"Life is either a great adventure or nothing"
- Hellen Keller

• Kayaking nomenclature
• Kayak strokes and maneuvers
• Equipping your kayak for an overnight adventure
• Expanding your risk management skills related to kayaking (on and off the water)
• Self and partner based rescues
• Expanding your knowledge of the Eskimo roll
• Human and natural history of Lake Pend Oreille

Day 1 Meet by 3 PM at the Eureka Mountain Center.  Check in, pitch your tent, and get our staff tour of the facility.  Enjoy a game of Disc golf before dinner or a nice hike on the retreat grounds.  After dinner we will meet in the Garden House where we will enjoy a welcome presentation, orientation covering expedition style kayaking gear & equipment, introductory to skill development during the course, as well as an exciting film!

Day 2 Our first full day on the water will begin after our morning regime of optional yoga, and a wonderful down home organic breakfast prepared with local foods.  Today our destination is Green Bay, the ideal location to learn and apply paddling skills.  As we start every day we will begin briefing the group sharing our schedule and goals for the day.  During the morning schedule our kayaking guides will review the basics related to boats and equipment to get all participants on the same page.  We will then delve into self and partner-based rescues, as well as, paddling strokes and maneuvers to refresh and increase personal and group self-confidence on the water.  After a few hours of practicing our new skills we will go on a brief journey to put these skills to the test prior to lunch.  During this time our lead guides will provide “teachable moments” as they present and relate to the local flora and fauna and human history.  After lunch, guides will introduce the “eskimo rescue” through a structured progression.  Participants will have ample opportunity to practice this skill during this time and other learned techniques.  The day will wrap up with another brief paddle prior to heading back to our camp at Green Bay for a scrumptious dutch-oven dinner.   Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included; approximately 5-8 hours of paddling today. 


Day 3 Today will again begin with an optional sunrise yoga session followed by a fresh organic breakfast. Today we will use the kayaking skills we have learned to navigate a section of shoreline where we will stage out of for the remainder of the day.   Today’s natural history moment will focus on glaciology as it relates to the formation of Lake Pend Oreille, as well as Leave No Trace ethics applicable to kayaking freshwater bodies of water. These two lessons will ground our trip and create relevance, thus providing an opportunity for us to develop a sense of belonging.   Additionally, our guides will introduce rescue techniques and other risk management skills related to open-water paddling.  There will be ample time to hone newly found skills and expand you knowledge throughout the day.  Tonight we will make camp at a local well-established camp to enjoy the last moments of our new found love - Lake Pend Oreille.  As we settle in, we will return to our beachfront base camp for a final dinner together, reflecting on the magnificent natural places we have explored and debrief the days adventure. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included; approximately 5-8 hours of paddling today. 


Day 4 The final day of our adventure we will enjoy another stunning sunrise over Lake Pend Oreille with another optional morning yoga session, followed by our fresh organic breakfast!  Our paddle today will find us immersed in a placid estuary as we navigate the water teaming with local flora and fauna. Today's paddling focus will be centered on fine-tuning our kayaking skills, which were presented the previous two days.  As we continue to our pick up point our guides will continue to coach you on continued refinement of your paddling skills and applicable techniques. After a final trip wrap up we bid a fond farewell to our fellow adventurers. Ending time will be no later than 16:00 PST.  Breakfast and Lunch included (Dinner and overnight camping available for those who are interested); 5-8 hours of paddling.