River kayaking instruction    

Whitewater Fever back to the top

Discover the joy of river running in the great Northwest! This thrilling and dynamic sport is accessible to almost everyone, with some preliminary instruction. Over the years we have continually examined and refined our teaching techniques into a top-notch and respected program. All NWOC instructors are patient, thorough and knowledgeable. We'll get you excited about the sport and give you a foundation that you can build upon for years to come. If you are looking for a new and rewarding experience, take a whitewater class this year and catch the fever! The four sessions include 2 lake sessions and two full river days. During the river sessions we'll practice eddy turns, peel outs, ferrying, river reading skills, wet exits, and self-rescue techniques. After this class you will have a basic grasp on how to run class 2 rivers. It is best to stay on class 2 until you can catch every eddy and make every ferry, and surf all the waves. After that, you can move up to 2+ and easy 3. To upgrade your skills, the 5-day Total Immersion Whitewater Class is a great way to hone your basic skills, and learn a lot more.

FORMAT: Wednesday evening lake (6pm-8:30 at NWOC), Thursday evening lake session (6pm-8:30 at NWOC), Saturday river, Sunday river.

COST: $399.00
Additional:
Kayak Rental included
Drysuit Rental included

See Calendar for dates

Total Immersion 5-Day WW back to the top

Every year NWOC goes on the road to offer beginners the best way to learn kayaking there is- total immersion in a luxury setting. The students who take this class tells us this class is seriously underpriced, but we enjoy sharing the experience so much we keep the cost reasonable. After a lake session in Seattle, we will head for the rivers for five days of learning and refining basic whitewater skills. Each day will find your competence and confidence reaching new heights, until, by the end of class, you and your new friends will have incurable cases of what we call River Madness! Our instructors know how to make learning fun, and their infectious enthusiasm and love of the sport will have you laughing at your own mistakes. You will be paddling on sunny eastern Washington rivers. Paddlers of all levels join this class more than once for the fun and skill progression, but mostly for the excellent food and lodging! Better sign up soon, because this class fills up fast. While this class is aimed at beginners, many experienced paddlers take this course to upgrade their skills to the next level. We will be paddling on water that is great for learning basic skills, but also offers paddlers to challenge themselves on Class 3 moves and waves. Our accommodations at the Riverside Vacation Home in Leavenworth are incredible! We have our own beach, where we can practice rolling, and a rapid just upstream to practice our techniques. It doesn't get any easier than this!

COST: $795.00 includes food, lodging; $50 for boat rental; $20 wetsuit rental

See Calendar for dates

Eskimo Rolling back to the top

Due to covid restrictions and pool closures, we are not scheduling any roll classes for 2021. The Roll is a useful tool for coastline cruisers and river runners alike. Learn how to roll in the warm, friendly environment of a heated swimming pool under the guidance of a patient NWOC instructor. In this class, we will explain and work you on the elements of the roll-fitting in your boat, the hip snap, the setup, sweep, and recovery. We will coach you through the process. Learning to roll takes time. Some of you will get it that night, others will need to return to the pool and work on it some more. Either way, it takes practice to get and refine a roll. Watching a video might help you understand the roll action, and have it make more sense to you. Wear a swimsuit, and bring a face mask (we have some, but yours probably fits better!) or noseplugs, earplugs if you are prone to naseau/vertigo, and a towel. We provide boats and instruction. This class is not offered in the summer, except as part of the WW Fever class- be sure to sign up for a winter or spring class! Call for availability.

COST: $75.00

See Calendar for dates

Northwest Outdoor Center 2100 Westlake Ave N Ste 1 Seattle, Wa 98109 206.281.9694 mail@nwoc.com