(727) 570-4844
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August 2006 Happenings
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Special Events |
Try Before You Buy Kayak Demo Day
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Date: 8/5, Saturday - Weather Permitting
· Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
· Location: Gandy Beach, SW side, by the mangroves
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 Basics and Safety Class.
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Get-Away-Tours |
Beginners will often find they have more fun if they take our 3 hour Basic & Safety Class first. If you would like to do this, see the class schedule near the end of this newsletter.
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)
§ Sweetwater Adventure Club Card
Trips may be cancelled if fewer than six people RSVP.
All trips this month are for novice and above paddlers.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
Summer Paddles – mostly spring fed water and/or in-the-shade.
Almost Full Moon Paddle – Hillsborough River 
· Date: Aug 10, Thursday, 7:00 pm
· Launch Site: Trout Creek Park
· Cost: $50.00 with Kayak Rental,
· $25.00 with own Kayak
We will put in at Trout Creek Park and paddle down stream to Rotary Park on Fowler Road on this the day after a full moon. The first part of this river is beautiful with tall cypress along the banks and wonderful cypress knees jutting above ground. We will complete this during daylight to dusk. Then the fun really begins. As the sun settles below the trees we will paddle past homes on our right and forest on our left. Our guests will probably gravitate to one side or the other.
This paddle is appropriate for beginners.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
Weeki Wachee River - Saturday
3’ Baby Manatee Seen In July
· Date: Aug 12, Saturday 10:00 am
· Launch Site: Canoe Livery next to Weeki Wachee Springs
· Cost: $57.00 with Kayak Rental,
· $32.00 with own Kayak
Grab hold of this opportunity. Due to weekend boat traffic we only do this trip on the week end once or twice per year. We probably won’t do it again until next year. However, someone requested this trip be on a weekend day soon. So here it is. Join us on this Saturday or take a day off work and join us on a weekday, like Monday, Aug 21. It is your choice.
Meet at 10 am at the canoe livery next to Weeki Wachee Springs. We’ll stop at the baby manatees (3 again this summer), stop and swim, stop and eat, stop and snorkel, and stop at a rope swing. Watch an old guy (Don) fail at another 360 flip attempt from the rope swing. You may even join Don jumping from a tree. We’ll be done about 4:00.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
Silver River
Monkeys, clear water and paddle boats
· 
Date: Aug 19, Saturday 10:00 am
· Launch Site: Ray’s Wayside Park
· Cost: $50.00 with Kayak Rental,
$25.00 with own Kayak
Here is another way-cool paddle for August – on 72 degree water. That is the temperature of the water in Silver River. We also have some tree canopy to hide under during part of the trip. Those are the same trees that house the monkeys along the river bank. They escaped from an island stocked by a tourist boat owner long ago. He expected that monkeys could not swim. They can . . . and do. So keep paddling past them. Don is also going to try to talk Donna into camping at Gore’s Landing the night before. If you want to join us give a shout. Don may need numbers to help him convince her to camp. PS: when Don “camps” he sleeps in the back of his van – some camper!
RSVP (727) 570-4844
Weeki Wachee River
3’ Baby Manatee Seen In July
· Date: Aug 21, Monday 10:00 am
· Launch Site: Canoe Livery next to Weeki Wachee Springs
· Cost: $57.00 with Kayak Rental,
· $32.00 with own Kayak
Meet at 10 am at canoe livery next to Weeki Wachee Springs. We’ll stop at the baby manatees (2 again this spring), stop and swim, stop and eat, stop and snorkel, and stop at a rope swing. Watch an old guy (Don) fail at another 360 flip attempt from the rope swing. You may even join Don jumping from a tree. We’ll be done about 4:00.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
Hillsborough River In-The-Shade
Dear River State Park to the rapids and back
· Date: Aug 26, Saturday, 10:00 am
· Location: Dead River State Park
· Fee: $25 with your own kayak
· $50 with kayak rental
Here is a section we only do about once per year. We will put-in at Dead River State Park. (Hah! I’ll bet most of you didn’t even know there was a Dead River State Park.) Then we will paddle up against the “mighty” ½ to 1 mile per hour current, which we seldom notice is a current, through Hillsborough River State Park and to their rapids. Of course, if there is a lot of rain and the river is high we will notice the current. After checking out the scene at the rapids we will paddle down stream to lunch before paddling back to Dead River. This is a beautiful section of the Hillsborough River that most people don’t paddle.
RSVP (727) 570-4844
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@www.SweetwaterKayaks.com.
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Instruction/Kayak Classes |
Kayak classes at Sweetwater Kayaks are taught by trained and certified (American Canoe Association and British Canoe Union) coaches, usually with a 4/1 ratio. The classes are taught in shallow clear water just minutes from our shop.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
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KAYAK BASICS AND SAFETY CLASS Introduction to Sea Kayaking
· Meet at: Sweetwater Kayaks · Fee: $69.00 includes kayak, paddle, and PFD · Semi-Private Classes – usually closed at four students. |
Donna with student doing paddle float self-rescue. |
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. We recently added assisted rescues to this class. And, we will have fun, too. The class is about three hours long.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
Rolling Clinic
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When: August 6, Sunday
· Location: To Be Determined
· Fee: $50 with your own kayak (1st session),
$35 with your kayak for more sessions
$35 additional for kayak
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. Want to get ready for the surf class later this month – this is for you. Individual hourly sessions will be scheduled on this day.
RSVP (727) 570-4844 – tell us sea kayak or surf boat
BCU 2 Star Training
(Alias BEYOND THE BASICS TRAINING)
· Date: Aug 13, Sunday, 10:00 to 4:00
· Location: To Be Determined
· Class Fee: $95 & $35 additional for kayak rental
· 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.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
BCU 3 Star Training
(Alias BEYOND THE BEYOND THE BASICS TRAINING)
· Date: Aug 20, Sunday, 10:00 to 4:00
· Location: To Be Determined
· Class Fee: $95 & $35 additional for kayak rental
· Prerequisite: BCU 2 Star Training.
Take your skills to a new level. We continue to refine edging for control, and add new strokes (draw on the move, hanging draw, bow rudder) and more (complete Eskimo rescue and towing) to what we covered in the BCU 2 Star Class above.
REGISTER at (727) 570-4844
Surf Class
· Date: Aug 27, Sunday, 10:00 to 4:00
· Location: To Be Determined
· Class Fee: $95 & $35 additional for kayak rental
Prerequisite: Be able to do an Eskimo roll – if not, take class Aug 6.
This course will cover both theory and application. You will learn what causes waves, their general shapes, how to catch a ride, surfing circuits, how to use a rip tide and more. We’ll even go out and do some surfing. Pray for a little wind out of the west.
Private Coaching
· Fee: $45 per hour for up to two paddlers
· (3 hour minimum)
Call 727-570-4844 to set up your session.