ERA ANNUAL KIDS' KAYAK WEEK
2012 Camp: June 30th - July 3rd

 

What Kids' Week is All About:

• Who is Kids Week for? EVERYONE! Or at least everyone between the ages of seven and fifteen who is stuck on the idea of kayaking.

• Each day we have whitewater kayak sessions going different skill levels. And for 2012 we will continue with our guest ERA kid instructor program. Each day offers one of two sessions, with a description of the session and prerequisites needed. And you can join us for one day--or all fou days.* There is flexibility in the schedule to accommodate everyone’s need. *for beginning boaters or boaters uncomfortable with the wet exit, the first day is necessary to participate in additional days.

• 2012 Addition: Combination Slalom/Freestyle Training using the Nantahala and Ocoee River.

KIDS WEEK LOGISTICS

• Session Times: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m each day
• Cost: Each session is $110.00/person/day
  Lunch,equipment and transportation are included in the price of the session.
• Group Size: Maximum 5 kids per instructor
  Please note: The focus of this week is to combine fun and learning! Our goal is to make you a better kayaker. No parent tag-a-longs please!

Kids Annual Kayak Camp Itinerary

Saturday, June 30th
Meet & Greet for Everyone from 8:45-9 a.m.

• Session One:Review Day & Bring A Friend
  The focus on day one is to give an initial introduction to kayaking to new kayakers while surrounding them with experienced paddlers working on their advanced skills. We will start on the lake for the morning, followed by an afternoon paddle down a Class II River. For experienced boaters, this is the opportunity to brush up on your technique, work on your roll (right-hand, left-hand and hand rolls), and begin working on play boating technique.
  Prerequisites: This session is for all skill levels. 
  
  Have a friend you want to get hooked on paddling? Bring your friend along for the day at no additional cost. Only stipulation: friends cannot have taken instruction with us before.
• Session Two: Nantahala Review Day
  For veteran boaters who have spent time on the Nantahala-but have not done a lot of paddling yet this season, this is a Nantahala River Day. We will start off with a short morning session at the lake working on rolls, and then head to a section of the Nantahala River.   

Sunday July 1st
Meet & Greet for Everyone from 8:45-9 a.m.

• Session One: Tuck Gorge Day Class II
  This is a day of warm water and fun rapids. It can be your first time down the Tuck Gorge or a refresher play-day run. We work on whitewater safety and group work on the river.
  Prerequisites: Time spent on flat water, comfort with wet exits (doesn't mean you have to love them, but you will do them); at least one run down a Class II moving river; a willingness to get more comfortable with the whitewater part of kayaking.
• Session Two: Nantahala Day
  Rock and Roll! For veteran boaters, we will spend a full day on the Nantahala, including slalom gate work and a refresher on surfing. If you have not had a chance to run Nantahala Falls this season, or want to become comfortable running the Falls, this is your day.  This is for any boater who wants to learn new moves on the Nantahala and become more confident running Nantahala Falls. Prerequisites: Comfort on Nantahala and a motivation to knock out new moves on the Nantahala.

Monday, July 2nd
Meet & Greet for Everyone from 8:45-9 a.m.

• Session One: Intro to the Nantahala
  An intro to the Nantahala River!  We will take the skills worked on over the past two days to help feel confident running a section of the Nantahala.  We will use more than one put-in, so those who want to paddle from top to bottom may do so; as well as those who are ready for their first run down the river.
  Prerequisites: Comfort on moving Class II water, an understanding of river running techniques (ferrying, eddy catching).
• Session Two: Class III River Running on Ocoee
  Have the Nantahala dialed in? Rolling at Nantahala Falls? Ready for the next step? Then it is time for the next step.We will tailor the day to the group and what they want to work on. pushier rapids and great play spots.
  Prerequisites: A solid roll, comfort running Nantahala Falls, mental comfort with tackling pushier rapids and checking out great play spots. Depending on the river we do, we can arrange to meet participants at the river.

Tuesday, July 3rd
Meet & Greet for Everyone from 8:45-9am. This is Family Day!

Slalom/Freestyle Combination Training for all levels
The Nantahala will be host to the 2013 World Freestyle Championships and now is the time to begin training for junior boaters!  Tapping into the treasure chest of Olympic slalom boaters/freestyle boaters that work and play in the Nantahala Gorge, this will be an awesome day!!. We will work on strategy, prep work, how to get comfortable with playing on waves/in holes and cross-over training at the gates.  This is valuable training regardless of whether you have the goal of being a great whitewater  kayaker or maybe trying out the slalom angle of kayaking.

Additional Activities

Kids Swap -Throughout the weekend!

No, this is not the opportunity to swap kids. But to swap kids gear!! We will have an area set up where gear can be swapped, bartered, exchanged (okay, maybe kids too--but we get first choice for new staff). Check out the Kids Swap Page for more information.

And do not miss out on our Paddle-It-Forward Kids program.

Networking:
Parents use each morning's meet and greet time to enjoy some of our Costa Rican coffee and find other parents looking to play. We will set up an email exchange ahead of camp for parents to communicate and hook up to go and have some fun also!

Small Town 4th of July Festival, Bryson City
Enjoy Bryson City’s All-American 4th of July Festival. This is an all-day affair just jam-packed with fun for all ages. River Front Park is headquarters for the fun. Included in the festival:
5K Race – registration at 8am, Race start at 9am, awards at 9:30
Games, Crafts and Entertainment for kids: all day; pet show, puppetry, watermelon contest, potato sack race and raft rides on the Tuckaseegee.
Fontana Jam – live country music from 7 – 9:30
Firework Show – 9:30 (with the Railroad parking lot the best place to be!)

Stay Tuned for More additional activites to come!