Are you ready to practice your roll? Do you want to perfect your re-entry technique? Are you afraid that time spent without practicing a high-brace will leave you high and wet? Or do you just miss being in you boat?




All of our pool sessions this year will be the “Open Practice” format where you can learn from your peers.




Things that can be practiced in a pool include skills, techniques and strokes that do not need an expanse of water, such as:




* Wet exits


* Rescues, assisted and unassisted.


* Equipment testing, exploration, shakedown, usage or just getting comfortable, for example,using a paddle float for rescues.


* Strokes not needing an expanse of water, such as draw and pry.


* Rolling, bracing, balance bracing, sculling, etc.




Equipment for pool sessions, includes:


* Own boat, either sea kayak or short boat.


* PFD -- required for anyone in a boat in a pool session.


* Spray skirt -- required for the vast majority of skills to be practiced


* Paddle float – optional, for rescue practice, rolling practice, etc.


* Pump – optional for practice involving capsized or swamped boats


* Goggles or a face mask -- highly recommended for practice that involves immersion, since chlorinated pools can be hard on the eyes.




PLEASE NOTE: NSPN requires that payment for the pool sessions must be made in advance of the pool session. Your Registrar will provide you with the details that you need to know. Pool sessions are non-refundable. (Short notice for the first session on December 10, so bring your money and your waivers if you are a non-member – BUT you must RSVP so that I can plan for the right number of spotters!)




Registrar Judy Whipple: [email protected]




Price: $20 members; $40 non-members (that’s right - $20 for the pool, $10 for the ACA and $10 to encourage you to join and be a member )




When you inquire about a pool session, please include: Your name, phone number, NSPN membership number, expiration date, emergency contact and their phone number in the email.




Chinatown pool helpful hints:


It is important that we arrive on time for this pool. The garage will be OPENED at 6:30 p.m. Once we close the garage down, you would need to park on the street and then walk into the building to let the pool people know you are there and we would then have to come outside and open the garage back up to let you in. SO it is really important that all participants arrive between 6:30 – 6:45.




When we are asked to get out of the pool, we have to get out promptly and plan for a QUICK rinse off shower and back out to start hauling the boats back outside as a group. The lifeguards can’t leave until we are clear of the pool area. So, quicker we are out, they go home. If you need more time to primp or dry your hair, get out of the pool earlier. We need to be clear of the pool area absolutely no later than 9:10.




If we are really lucky, Sing will come with us to eat in Chinatown after our pool session!




Directions: (Google the directions if you aren’t sure)


See the BCNC (Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center) website for directions and map: http://www.bcnc.net/directions.php - I am sure the ones on the website are accurate. The pool is on the Washington St. address. The GARAGE we park at is on Oak St. West




I pulled the directions below from a prior post on the message board and they may be wrong now that all the changes take place in the tunnel. The part to look at though is the directions to the garage once you are in Chinatown so I have left them on here.




Coming from the south, get off at Exit 20 for Frontage Road and Williams Tunnel. Stay on the left hand side. On the second set of lights, take a left (you'll see a sign for Back Bay/South End). Go straight through the light at Albany St., followed by another light at Harrison Ave. On the third light at the intersection for Washington St, take a right and go straight. When you cross over the Mass turnpike, you'll hit a light. You'll see the community center/school building on the left hand side. You can take a left on to Marginal Road and look for on street parking. Or, you can go straight through the light and take a left at the next light onto Oak St. West. The parking lot is half way down the block on the left (right across from the YMCA).




If you're coming from the north, cross over the Zakim Bridge and go down into the tunnel. Stay on the left lane in the tunnel. The exit to Chinatown and South Station is on the left hand side in the tunnel. When you come up to the end of the exit ramp, stay on the right hand side and proceed straight onto the surface artery. You'll go through one set of lights (Chinatown Gate can be seen on the right) and then on the second light, take a right onto Kneeland St. From there go straight through the light at Tyler St, then Harrison Ave. On the third light, at the intersection of Washington St, take a left toward the New Medical Hospital Center. You will pass right under the Hospital, and then go by the Double Tree Hotel on the right. At the light after that, take a right onto Oak St. West. The parking lot to the center is half way down the block on the left, right across from the YMCA.

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