Now is a good time to don a swimsuit, grab a paddle, and go kayaking. A Haines tour operator is offering kayaking classes on Sundays at the Haines pool.
It’s Sunday afternoon in Haines. Kayak guide and tour company owner Joe Oesterling stands with a handful of people beside the pool.
Oesterling: “This is what you are going to use to actually roll yourself back out. And so if I’m upside down, this paddle has to be above the water in order for it to work as a lever. So, imagine me now, upside down.”
Oesterling is teaching them the kayak roll, a recovery move that allows paddlers to right themselves rapidly after capsizing. He says he started teaching the class partly as a community service, and partly so he himself can practice the maneuver in warm water.
It’s a skill that if you don’t do it semi-regularly, it’s hard to have it be consistent when you need it.”
He says the skill can be applied to pack rafting, an increasingly popular form of recreation that uses small inflatable boats.
Oesterling: “All of the muscle memory you need to build, paddle position, all the steps that go into rolling a kayak, whether it’s whitewater, seakayak, or a pack raft, it’s still all the same.”
Kayaker Patty Brown climbs into a kayak, grabs the side of the pool, and repeatedly leans the boat to the verge of a capsize. This is the first step to learning the move. She says it is not her first attempt at learning the skill.
Brown: “I’ve tried, but it’s been maybe thirty years, and I kind of went to the wet exit philosophy, and said ok, I’ve got another way to do this. But I’ve always wanted to be able to. So this weems like a great way to practice.”
The class is open to all paddlers. Oesterling says children are welcome, but may have a hard time rolling a full-size boat. The class is free and there is no need to register. Donations are welcome to help Oesterling pay for the rental of the pool. He says he plans on hosting it every Sunday, from 3 to 5, as long as paddlers show interest.
