Sea Kayak Building
Ages 13-19, July 20-August 1, 2008
7 Seas Month: Life on the Oregon Coast
Kayak Building, 7 Seas: The oceans make up nearly 3/4 of our Earth. For centuries the 7 Seas
were a mystery. They have always
inspired lore and legend! From the great depths to the shoreline and the intertidal life, Oregon has some of the greatest shorelines in the world. Come with us and see them with new eyes. The the best way to see them is the kayak you built yourself!
We live on a river. We live by an ocean. Boats, the Willamette Valley and the Pacific Northwest go hand in hand. From building your own kayak, learning to safely roll it, read the ocean and paddle it on an adventure, we offer everything from start to finish.
This week you build your own kayak and learn the basics for safely using it. Skin-on-frame kayaks have been tested and perfected over thousands of years in the toughest, most dangerous water conditions in the world (such as the arctic), by people whose lives depended on their kayaks to hunt and gather their food. Discover a new (old) way of exploring your world!
We journey down to Rick Hazard's Cedargove Permaculture Farm Port Orford, O. There we learn and live homesteading on the Oregon coast. Rick's farm is part of a regional effort to help bring back the population of Port Orford Cedar from the devastating spread of root fungus. We learn about his process for selecting trees that can survive and thrive for the future. We sustainably select, harvest and mill our own tree (pulling it out from the forest with a winch) for our kayaks. This tree has already died from root fungus but its wood is still strong. This is what we will make our boats out of! It is important we are part of the process from start to finish. Cedargrove farm includes a herd of baby goats and a 2 story cob building!
You then learn how to design your own boat specific to you. Many kayak building courses make the boats from a kit, one size fits all. We teach you you how design affects performance so you can be ready to build your next boat on your own, the way you want it! No two boats will be the same.
We also learn about life on a permaculture farm, how to harvest wild flora and domestic fauna. With plenty of time to build your kayak in week 1, we take the second week to learn and play safely in the water, go tidepooling and explore the Oregon Coast. We harvest crabs, shellfish and sea vegetables, learning the process of preserving wild edibles from the seashore.
Required
- wet suit
- shellfish and fishing license
- required simple tools: clamps, specialized saw, specific needles
sensibilities of vegetarians are respected, we have other equally valuable activities and options when a learning activity focuses on fish and shellfish harvest
Kayak Building Ages 13-19 camp includes
Who Ages 13-19 Register Online (below) or by mail |
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| Arriving National & International Participants Its easy to fly into Portland's airport and get a ride out to your workshop. We pick up and host up to two nights before. Fees $75 for each non-workshop night: meals and safe lodging included. Contact Us to make your travel arrangements. | |
