KNSFHP 1139.22 (1 credit)

Description:

The Sea Kayaking course is an introductory course intended for individuals who have little to no kayaking experience. The course will cover topics such as: understanding and demonstrating effective risk management as it pertains to sea kayaking, navigation techniques, paddling techniques, and understanding functionality of equipment used. These are just the basics. This course will not necessarily qualify anyone to lead their own trip or take the place of additional experience and sound judgement.

Due to the nature of the course, all sessions are mandatory to attend. There will be an extended trip associated with this course to an off-campus site in order to get hands on experience. Your grade will be evaluated based on a combination of participation, knowledge, and skills.

Class room session times, locations, dates, trip dates, and fees are subject to change. There will be no refund of deposit or trip fee if this is required. A current OSU e-mail address will be used to contact all students enrolled in a class for notification of any changes.

Pre-requisites:

None

Equipment (students must purchase for class):

Students are expected to have personal clothing good at wicking away moisture (think Dri-Fit or Under Armour type clothing). More details will be provided via a packing list
Kayaking and camping specific equipment (boat, pfd, shoes, paddle, stoves, tents, sleeping bags, etc) are all provided with the course fee.

What You Will Learn:

How to select proper attire for weather and conditions while kayaking and camping.
Risks associated with sea kayaking and how to mitigate risk.
Articulate understanding of key sea kayaking terminology and how to rig and pack a sea kayak.
Demonstrate proper sea navigation and use a variety of paddle strokes.
Plan a sea kayaking route with tidal flow and weather.
Demonstrate proper cooking skills and campsite management.
Understand and demonstrate 7 Leave No Trace principles.

What To Expect:

This course involves one classroom session and at least 2.5 full days of off-campus sea kayaking and camping. This is a backcountry trip: Participants on this trip will sleep in tents and there will be no access to showers, running water, or other modern amenities.
You select which weekend works best for you based on the section you enroll in. Transportation is provided. Trips depart Friday afternoon and institutional excuses for missed classes Friday are not provided. Most trips return to campus by 8 pm on Sunday at the latest. Some trips occur during holidays and academic breaks and may last more than a weekend.
Experienced trip leaders, with specialized wilderness first aid training, will support you while in the field and actively teach how to thrive while kayaking. For example, instructors will teach you how to pack your sea kayak and set up a tent; they will not do everything for you. It is expected that students work together as a group and be supportive of each other while following instructions from instructors.
Food is provided and all meals can accommodate any special needs (allergies, vegan, etc). Food is healthy and hearty and typically exceeds expectations (you won’t be eating Pop Tarts and PB&J!).
Sea kayaking is ranked Difficulty Level: 3 out of 5 For details & tips for preparing for the trip please reference OAC Physical Challenge Scale. Accommodations can be made for all abilities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to contact the instructor for specific opportunities to participate.

Potential Benefits:

Kayaking is an excellent way to burn calories and increase cardiac health, upper-body and core strength.
Kayaking is a human powered and excellent way to see marine wildlife up-close without impacting the environment.
Being physically active and spending time in nature are both associated with lower stress levels, mood and concentration improvement
Kayaking is a life-long skill and has low impact on joints and bones.

Fun Facts:

Kayaking can burn up to 500 calories per hour if you’re paddling at an average speed of 5 MPH (source).