Introduction to Sea Kayaking - July 19, 2026

Celebrating a successful assisted rescue

We had a great session for RICKA’s Introduction to Sea Kayaking – 8 participants, just about the right size.

The session was held at Wickford Harbor, which gave us a lot of options to find different conditions. We reviewed the gear you need for sea kayaking, worked on strokes (efficient forward and backward strokes, sweep strokes for turning the boat, draw and pry strokes to move the boat sideways, bow and stern rudders to hold the boat on a line or turn into the wind, edging, bracing and stopping), and rescue techniques (towing, assisted rescues and self-rescues). Everyone did great.

The crew

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Introduction to Canoe Camping - January 18, 2026

I was glad to be one of the presenters at the NH/AMC’s Introduction to Canoe Camping. The session was focused on paddlers interested in moving into wilderness tripping. Presentations included Trip Planning and Organization (Jonathan), Necessary Skills (Bob), Boats and Paddling Gear (me), Camping Gear (Deb), and Food and Cooking (Cathy). In addition, several presenters did presentations on their favorite trips (I did the Connecticut River), and there was a Show and Tell table where folks could see and ask questions about gear. It was a great session, and very well received.

RICKA Flatwater Training - July 12, 2025

The wekend started off with the RICKA Flatwater Training – this year led by Mike Hazeltine. We covered kayaking gear, basic stokes and assisted rescues. Nice mix of students, and the water was warm for rescue practice.

Practicing Assisted Rescues

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Introduction to Canoe/Kayak Camping - July 9, 2025

Chuck and I did a virtual canoe/kayak camping training for RICKA last night. Not a bad turn out – great questions and discussion. Here is the recording.

If you go to the description on the Vimeo page, you will see a list of the topics that we covered with the time stamp. Click the time stamp and it will take you to that section of the video.

Introduction to Canoe Camping – January 18, 2025

I was glad to be one of the presenters at the NH/AMC’s Introduction to Canoe Camping. The session was focused on paddlers interested in moving into wilderness tripping. Presentations included Trip Planning and Organization (Jonathan), Necessary Skills (Bob), Boats and Paddling Gear (me), Camping Gear (Deb), and Food and Cooking. In addition, several presenters did presentations on their favorite trips (I did the Connecticut River), and there was a Show and Tell table where folks could see and ask questions about gear. It was a great session, and very well received.

Introducing my favorite trip video on the Connecticut River

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Advanced Strokes at the Kayak Centre - July 1, 2023

I spent my birthday at the Just Strokes - Advance class at the Kayak Centre with Ken F.

I did the Essential Kayak Skills class with Ken last summer. That class covered basic strokes - forward sweep, reverse sweep, 360 degree turn, forward stroke, reverse stroke, stopping, stern rudder, stern pry, beam draw and low brace – with an emphasis on shaft angle, (high, medium and low), good torso rotation, and paddle placement. In the Just Strokes - Advance class the emphasis was on edging and boat control. We covered bow and stern rudders, low and high braces, low brace turns, side slips, and sculling draws.

It's funny how some things translate easier from canoe to kayak. Bow/stern rudders, low brace turns, bracing and side slipping all have comparable strokes in the canoe, and I picked those up a little easier. I still struggle with the forward stroke, which looks like a canoe stroke with a very high angle and the blade going parallel to the boat. Ken said it is a powerful stroke, but is all arms and shoulders with limited torso rotation. I need to work on keeping my top hand at about chin level, and allowing my bottom hand to sweep out a little more, and rotating my upper torso. The stroke should look like a butterfly wing - definitely not a canoe stroke.

No pictures from today – I forgot to bring my camera.

RICKA Flatwater Training - June 11, 2023

I was at Stump Pond today for the RICKA Flatwater Training. Bill and I have been involved in this training since at least 2010. Paul helped out this year as well. New paddlers learned basic strokes, and for the first time we also did solo canoe training. The water was cold, but we still had several people do wet exits and assisted rescues.  

Crew for the Flatwater Training

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River Rescue Clinic with Boston AMC – April 29, 2023

The crew get ready

I was looking through the AMC Activities, and saw that Conrad was coordinating a river rescue clinic for Boston AMC leaders at Zoar Outdoors. I signed up, but thought I would probably get bumped out by another leader. Fortunately, I didn’t.

I took my first swiftwater rescue class with the Blackstone Valley Paddled Club back around 2007. That class was also at Zoar Outdoor and focused on basic rescue skills such as safe and aggressive swimming, throw rope rescues and wading rescues. Shortly after that, I took a more advanced swiftwater course with the NHAMC that also covered strainers, rescue vests and rope-based rescues. Since it has been a while since I’ve had a refresher course, I was glad to get into this one.

Hand of God Rescue

This session focused on boat-based rescues with a minimum of equipment. With kayakers, this is the way most rescues happen these days. The session started with a discussion of trip safety, and what leaders should think about when planning and running a trip. 

After the classroom session we headed out to the river to review boat-based rescues including the “T” Rescue, Parallel/Side-by-Side Rescue, and the Hand of God Rescue. We also practiced emptying swamped boats and deep water recoveries. As a canoeist, its good to know that a Side-by-Side Rescue will work with a kayaker expecting a "T" Rescue.  Also good to know the best way to empty a swamped kayak. Those are skills I can use on the river.

Waiting for the next swim on Turtle Rock

After lunch we headed over to the Baby Gap (below Zoar Gap) to practice swimming and rescuing swimmers. We practiced swiftwater entries, safe/passive swimming, and aggressive swimming. We also practiced throw rope rescues, towing swimmers and a vectored Live Bait rescue.

Before packing up, we took a moment to remember Jocelyn Barrett, a frequent Deerfield paddler and active member of the community who passed away last week. It was a long, cold day, but definitely worth the time.  Glad I was able to participate.

Swimming below Zoar Gap from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

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Dan's Pictures and Videos

River Rescue courses at Zoar Outdoor

Kayak Instruction/Trips

• Kayak Waveology
• Pinniped Kayak

Essential Kayak Skills class at the Kayak Centre - August 14, 2022

Strokes are demonstrated

I spent the day yesterday learning to paddle a kayak at the Essential Kayak Skills class at the Kayak Centre. It has been years since I’ve had any formal paddling instruction, and I really shouldn’t have waited this long.

This is an introductory course, so we spent a lot of time covering strokes – forward sweep, reverse sweep, 360 degree turn, forward stroke, reverse stroke, stopping, stern rudder, stern pry, beam draw and low brace. The focus was on shaft angle, (high, medium and low), good torso rotation, and paddle placement. Each stoke was demonstrated, and then we had individual coaching to make sure that we got it right.

Then we practice

After strokes, we covered wet exits and assisted/unassisted rescues. I did a T-Rescue as the rescuee and as the rescurer. A paddle float rescue was demonstrated, so I can try it sometime.

It was an excellent program and I am definitely glad that I did it. The trick will be to remember everything once I get my new boat out on the water. It also reminded me that I have gotten pretty sloppy in my open boat paddling - especially when it comes to torso rotation.  Too bad I didn't have my new boat yet.

Practicing assisted rescues

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RICKA Flatwater Training - July 9, 2022

Assisted rescue with Bill

I was back on the Woonasquatucket River on Saturday – this time at the Stillwater Reservoir or Stump Pond in Smithfield. 

With COVID, it has been a couple of years since RICKA has done much in the way of training, but we were doing a Flatwater session for new and experienced paddlers. New paddlers learned basic strokes, and everybody got to practice deep water rescues. We had nine “students” with four “facilitators” and a mix of boats – sea kayaks, rec. kayaks, a solo canoe and a tandem canoe.

Getting the big boat up on the gunwales

It wasn’t always pretty, but everybody did a wet exit and was able to get in the boat. No surprise that sea kayaks with bulkheads were the easiest to get empty. For me, the shorter the rec. kayak the tougher it was to get up on the gunwales to empty (might be easier for someone in a kayak). 

I was able to get my solo canoe empty with a flip, but couldn’t get back in the boat unassisted without swamping it again - assisted I was fine. Chuck and Cindy in the tandem boat got back in unassisted a couple of different ways (one-on-each-side and stirrup) but couldn’t get the boat empty unassisted. That’s a big boat to try to flip, or even lug over the gunwales.

Chuck and Cindy back in the boat

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Stump Pond from Rhode Island Blueways

Flatwater Leader Training - June 8, 2019

Classroom session

I spent the day running a flatwater leader training for the Blackstone River Heritage Corridor and RICKA at the River Bend Farm.

We met at 10:30 in the conference room in the visitor center for the classroom session on Trip Planning and Logistics. After a break for lunch on the patio (pizza from Harry’s), we went out to the river for the on-water session. We did the canal/river loop starting from River Bend Farm. The river was low (3.2 feet) but runnable. We also did demonstrations with tow ropes and throw bags.

We had 14 for the class and 12 for the paddle - no swims!

On the river

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Slides from Presentation Trip Planning and Logistics
Trip Description from the BRVNHC
Northbridge Gage

RICKA Flatwater Training – June 11, 2017

I helped Bill and Frank with the annual RICKA flatwater training.  We had ten participants, and seven tried to do assisted rescues.  We got all seven got back n the boat – including me!

Bill and Frank demonstrating as assisted rescue

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RICKA Flatwater Training - June 14, 2015

I helped out with the annual RICKA Flatwater Training at Stump Pond.  Thirteen participants learned strokes and assisted rescues.  I did three wet exits, and got back into my boat twice.  On my first attempt, I rolled in on one side, and rolled out on the other taking my partner with me.  I got three people back in their boats on the first attempt – always good to practice.

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Eric Conn's pictures from Facebook

Flatwater Training - June 29, 2014

We had a great day for the RICKA Flatwater Training Class at Stump Pond.   This two-hour class was taught by Jim and is for new paddlers interested in learning more about equipment, basic strokes and maneuvers, and wet exits/recoveries.  I coordinated registrations, and have to admit that I lost track of who would be attending.  In the end, I was surprised when nine people showed up - I was expecting four.  We had four successful wet exits/recoveries, and one aborted first attempt – me when I got back on my boat only to flip over again taking Dan with me.  Dan got back in fine, and so did I on my second attempt.

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RICKA Flatwater Training - July 3, 2011

We had a nice group yesterday at RICKA's Flatwater Training - 8 students, 5 instructors.  As  usual, I had the only canoe, but I always make it a point to practice wet exits and recoveries.  It took me two attempts to get back in my own boat, but was able to get Tom back in his boat on the first try.

Bill demonstrates a brace

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Sideslips and Ferries

There’s a good thread on freestyle paddling running on P.net. After reading the section on sideslips, I went back to some video that I made before Thanksgiving below the Martin Street Bridge. I thought I would see lots of examples of sideslips and cross sideslips. To my surprise - not so many. Here's the video:


Practicing Ferries from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Its interesting to go back and watch this video after the fact. I realized that I do a lot more paddling when I do ferries than I would have thought, although it is good practice for the cross forward. I also use the bow draw a lot more often than I would have thought.  It works here, but I'm not sure it would in bigger water. I definitely don't use sideslips as much as I would have thought – I’ll have to work on that.

RICKA Flatwater Training - August 29th

I had a fun afternoon helping out with the RICKA flatwater training at Stump Pond – 14 boats, 10 intentional swims, 8 successful deep-water recoveries.

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RICKA Whitewater School – July 17th and 18th

I spent the weekend up on the Deerfield River helping out with the RICKA Whitewater School. We had a small group this year – just 3 boats, all kayaks. We started day one on flatwater up at the Sherman Reservoir, and then spent the afternoon working on ferries and eddy turns at the Zoar Picnic Area. Day two started in the pool below the Zoar Gap with more work on ferries and eddy turns, and then we ran the lower section from the Zoar Picnic Area to Shunpike. Everyone did great.

Unfortunately, I lost my camera sometime during lunch on the second day. It must have fallen from my PFD pocket. Fortunately, Hector got a few pictures which he sent to me. I have ordered a new camera - a Pentax Optio W80.

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Hectors pictures
Andy's Pictures

RICKA Flatwater Traning - June 13th

The day was overcast, windy and a little cold, but 15 paddlers (all kayaks) took part in the RICKA flatwater training at Stump Pond. It was a good turnout considering the weather. In addition to basic equipment and strokes, the training included wet exits and deep-water recoveries.  About half the group took advantage of this opportunity to practice these important skills. I took a swim and practiced getting back in my boat, and then assisted someone else.   Too bad more canoeists don't show up.

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AJ's Pictures