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Happenings May 2008
Special Events
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Kayak Demo Day
- Date:
May 3, Saturday - Weather Permitting
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Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
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Location:
Gandy Beach,
SW side, by the mangroves
For a map, click on “Gandy Beach” here or on our home page.
Join us on the water to ‘try before you buy’ the
kayaks you are interested in. With the purchase of each new kayak, we
offer a free Kayak FUNdamentals Class.
And, some people have been known to get a Sweetwater T−shirt, too.
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TBSK Meeting - Guests are
Welcome
- Date:
May 12, Monday
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Time: 7:00
pm
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Location: The Shop
Sweetwater Kayaks invites you to
attend this month's TBSK meeting.
TBSK members receive 10% off on all purchases. There will also
be a special sale
item to be announced at the meeting. All attendees receive 1 raffle ticket
for a mystery item. This month’s guest speaker is
Dennis Kellenberger
from Tampa Bay Watch.
Dennis will give us an overview of all the programs that TBW
conducts throughout the year. He’s also going to be letting us
know about some new and exciting future programs & opportunities.
As always, pizza & drinks will be served.
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Many paddlers find they have more fun if they take our 3 hour
Basics & Safety Class first, taught on most Saturdays and Sundays.
Your trip will be more fun if you bring:
- PFD (Which Must Be Worn)
- Whistle, Light, Hat, Sunglasses
- Sunscreen, Water, Towel, Waterproof Camera
- Water Shoes (no flip flops please)
Trips may be cancelled if an insufficient number of people RSVP.
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Let's have watermelon!
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EASY PADDLE
Coffee Pot Bayou and Spa Beach
- Date: Sunday, May 4
- Time: 10 am to 4:00 pm
- Location: Coffee Pot Bayou Boat Ramp
- Fee: $32 with your own kayak
- $64 with kayak rental
This is one of our shortest and usually easiest paddles. It
can be perfect for beginners. We'll put-in at Coffee Pot Bayou
and paddle out into Tampa Bay. We'll probably paddle around
The Pier before having lunch at Spa Beach. After our return to
Coffee Pot Park we'll enjoy watermelon.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
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TGIF Snug Harbor
And Snacks at Kahuna's
- Date: Friday,
May 9
- Time: 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
- Location: Gandy Beach (Demo Day Spot)
- Fee: $32 with your own kayak
- $64 with kayak rental
Our favorite trails are now easier to
get through and we'll have snacks at Kahuna's across from the dog track.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
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Intermediate Paddle
Ft DeSoto to Pass-A-Grille
- Date: Saturday, May 10
- Time: 9:30 am
- Location: Put-In at Ft DeSoto, Shelter 9
- Fee: $60 with your own kayak
We will put in at North Beach on Ft DeSoto, paddle past Shell Island, and on to lunch
at The Hurricane Restaurant. Along the way we will go by two passes each with its own unique
playground characteristics. Russell will be the "Big Kid" leading this trip and these play sessions.
Since this is for intermediate paddlers, let’s hope for
semi-challenging waves to play in.
Difficulty:
Intermediate Paddle with open water. Spray Skirts Needed
RSVP (727) 570-4844
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Rattlesnake Key
- Date: Sunday,
May 11
- Time: 10 am to 4:00 pm
- Location: The Tip of Emerson Point
- Fee: $32 with your own kayak
- $64 with kayak rental
The tide gods are blessing this trip. We
hope the weather gods bless it as well. We plan to paddle
about 8 1/2 miles on this trip, with lunch on a beautiful beach.
Then again, with the tides this high, our beach may be underwater.
But so what, this section north of Bradenton usually has beautifully
clear water to enjoy while we paddle. And, as usual,
watermelon post-paddle.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
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LITTLE MANATEE RIVER
And The Infamous Loop
- Date: Tuesday,
May 13
- Time: 10 am to 4:00 pm
- Location: Under the Hwy 301 Bridge
- Fee: $32 with your own kayak
- $64 with kayak rental
By starting at Hwy 301 the first part of the
paddle will be in the shade. This is an intimate part of the
river to paddle and very pristine. Our lunch will be
served river-side as well as the post-paddle melon. Of special
note, energetic paddlers can continue past the take out and take a
creek back upstream to "LOOP" back to the take out.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
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BISHOP HARBOR
- Date: Sunday, May 18
- Time: 10 am to 4:00 pm
- Location: Bishop Harbor Boat Ramp
- Fee: $32 with your own kayak
- $64 with kayak rental
We finally have favorable tides for one of our favorite nearby paddles, Bishop Harbor,
just south of the Skyway Bridge. This
tour is to the South end of the Harbor and includes Moses Hole
and possibly the Terra Ceia River. As usual, we will conclude with watermelon at the
take-out.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
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PEACE RIVER
Memorial Day Paddle
- Date: Monday,
May 26
- Time: 10 am to 4:00 pm
- Location: Brownville Park Boat Ramp
- Fee: $32 with your own kayak
- $64 with kayak rental
We've paddled the Wauchula area of the Peace
River several times. Now we are going to kayak a section
further south, from Brownville to Arcadia. We'll feed you
lunch along the river and have watermelon at the take-out.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
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| Book your own private tour
Special rates are available for both guided and unguided trips at the
venue of your choice. Call the shop at 727/570-4844 or send us a message at
TheShop@SweetwaterKayaks.com.
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Instruction/Kayak Classes
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Kayak classes at Sweetwater Kayaks are taught by trained and
certified (American Canoe Association and British Canoe Union) coaches. The
classes are taught in shallow, clear water just minutes from our shop. We cater
to the timid paddler, as well as the paddler who wishes to go outside their
‘comfort zone’. In other words, we have classes for the ‘Mild to the Wild’.
Jean Totz and Russell Farrow, Co-owners of Sweetwater, have
received training as world class coaches and have traveled as far away as Wales
and Vancouver to obtain advanced training in rough sea conditions. They also
have been certified to coach all levels of paddlers. Sweetwater can now certify
paddlers as guides and coaches through the
BCU program.
Our classes are kept small to ensure quality and safety. Most
classes have one coach for every four students. So call today and expand your
horizons.
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Kayak FUNdamentals Class
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Introduction to Sea Kayaking
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| Most Saturdays and Sundays |
| Weekdays Classes Are Available |
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Meet at Sweetwater Kayaks at 9:30 am
Fee: $75.00 includes kayak, paddle, and PFD
Semi-Private Classes – up to six students.
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Get started with the basics in sea kayaking. Learn to launch your boat,
get out & in your boat in deep water, basic paddle strokes and safety tips.
And, we will have fun, too. The class is about three hours long.
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REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
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TGIF Evening Rolling Clinics
- When:
Friday, May 9,16,23,& 30, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
- Where: The Shop at 9:30
- Fee:
$50 with your own kayak (1st lesson)
- $35 with your own kayak (additional lessons)
- $40 additional for kayak rental
This class is tailored to your needs. First time roller – this is for you.
Refining an existing roll – this is for you. Want to learn an off-side roll – this is for you.
Individual hourly sessions will be scheduled on this day.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
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BCU 2 Star Training
(Alias BEYOND THE BASICS TRAINING)
- When:
Sat, May 10 & May 30, 10:00
am to 4:00 pm
- Where: The Shop at 9:30
- Fee: $99 with your own kayak
- $40 additional for kayak rental
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Prerequisite: Basics and Safety Class.
Take your skills to the next
level. We add edging for control, new strokes (Stern rudder, low brace
turn, sculling for support, high recovery) and Eskimo rescues to what we
covered in the Basics & Safety Class above.
Bring Lunch.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
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New BCU 3 Star Training
(Skills for the coastal paddler)
- When: Sat,
May 17, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Where: The Shop at 9:30
- Fee:
$99 with your own kayak
- $40 additional for kayak rental
- Prerequisite: BCU 2 Star Training
Take your skills to a new level as we move from
sheltered to open water. Basic navigation and boat control in wind
and currents are explored.
Bring Lunch.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
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Rolling Clinic
- When Saturday,
May24, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Where: The Shop half hour before
your session
- Fee:
$50 with your own kayak (1st session)
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$40 with your kayak for more sessions
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$40 additional for kayak rental
This class is tailored to your needs.
First time roller – this is for you.
Refining an existing roll – this is for you.
Want to learn an off-side roll – this is for you.
Individual hourly sessions will be scheduled on this day.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
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Sit-On-Top
FUNdamentals Class
- When Sun,
May 25, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
- Where: The Shop half hour before
your session
- Fee:
$75 with your own kayak
Get started with the basics in S-O-T kayaking. Learn to
launch your boat, get out & in your boat in deep
water, basic paddle strokes and safety tips And, we will
have fun, too. The class is about three hours long.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
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Rentals and More . . .
The 2nd Annual
IR Vacation to Hell
The Baffin to Ellesmere Challenge
Sweetwater, winners of the 2nd Annual IR Vacation to Hell,
document their adventure from beginning to end!
Check Out Their Blog.
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