Editor’s Note: Surf Sirens rocked the rocks and the waves this September with 30 students and 11 instructors and assistants. Thank you so much to everyone who took photos this year! Kudos to Kristy Dahlquist, Wendy Wenrick, Alisha Bube, Helen Davis, and Deb Volturno for their contributions to this article. Surf Sirens 2024 was all about […]
Sea Kayaking Classes and Conferences
Surf Sirens – Rocking the Waves in 2023
Surf Sirens 2023 blew the hatches off with the most students and the biggest instructional team to date. This was our 6th year, and while it’s always a great experience, this year was something special. It takes time to build a quality event like Surf Sirens, but I think we’ve found our stride. The structure […]
Surf Sirens Gathering 2022!!!
On September 23rd through 25th the Surf Sirens had their first official post-Covid event, and it was a great success. With head instructors Deb Volturno, Melinda Moree, and Jameson Riser and assistants Sally Anderson, Esther Ladwig, and Beth Owen we had a full complement of talent, and there were 12 gung ho students ready to […]
Navigation, Tides, and Currents in Deception Pass
Editor’s Note: Deb Volturno is a Coastal Kayaking Level 5 Instructor Trainer Educator, American Canoe Association, and a Surf Kayaking Level 4 Instructor Trainer Educator, American Canoe Association. Marty Mayock is a Coastal Kayaking Level 3 Instructor, American Canoe Association. On April 24 I took a class from Capt. (Deb) Tortuga. Not only Captain of the Tsunami […]
The Value of Rescue Practice – Cold Water Rescue Rodeo With NSSKA
By Moulton Avery and Nancy Soares Editor’s note: This March I was privileged to join the North Sound Sea Kayak Association (NSSKA) for a rescue rodeo in 42-degree water at Lake Stevens in Washington State. It was awesome! Robert Nissenbaum, Chief Instigator, led the hour-long introduction on land. There were lots of good questions and an […]
Prepping for the CAL 100
Editor’s Note: Thanks to instructors Jason Montelongo and Jeff Kay and to all the paddlers who went down the river with me. It was a new experience and a very enjoyable one! Thanks too to Tom (canoeist) and John (sea kayaker) who offered support for our first day of instruction. What is the Cal 100? Actually, […]
Surf Sirens Shred 2019!
What a great weekend! Three days on the water with a great group of badass women. I love this event for many reasons. One, it takes place on one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve seen, Hobuck Beach on the Makah Reservation at the tip of the northwest corner of Washington State. Two, it attracts […]
The Surf Sirens Surf Clinic – First Class Ocean Whitewater Instruction
Editor’s note: Thanks to TR Captain Deb Volturno for contributing some of the photos in this post. And thanks to everyone who participated in the Surf Sirens gathering this year. This group rocks! The third annual Surf Sirens gathering at Hobuck Beach on the Makah Reservation in Washington State was a big success. On the first […]
Surf Sirens – A Badass Women’s Kayak Surf Camp
Editor’s note: A big shout out to photographer Inge Watson and Tsunami Ranger Deb Volturno for the fantastic photos! Last September I had the privilege and pleasure of joining the Surf Sirens for their 2nd annual surf camp at Hobuck Beach. Hobuck is right up there on the Makah Reservation at the northwestern tip of Washington […]
White Water Sea Kayaking With LiquidFusion
Editor’s note: Last October Tsunami Ranger Capt. Jim Kakuk suggested I take a white water class. To hear is to obey. I think he meant river, but it seemed auspicious to take White Water of the Sea I & II with LiquidFusion. This post is about that class. See also Take a Sea Kayaking Class and […]
Golden Gate Sea Kayaking Symposium 2012: A Golden Opportunity
Good news! Another big chance for sea kayakers to learn advanced skills has arrived: the Golden Gate Sea Kayaking Symposium 2012 (GGSKS) will occur February 17-19. There has been a welcome trend over the last half a decade of increased numbers of symposia for intermediate and advanced sea kayakers. For example, two years ago I was fortunate […]
How to Teach a Beginner to Sea Kayak
Kudos to kayaking clubs, professional trainers, and organizations for introducing thousands of people to the wonders of sea kayaking each year. This essay centers on my opinions on how a seasoned kayaker can teach a greenhorn how to sea kayak. So here we go. First, I only teach beginners who are truly interested in learning. […]
Take a Sea Kayaking Class
Mentoring is the best way to teach a newbie how to sea kayak. But many beginners and even advanced paddlers don’t have the luxury of a knight to patiently teach them all they know about sea kayaking. Or even if you have a mentor, you may still wish to learn something your mentor doesn’t know. […]