Greenland Paddling (AM & PM sessions)

Two Sessions – Morning (8:30) and Afternoon (1:30)

Location: Chebacco Lake

Course Description:

A bit of Greenland will be coming to the Cape Ann area in August with Cheri Perry and Turner Wilson offering their qajaq expertise to interested paddlers. In this small class (3 to 1 student to instructor ratio), you will receive individual attention in the traditional paddling techniques (paddling, bracing, rolling). All abilities are welcome. So if you’ve never tried a Greenland boat and paddle this is a unique opportunity to go green and learn from two of the top mentors in the country. The class includes a variety of skin on frame, stitch and glue, as well as low volume fiberglass kayaks. Tuiliqs, Greenland style paddles and foam masiks will also be available so participants will get the full experience of the Greenland technique. There will be two sessions available – morning and afternoon.

About the instructors:

Cheri has been a paddling guide and instructor for seventeen years. Cheri received her initial training with the Maine Island Kayak Company, where she was a visiting guide from 1990-1995. In 1997 she took BCU training & certification with Nigel Dennis. In 2002 her direction changed at a traditional workshop with Greg Stamer of Qajaq USA. The next year she began teaching "the ancient art of Greenland kayaking," perfecting her maneuvers with hours of practice with the Walden Qajaq Society and on her own. In 2004 and 2005 she competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships, taking first place for women. Cheri is also a certified yoga instructor.

Turner Wilson has mentored folks in Greenlandic Kayaking technique all over the United States for the past four years. A founding member of Walden Qajaq Society, otherwise known as the Pond Scum, he competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships in 2005, where he was fortunate to have the opportunity to mentor several Greenlandic youngsters from Qajaq Sisimiut during their phase of the competition.

Cheri and Tuner have taught at BCU Week at Sea Kayak Georgia, at the Florida Coast Sea Kayak Symposium, the Qajaq USA Michigan Training Camp, the Coastbusters Sea Kayak Symposium in Auckland NZ and BCU week in VT.

Check out their website at www.kayakways.net

Fee: $140 per session.

To Register: Send an email to the class facilitator, Paula, at [email protected] by August 8th. (These sessions are popular so be sure to sign up early!) Include your ACA #, boat description, emergency contact name and phone number. Also include which session (morning or afternoon) you want to attend.

Paula will tell you where to mail your check and will keep the registration list and a waiting list. Paula will only hold your slot when she receives your check made out to NSPN. If you cannot attend you will receive a refund only if your slot can be filled from the waiting list. If the class is oversubscribed Paula will ask if you want to be placed on the waiting list.

All NSPN-sponsored commercial events are run on a “pass-through-the-cost-basis.” NSPN may include a very small markup over actual costs to cover incidental expenses and support club activities that benefit the membership as a whole. These classes are still priced well below what commercial outfitters charge for comparable activities. The club does not subsidize activities that benefit only the participants in classes with limited enrollment. Therefore, in the highly unlikely event that the class is canceled due to extreme weather, there will be no refunds. Lightning will obviously keep us off the water, but much can be learned from these talented teachers on shore.