students from Westland, Pyle, and Whitman. BCC students can catch the Metro Bus to Whittier Blvd. and be picked up at the bus stop near Pyle. Other area students will have the option to meet us at the river. Locations will change depending on skill & river level. We will return to Whitman H.S to drop off all students at about 6:15 PM.
For questions: related to the after school kayak program, please call the LAKS office at 301 229 0428 or Tom’s cell at 301 980 1889 or email office@liquidadventures.org. For days and times please visit our website calendar.
Tom and the Liquid Adventures’ staff are well known in the DC area for introducing newcomers to the sport of white water kayaking. Tom is a long-time paddler and coach of white water sport, having designed over the years both the Valley Mill Camp and Camp Calleva programs.
