Pool Session #3

Pool session season is back-- but this time at the Bakke! The swimming pool at the Bakke is warm, clean, and a perfect place to kickstart your paddling journey and endeavors! Plus, the Bakke is a shallow pool which allows instructors to better assist participants with rolling and wet exit techniques. During the off season the pool is a great place to learn and continue practicing your kayaking skills.  Instructors can provide the Whitewater Kayak Orientation (R0), Sea Kayak Orientation (SK0), and swim test to those who need to fulfill these basic requirements. The pool is also a great place to learn or refine your roll, practice bracing, or experiment with new rescues. This event is open to any and all skill levels.

Sign-up and Payment: Sessions are $10 to cover the cost of the pool rental. You will be prompted to pay online when you sign-up. Otherwise, you may pay with cash/card in the Outdoor UW office, and they will manually add you to the event. If this event is full, sign up on the Kayak Pool Session - Waitlist event. If space opens up, I’ll move you over to this event.  There are a limited number of instructor slots available for experienced club members (in which case you will not need to pay to attend, but you will be expected to help provide instruction for other members); if you are interested in instructing, please sign up on the corresponding instructor event.  

Clothing: Bring swimwear, a towel, change of clothes, and nose plugs and goggles if you have them (handy when you are upside down). Avoid cotton clothes to your best ability (warm-when-wet synthetic material is your best bet). Also, full-toe foot protection is advisable as this is what you would wear when you're paddling on rivers/lakes, although it's not mandatory for pool sessions.

Logistics: Meet at Memorial Union inside the Outdoor UW boathouse by 3:30pm. We will then organize which boats/gear we are taking and carry them out to the cars. Once we have all the gear and people packed, we will drive to the pool at the Bakke. We will park in Parking Lot 57 (on the East side of the Bakke) and walk our boats and gear directly to the pool. If there is no parking in Lot 57, we will park in Lot 37 or 39 after unloading kayaks. The Bakke has locker rooms where you can store your stuff and shower (please rinse off before entering the pool). The group will likely be split into groups, i.e. “Whitewater Kayak Orientation,” “Sea Kayaking Orientation,” or “Rolling Lesson”. Some more experienced members may practice their skills in the pool on their own. Any swim tests will occur at the beginning of the session. We have the diving well reserved from 4:30pm - 6:30pm, so we will aim to start getting out of the water around 6:15pm. We need to be completely departed from the pool area by 6:30pm. Please plan to stay until 7pm to help pack up boats/gear and return them to the boathouse.

Please note that once you sign up (and pay), we cannot give you a refund unless someone else on the list can go and pay.  If you volunteer to drive boats or people but discover you can no longer attend the event, please provide as much advance notice as possible to ensure that we make alternative arrangements.  

If you have any questions or concerns at all, email Rose Eisenmenger (canoeing@hooferouting.org).