Youth Camps:

For 9- to 12-year olds, OSA’s Basic Youth Kayaking Camp runs Monday through Friday, from 9 am -3:30 pm. Red Cross and American Canoe Association-certified instructors and leaders will provide a confidence-building week of fun and adventure, centered on kayaking but also including swimming, hiking and observation and identification of the abundant wildlife in our region. The camp is based at our beautiful Bristol Harbor location and includes field trips to local nature centers, museums and beaches. Campers will use both sit-on-top and sea kayaks, and will learn first-hand the advantages and drawbacks of both types of kayak. Our curriculum emphasizes water safety: Students will learn proper paddling clothing and equipment, maritime etiquette and rules of the road, and how to exit and re-enter kayaks on the water. Students will also learn and practice basic navigation, including the use of charts, maps and compasses.

For 10 to 15-year-olds, OSA’s Intermediate Youth Kayaking Camp is designed for campers who have already attended our basic youth camp or who have taken certified kayaking instruction and can demonstrate an intermediate level of proficiency on the water. Using sea kayaks solely, this camp will focus more on rescues and emergency procedures, giving the participants experience and competence in more open water environments. Campers will also become familiar with specialized clothing and safety gear. Basic navigation skills will be honed and campers will learn how to safely gauge possible collision courses with other vessels. Responsibility for oneself and to the group is stressed. The program runs Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Participants in either camp should bring lunch and a healthy snack, a towel, sunscreen, warm outer layers and a warm change of clothes. Please avoid cotton. Bottled water is provided. Cost is $275 for the week. Box lunches are available for an additional $6 per day.