Kayak Rescues & Recoveries

Lake Raleigh May 15 1pm-5pm

Capsize can lead to disaster if you don't have the techniques to get yourself or someone else back in their kayak.

This intensive builds the foundational rescue skills that transform that anxiety into confidence—so when someone goes over, you know exactly how to get them back upright and safe.

We don't rise to the occasion in emergencies—we fall to our level of training. So let us give you solid rescue fundamentals to fall back on when things don't go as planned on the water.

- TECHNIQUE - PRACTICE - AWARENESS - COMPOSURE -

Technique is knowing which rescue to use when, how to execute it efficiently, and how to adapt when conditions aren't ideal. It's the difference between a smooth rescue and one that escalates the situation.

Practice makes rescues automatic. Your mental state goes down the drain fast when someone's in the water and you're fumbling with equipment. Being able to look at the situation, assess what's needed, and execute the rescue turns panic into competent action.

Awareness prevents capsizes from happening to begin with—and when they do happen, awareness helps you recognize problems early, position yourself correctly, and keep minor incidents from becoming major emergencies.

Composure keeps you calm when someone's in the water, maybe scared, maybe cold, maybe struggling. Your calm becomes their calm. Your confidence becomes their confidence.

What You'll Learn

Join us on the Water

Self-Rescue- Your first priority is always getting yourself back in your boat. We'll drill wet exits, solo re-entries with paddle floats, scramble re-entries, and cowboy re-entries until you can do them efficiently even when you're tired, cold, or flustered.
Assisted Rescues- T-Rescue, Rafted T-Rescue, Bow Rescue. You'll learn when to use each one, how to communicate clearly with the swimmer, and how to adapt techniques when conditions aren't ideal or the swimmer is struggling.
Basic Towing- Fundamentals of towing techniques and reducing risk while towing
Contact Towing- How to stabilize a capsized paddler, provide support and reassurance, and tow them to safety or to a better location for rescue. This is often the fastest way to help someone who's panicking or losing strength.
Equipment Management- Securing loose gear, dealing with equipment that's tangled or floating away. Because rescuing the person is only half the job—you also need to recover their boat and paddle.
Communication & Positioning- How to position yourself for quick response, give clear instructions to swimmers, coordinate with other paddlers during rescues, and maintain awareness of the whole group while assisting one person.
Conditions Adaptation- Rescues in calm water versus wind, waves, and current. How conditions affect which rescue works best, how to modify techniques for challenging environments, and when to tow to calmer water instead of attempting rescue in rough conditions.
Problem-Solving Under Pressure- What to do when the standard rescue isn't working, how to improvise with available resources, managing multiple swimmers, and making quick decisions about the safest course of action.

Why paddle with us?

Ali started leading sea kayaking expeditions in 2009. Since then, she has thousands of miles of leadership experience under her blades- over 2 thousands miles along the coast of North Carolina alone. She has also led sea kayaking trips along the coast of the Musandam Peninsula of Northern Oman, taught kayaking in Hong Kong and created a sea kayaking expedition leader training program for Absolute Adventure in UAE.

She has also been a wilderness first responder since 2010 and has extensive experience managing risks and medical issues in remote places all over the world. You can read more about our risk management and safety info HERE

Practice Makes Permanent

We drill rescue techniques over and over until you don't just know the steps, your body knows why they're critical. When someone's in the water, maybe scared or cold, and conditions are less than ideal, you want skills that are so ingrained they happen automatically—no panic, no overthinking, just competent action.

Remember that part about prevention? We'll cover that too—all the awareness and positioning skills that help you spot trouble before it happens and respond before a wobble becomes a capsize. Good paddlers prevent problems. Great paddlers prevent problems AND can handle them when prevention isn't enough.

What to Expect

Get the Skills

This is an active, on-water intensive. You WILL get wet. You WILL capsize (intentionally). Be ready to swim, climb back into your boat repeatedly, and practice in real conditions.

The Essentials:

Kayak (or rent one from us - you can rent one at checkout)
PFD (personal flotation device) - (if you rent a kayak, it comes with a PFD)
Paddle
Paddle float for self-rescue practice
Whistle attached to PFD
Change of clothes in dry bag for after class
Towel
2 liters of water
Snacks

What to Wear:

Dress for immersion (you WILL get wet)
Quick-dry fabrics (NO COTTON)
Water shoes or sandals that stay on
Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses with retainer)

We Provide:

Tow systems and rescue equipment for practice
Instruction and feedback
Safety boat/support
Scenario props and rescue aids

The Realities of Rescues

Let's be honest about the physical demands of rescuing yourself and others in a kayak. Capsize rarely happens in calm, protected waters. It happens when the wind picks up, the water gets choppy, and you're tired from paddling against the headwind. You're already tired, now you have to rescue yourself (or someone else) Technique is CRITICAL, but you do need some strength and fitness as well.

Can You Handle It?

Honestly? Probably yes. This class is designed for beginner paddlers. This is a great opportunity to see if you can rescue yourself unassisted, with the safety net of a professional to assist. Our focus is on rescues, so we won't be covering much mileage. The rescues themselves can be tiring. Here is what you should be able to do:

Swim and tread water - You'll be wearing a life jacket, but you should be able to swim
Upper body strength - Enough to exit a pool in the deep end without a ladder (this is what it takes to get back in a kayak with help if you flip)
Core strength - At least 5 pushups (can be on your knees) and 10 sit-ups
Fit in the boat - If you're taller than 6'5", you won't fit in one of our kayaks. Weight limit is 250lbs

Thinking these are no problem? You're totally ready.

Registration & Weather Policy

Registration
Registration closes 72 hours before class starts.

Refunds
If you need to cancel or reschedule, contact us 48 hours before class begins. We can either issue a refund or transfer you to a future class date. Within 48 hours, you can transfer the registration to a friend or family member.

Weather Policy
We paddle in most conditions—rain doesn't cancel class. We WILL cancel for lightning, unsafe winds, or water conditions that make rescue practice dangerous. If we cancel for weather, you can transfer to another date or receive a 75% refund.

Safety Note
All participants must be comfortable getting their face wet and swimming in deep water while wearing a PFD. If you have concerns about water comfort, please contact us before registering.

Boats, PFD's & Paddles

If you rent a kayak for class, you'll get a kayak, paddle and PFD. Our kayaks are the Wilderness Systems Tsunami 145. Our life jackets and paddles are a varied assortment of brands and models in a range of sizes to accommodate different sized paddlers.

You are absolutely welcome to bring your own kayak, so long as it fits the following standards:

Sit-inside kayaks must have flotation- either bulkheads or foam
You must have a spray skirt that fits your kayak

Sign me up!