Advanced Kayak Classes – ACA Level 5
SURF, TIDE RIPS, OPEN COAST AND ROCK GARDENS AND
COASTAL CAMPING TRIPS – ACA LEVEL 5
Advanced Surf and Surfing (2C)
Learn to surf or refine your moves in our new fleet of short surf machines. Highly maneuverable yet stable, these river/surf “playboats” are a blast in the waves. Besides being tons of fun, surfing in these kayaks is great cross training for sea kayakers seeking to improve confidence and control in the surf zone.
Prerequisite: Surf Zone Skills (suggested: Kayak roll training)
Point Break Surfing: Short or Long Boats (2D)
The next step for those who are serious about surfing. We’ll spend part of the morning studying kayak surf videos, then we’ll move offshore to surf one of Santa Cruz’s famous point breaks, for longer, faster rides on bigger waves. To maximize learning and catching waves, this class run as a private or semi-private with 3 students maximum.
Prerequisite: 2C and fairly reliable combat roll
Dates: Available by arrangement; midweek days recommended to avoid crowds.
Advanced Rock Gardening Skills: Mendocino, Franklin Pt. Etc…
More information coming soon…
Rock Garden Safety and Rescue Intro
More information coming soon…
Coastal Camping Expeditions: Lost Coast
Advanced Coastal Kayaking Expedition: Sinkyone Wilderness Area
“No one else runs this trip like Eskape Custom Kayaking, in fact, no one else is running this trip period!”
The world-famous Lost Coast of northern California is a land of superlatives. The only stretch of coastline in the state so rugged and remote it has eluded road builders. From the water it’s 2000 foot ridge line swoops up to the sky. Each year only a handful of hardy hikers tackle its precipitous trails, and hardly anyone has kayaked it. Until now.
Expedition-Style Adventure:
Being a “custom” adventure, you can of course put this together any way you like (base camp or expedition-style), but my recommendation is definitely to run this trip “expedition-style,” with layovers in order to take full advantage of exploring all the nooks and crannies of the area’s remote rock gardens and surf breaks in unloaded kayaks.
Option 1: Usal Beach north to Bear Harbor and back down to Westport–approx. 40 miles (7 Days: Sunday-Sat.)
In my mind this is the best of the best, with a minimum of driving and a maximum of coastal exploration. We’d spend 2 days paddling north into the Sinkyone Wilderness–along the Anderson Cliffs and the towering 2000 foot crest of Timber Ridge–up to Bear Harbor, taking layover days to explore both there and halfway at Little Jackass Creek, campsites which are near some of the area’s finest rock gardens and caves. On day 5 we’d paddle back to Usal, resupply on food and water, then spend the last 2 days paddling the approx. 20 miles south to Westport where the geology and scenery change from towering cliffs blending into a more Mendo-like seascape of sea stacks and arches. The combination of north and south provides a sample of all the amazing diversity this area offers.
Option 2: Usal Beach north to Bear Harbor and back –approx. 20 miles (5 Days: Sunday-Thurs.)
Same as above but missing out on the wonderful southern section. There is a possibility of continuing down the southern section for part of the group while dropping off others at Usal on day 5.
Option 3: Shelter Cove to Westport–approx. 40 miles (7 Days: Sunday-Sat.)
This is the way I’ve done the trip before, but adding the 11-mile stretch from Shelter Cove to Bear Harbor also adds a 6-hour shuttle and most of an extra day of driving on either end of the trip, without adding a significant change in scenery. The Shelter to Bear stretch is very similar except that there are few rock gardens, etc. to explore until you get down around Bear Harbor and beyond. This is why I suggest focusing on the southern stretch.
Prerequisite: Instructor Recommendation
Prices: Starting at *$110/day — extremely reasonable considering the type of trip!
Add $100 to price below if I handle all food; (I could also handle food on an individual basis for those who wanted it)
Add $50 if I handle dinners only;
Add $10/day boat rental to use ESK boats and gear.
7-day price:
6 paddlers = *$770. (=$110/day)
5 paddlers = *$925.
4 paddlers = *$1150.
3 paddlers = *$1495.
2 paddlers = *$1995.
5-day price:
6 paddlers = *$675.
5 paddlers = *$795.
4 paddlers = *$995.
3 paddlers = *$1295.
2 paddlers = *$1895.
*Somewhat negotiable, depending on number of people, number of days, food and “extras.”
A specialty trip like this requires me to be away for two weekends, so to be able to afford to offer this sort of thing, I will need to charge more or less what other kayak companies are charging for week-long trips. Considering that week-long kayak trips in Baja cost $1100 (but include all food and paddling gear), I can do this for $770 if we fill the trip, people take care of their own food and use their own gear.
Coastal Camping Expeditions: Big Sur
Advanced Coastal Kayaking Expedition: Carmel to Big Sur
Ocean paddling at its finest against one of the most dramatic and scenic coastal backdrops in the world. Two days of hands-on practice with a focus on surf zone skills. Base camp/car camping. Also can be run as an advanced open-coast expedition 3 or 4 days from Carmel to Big Sur.
Prerequisite: At least one Level 4 Open Coast class and instructor recommendation
Price: See our custom pricing