24 Programs! Our biggest partnership ever! What an awesome year it has been with the thriving Special Education Department of Somerville Public Schools. Thanks to a Cummings Foundation grant the Somerville SPED Department received and the tireless efforts of Wellness Coordinator and friend, Caitlin Kelly, Waypoint was BACK in Somerville for the 2018-2019 school year designing and facilitating quality adventure-education programs for 19 different classes across the district. Social-Emotional Learning was happening on these programs: students immersed in problem solving scenarios, supported by the process of learning and community, and given the right to take on challenging experiences and we saw it in action – the perfect recipe for character building come to life.
These programs were not just work for us. The buy-in from teachers and administrators made this series a joy to facilitate. We even had volunteers come out on one program and come back again and again and again because of how much fun they had just being a part of these days! Shoutout to Jim Bradley, Sylvana Weinstein, and some awesome repeat groups from Definitive Cares and The Shady Hill School. This community is vibrant and excelling because of your support!
You HAVE to peruse some of the pictures below. It felt like a family photo album putting these together and laughing about ridiculous things that happened on programs and awesome students, teachers, and volunteers we met along the way. Here are some snapshots from all of the programs we ran with Somerville during 2018-2019:
10/25/18 Ropes Course at Hale Reservation
11/14/18 Hike in the Middlesex Fells
12/19/18 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
1/9/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
1/11/19 Hike at Prospect Hill in Waltham
1/15/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
1/23/19 Hike at Ward Reservation in Andover
1/30/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
2/5/19 Hike at Ward Reservation in Andover
2/13/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
2/27/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
3/19/19 Hike at Harold Parker State Forest in Andover
3/27/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
3/28/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
4/2/19 Outdoor Rock Climbing at Hammond Pond in Newton
4/10/19 Hike at Breakheart Reservation in Wakefield
4/24/19 Hike at Lynn Woods in Lynn
5/1/19 Indoor Rock Climbing at Central Rock Watertown
5/15/19 Hike at Lynn Woods in Lynn
5/16/19 Hike at Prospect Hill in Waltham
5/23/19 Outdoor Rock Climbing at Hammond Pond in Newton
5/24/19 Hike at Breakheart Reservation in Wakefield
5/29/19 Indoor Kayaking at the Kennedy School in Somerville
And THANK YOU to all the students for participating, and the teachers and administrators that helped coordinate transportation, get forms filled out, opened the pool, and made sure adventure programming fit seamlessly into your curriculum. We believe it’s so important and it’s encouraging to see others agree. Looking forward to next year!
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2019-06-12 13:31:012019-06-12 13:31:01It’s A Wrap! Somerville 2019
Sometimes, when sharing living space, it’s easy to lose your patience, forget to be kind, have grace, or altogether maintain cordial relationships. And when push comes to shove, you may lose your cool! Well, nothing is better for a group of young adults who all live together then to use challenging experiences to work through problems and build the team! Check out our day of kayaking on the Charles River with this group home from Specialized Housing, Inc! Thanks Paddle Boston-Charles River Canoe and Kayak for having us!
This group has been adventuring with Waypoint for the past 3 years now and we’ve seen them through some fun, exciting, but challenging days! Saturday was a cold day to be kayaking and the group pushed through some windy conditions – all with one word in mind… Encouragement. We told them at the beginning of the day, “if you do nothing else today, but encourage each other, that will be a success.” We told them, “you WILL feel those moments bubble up where you get a little frustrated or you may want to say something negative, but instead, we want you to say something encouraging.”
At the end of the day, we recounted times that were frustrating or challenging (like crossing the river into the wind, maintaining direction, working with a new partner, etc) and how that positive mentality of “encouragement” was helpful to push through. You see, it’s not until we encounter something difficult do we need to give or receive encouragement. Waypoint is all about providing opportunities for that to happen and we’re just thrilled to partner with a group home that values that experience!
Check out pictures from our adventure! And a special thanks to all the volunteers that came out to help paddle and build up this awesome community.
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2018-09-13 16:01:082018-09-13 16:01:08Encouragement in action
Each summer, Waypoint partners with the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation to offer accessible kayaking adventures in local state parks through the Universal Access Program. It’s been a busy, inspiring, funny, emotional, energetic summer filled with meeting hundreds of unique and amazing people and building new relationships. Over 200 people came kayaking in some of MA’s most beautiful lakes, sections of the Charles River, and Boston Harbor.
And what did people discover? Strength! It was our theme and unifying thread throughout these 16 programs… When we learn new things (like how to kayak or contribute to a team), we grow in resilience, confidence, and self esteem. We become stronger! Lots of people discovered strengths within themselves and/or their community this summer and we captured these discoveries by adding them as “weights” to our dumbbell! Check out some of our favorites from the #WaypointSummerofStrength:
I discovered calming myself down in the kayak after feeling anxious
I had an easier time swapping kayaks mid-water than I expected
I learned that there are BALD EAGLES on the Charles River
This reminds my how much I enjoy the outdoors. I lived in Waltham, but never kayaked before!
I learned how to get back into a flipped kayak
I learned it’s always good to try something new!
Co-Director Dan Minnich lifts our enormous dumbbell filled with hundreds of paper “weights” that participants wrote their learned strengths on.
These programs were made up of strong, supportive communities of people that were excited to challenge themselves, push their limits and experience the natural environment together. The MetroWest Daily News picked up the story too! We’re feeling extra grateful for the awesome community we get to experience here in Boston, so we’ve got some people to thank…
Thank you to our sites!Charles River Canoe and Kayak, we can’t thank you enough for your staff’s support and letting us use a few of your rental sites this year! And Wayland Recreation Department, thank you for letting us use Wayland Town Beach, keeping your bathrooms open, and letting us use your beautiful boat launch!
Thank you to our volunteers! You’ve all been flexible, helpful, and your passion for people, adventuring, and contributing to life-learning was contagious. We learned from you this summer and are so thankful that you’re a part of this team! Eurasia Foundation, thanks for visiting from Russia! We’ll look forward to seeing the documentary you put together! Wilmington Trust, thank you for paddling with us and contributing to the community-feel that day!
And thank you DCR Universal Access Program! Your parks rangers and coordinators were prompt and accommodating, your UAP summer staff were helpful on programs, and your value of adventures that are accessible for all is what makes Massachusetts a better place! Thank you!
7/13 with Assabet Valley Collaborative at Woerd Ave in Waltham (Below: Four pictures of middle-high school aged students paddling in tandem boats)
7/13 Open Enrollment at Woerd Ave in Waltham (Below: (Left) One student and volunteer coming back to the dock in a tandem boat. (Right) The group of 10 participants and volunteers circled up in the parking lot debriefing the day under a tarp to protect from the drizzle)
7/15 Open Enrollment on Boston Harbor out of Malibu Beach, Dorchester (Below: Five pictures of our group of adults that made it all the way out to Thompson Island in Boston Harbor. Some pictures have the Boston skyline in the background)
7/20 Open Enrollment at Herter Park in Allston (Below: Four pictures of our mixed group (half kids under 12, half adults) paddling up river some in singles some in tandems. Bottom right photo is of a 9 year old girl paddling in the front of a tandem with a paddle-pivot, gripping device, and is all smiles with her paddle partner, Kelsey paddling the back. There’s a beautiful sunset behind her.)
7/25 with Newton South High School at Lake Cochituate in Wayland (Below: Four pictures of this group of high school students paddling on an overcast, cool day. One group shot has all 17 group members and the other three are staff or volunteers teaching paddle strokes)
7/25 with the Charles River Center at Lake Cochituate in Wayland (Below: One picture of a volunteer, Brenda, and older gentleman participant getting life jackets on on-land and all smiles. It’s our only picture because someone dropped their phone in the lake! Whoops!)
7/27 with Newton North High School at Woerd Ave in Waltham (Below: Six pictures of high-school aged youth and a team of volunteers from Wilmington Trust paddling in tandem boats. One picture of our group of 23 people in the parking lot, another of our handshake game at the program’s opening, and several smiles, winks, and peace-signs in the boats)
8/3 with Sharon High School’s Pathways at Woerd Ave in Waltham (Below: Six pictures of high-school aged youth and a team of volunteers & staff paddling in tandem boats on a hot and sunny day. One picture of a student paddling his own single, and picture on bottom left is of a tandem boat that decided to flip over purposefully near the launch and participants are swimming back to shore)
8/3 Open Enrollment at Woerd Ave in Waltham (Below: Six pictures of our group enjoying Waltham’s section of river on a beautiful sunny day with a few clouds in the sky. Bottom right picture is of our team of 3 female volunteers that day after re-loading the trailer with heavy boats showing off their muscles)
8/10 with Boston University at Woerd Ave in Waltham (Below: Four pictures of group of adults paddling tandem boats on a sunny day. Top left is a full group shot of all 11 group members; Top right is a tandem pair pulling water bottles out of a bin from their boat; and Bottom right is Dan and 2 volunteers eating their lunch on the grass with mouths open showing off their yummy meals)
8/10 Open Enrollment at Woerd Ave in Waltham (Below: Four pictures of our group paddling in the evening with a setting sun. Some are in tandems, some in singles. Bottom left picture is of one participant filling out his “strength” on a paper weight while Volunteer Bill holds the dumbbell waiting for him to put it on)
8/15 with Burlington Recreation Department at Lake Cochituate in Wayland (Below: Two pictures of our overcast, but warm day. Top picture is our group standing in a circle near the water’s edge listing to Adam talk about our goal for the day. Bottom picture is a paddle partner duo on the water in an orange tandem boat)
8/15 Open Enrollment at Lake Cochituate in Wayland (Below: Four pictures of our group of adults paddling tandem boats on an overcast but warm day. Bottom left is Adam fixing the hand adaptation for one woman’s right hand; Bottom right is one staff and older gentleman standing back on shore smiling after a successful paddle)
8/17 with MAB’s program, Skills for Life at Lake Cochituate in Wayland (Below: Four pictures of our group getting ready to paddle and then paddling on a beautiful sunny day. Top picture is the group of 6 standing in a circle on land holding paddles and practicing the right movements. Two middle pictures are of our fleet of kayaks going under I-90 in a small tunnel. Bottom picture is our group back up on land after a great day)
8/17 Open Enrollment at Lake Cochituate in Wayland(Below: Nine pictures of our evening program with adults. Top three photos were taken from MetroWest Daily News’ article of us fitting folks into boats, talking through paddle strokes, discussing where to sit. One picture in the middle is of our group going through the tunnel with glow sticks hanging around their necks. Our evening ended with some beautiful blue shadows and pink skies from the setting sun)
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2017-08-22 17:03:412017-08-22 17:03:41Waypoint Summer of Strength
Leaders-In-Training 2017 kicked off in May on the Ropes Course and, now, at the end of the summer, they are halfway through and rocking it. Our big theme has been leadership – picking up leadership skills (both soft skills and practical ones) through repeated opportunities to take challenges – but the gleanings outside of leadership are innumerable. Read examples:
Sense of Belonging is strong: Every person has become a key component to the group. This group of young adults who didn’t know each other before the program are already becoming good friends. Texting each other, hanging out outside of LIT, and when one person can’t make an adventure due to a conflict, everyone notices and says how they miss that person. On one van ride, someone said “I miss Robert. He’s the funny one.” And everyone agreed. Another chimed in, “But Zach is the one who tells jokes.” And it was decided that these two had those roles. But then another, “I’m the one who likes cartoons.” and everyone laughed and agreed. Another said, “And I’m the one who’s into cars!”…a chorus of agreement. Each individual has a role – whether serious or silly that contributes to this team.
Trust and vulnerability is evident: Every LIT is getting the opportunity to share their “Life Story” with the group. Each person gets the floor for 6 minutes, usually around lunch, and shares about their upbringing, a person they admire, and between 1 and 3 big life challenges or events that have shaped them. The response from the group is striking – every team member listens with care and asks follow up questions. You can feel a change in the group dynamic as people get to know each other more intimately.
People’s big leaps are contagious: When one person really steps out of their comfort zone and challenges themselves, it makes others want to do the same. One young woman on our recent kayaking program was very nervous about being out on the water. She got to overcome that fear, but then was asked to assist in a “T-rescue” the process of getting someone back in their boat if their boat happens to tip over – a crafted scenario and not an emergency. She took on that challenge and later, the group was encouraging. One young man said he was inspired by her willingness to step up and do it even when he knew she was nervous. “It made me want to try something challenging too!”
There are countless more stories and exciting things that are happening on each program. Our lessons are taking an in-depth look at what a leader is and what they are not. I.e. Leaders look different; They are not always the ones who are the loudest, the ones in front, or the most confident in front of a group; They can be any one of us. And now we’re in the midst of looking at specific attributes of leaders. I.e. Leaders are caring, thoughtful, bold, willing to share about themselves, good listeners, and more.
Last weekend, our LITs got to practice their leadership skills with an authentic audience – STUDENTS who came to go kayaking (all between ages 6 and 12). Each LIT got a chance to practice their leadership skills – taking our group through a schedule for the day, giving specific kayaking instruction like how to put on a life jacket, keeping everyone feeling safe and happy, or just making sure everyone had on sunscreen and had full water-bottles. It was awesome to see them in their element and executing everything they had learned so far. Check out pictures of our last three adventures: a hike in the Blue Hills and two kayaking programs – one in Harold Parker State Forest, and one on the Charles River in Waltham.
6/25 Hike in the Blue Hills
Sara and Jessi (Volunteer) work together to support their team mate Sara
Jessi, Sara and Tessa are all smiles while posing for a picture at the top of the mountain!
Group picture at the top of the mountain. Beautiful blue sky’s and a view of the surrounding valley behind the group
Mike and Adam are helping Sara come down the mountain. Mike is in the front and has a big smile!
The entire LIT group is sitting around listening to Ryan tell his “life story”
Tessa and Adam are helping pull and push Sara’s chair and the rest of the group is behind them. Everyone is hiking down the trail through a beautiful sunlit forest.
Kristina is being a sited guide for Adam R. as they hike through a beautiful sunlit forest. Adam C., Sara and Mike are walking right behind them.
Adam, Sara and Mike are walking along the top of the mountain as they begin their descent. A view of the valley below them is beautiful and the sky is blue with white puffy clouds.
The group making their way across the rocky hilltop. Views towards Quincy and the South Shore are spectacular!
Adam and Kristina stepping carefully down the rocky descent
7/29 Kayaking in Harold Parker State Forest
Shayda and Chris partnered up to paddle together are getting their life jackets fitted correctly
Adam zipping up his life jacket while Sara F makes sure it fits right
Chris, Julia, Adam, and Sara F are in Group 1 – ready to learn about how to put on a life jacket, get in and out of a boat, and how to fit the boat to yourself
All the LITs partnered up and standing next to their boats listening to Adam talking about how to get in safely
The group paddle halfway across Field Pond and now take a break to eat lunch and a few will tell their Life Story
Sitting on a floor of pine needles eating lunch overlooking the pond and the pines
A description of our life story structure (1. tell us about your childhood, 2. Tell us about a significant person in your life, and 3. tell us about some major events that have shaped you)
Zach, Tessa, Robert, and Kristina in Group 2 learning about Paddle Strokes
Adam and Zach’s boat getting the lunches packed in the hatch
Adam Combs testing Group 3 on what they learned about paddle signals. If he points his paddle to the left bank, Sara Y is answering correctly… we should all paddle that way!
Sara Y and Robert’s kayak – all ready and on the water! Robert starts paddling away from the shore.
A view from the shore of all the boats out on Field Pond. Big tall pine trees set behind a deep green lake with blue skies and wispy clouds overhead.
8/12 Kayaking with Students on the Charles River in Waltham
Ryan and Zach are boat partners in the morning. They’ve got their life jackets on and they’re all smiles.
Adam and Chris are boat partners in the morning. They’ve got their life jackets on and they happen to match outfits!
Zach and Adam are helping Dan put tighten his life jacket straps in the parking lot.
Adam and Eileen are paddle partners in the afternoon. Eileen is paddling the back and Adam is paddling the front. They’re on the water with a thick row of trees and blue skies overhead.
Shayda and Dan are partners. Shayda is paddling in the back and Dan is paddling in the front. They’re long tandem, red kayak is just leaving the launch.
Shayda and Dan’s boat are doing a T-rescue. Julia’s boat did a purposeful capsize and now they’re pulling the boat on top of theirs to turn it upside down and empty the water. Julia holds the front the rescue boat as she waits.
Back on shore during lunchtime, Julia is talking about attributes of a leader and Tessa is adding her word to the board.
A picture of the board: It says, “A leader is… encouraging, caring, helpful, open to challenges, willing to share about themselves, keep everyone safe, fun, and aware.”
Our students have arrived! We’re all standing in a circle and Zach is going over our schedule for the afternoon. The students are kids between age 7 and 12.
4 students listening to Zach talk about how to adjust your footpads when you get in a boat. He’s sitting in the boat on land while the kids listen and crouch down next to him to see the foot pegs.
2 students peak way down into the kayak cockpit down at Zach’s toes to see where the foot pegs are
Everyone helps bring a heavy tandem kayak down to the launch! Ryan, Josiah, Shayda, Ellen, Tessa, Chris, and Sam all lift the boat together.
Josiah and Chris paddling together in the afternoon.
Sam and Ryan are paddle partners in the afternoon. Ryan gives a thumbs up to the camera.
Ryan and Sam back on land arms around each other – psyched that they got a great day out on the water.
Zach and Natalie are back on land and arm in arm. They were paddle partners and had a great time too!
A big group shot back on land with Josiah out in front holding a Goal of the Day: “to have a fun and safe kayaking experience!”
A group shot again and everyone making silly faces
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2017-08-14 19:33:382017-08-14 19:33:38Leaders-In-Training 2017, A Progress Report
It’s been another awesome year at the Mario Umana Academy of East Boston. This school is Waypoint’s longest standing partnership and over the past 5 years, we’ve made a lot of close friends. From teachers to admin to students to parents, Waypoint’s roots are deep at the Umana and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thank you especially to our 4 participating classes this year and the hard-working, adventure-loving teachers that make this happen. And thank you to Peter Fuller Rentals for donating your vans! Students in East Boston are learning through powerful experiences and it’s been a pleasure to run another year of successful programming alongside dedicated professionals.
Take a look at the adventures these classes have been a part of:
Ms. Brown’s class of 6th-8th graders ended the year with a Kayaking adventure out of Kendall Square in Cambridge. We treat this as the capstone to their series – a privilege to take their “indoor kayaking” skills to the sport of city-kayaking on the Charles. Check out video of this program and thanks to Charles River Canoe and Kayak for helping make it happen!
Ms. Beaulieu’s 3rd-5th grade class grew and grew throughout the year. Our theme was Teamwork and we all had to stick with it as new students arrived and the class evolved. It was important to hit it home each time – new experiences can be fun alongside supportive peers and friends that work together. Click for pictures of this group rock climbing, indoor kayaking, snowshoeing, and more.
Ms. Ross’s class was an energetic group of 1st-4th graders full of questions and excitement for all things outside. This team was exploring what it takes to have fun. What ingredients create an environment that allows for classmates to enjoy themselves, learn, be creative, and fully engage? Our two ingredients were Respect and Responsibility. Check out these two goals in practice:
A salute is a sign of respect!
Being responsible means caring for others on your team if they get cold. Even if it’s just a pretend-scenario…
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2017-06-08 17:07:352017-06-08 17:07:35Closing out the School Year
A Waypoint Adventure Outdoor Kayaking program will give you and your group access to some of New England’s most beautiful lakes, rivers, and coastline. Enjoy the fun and serenity of the water all while being a part of a supportive community. Benefit from the wide array of adaptive kayaking equipment designed to meet your individual needs. Our highly trained staff will instruct, support, and encourage you as you learn new skills or further develop your existing ones. All kayaking programs will be custom designed to fit the needs of you and your group.
Based on the goals of a Beginner Kayaking programs, this type of session could have the following qualities based on the enrollment of the group: (1) It could consist of individuals who are brand new to the sport of kayaking. They’ve either never been kayaking, never been in or around water, or have only had the experience a few times. (2) It could consist of individuals who are at a beginner level in terms of social interaction, have a need for repetition of instruction, or would benefit from 1:1 support. (3) It could consist of kayakers under the age of 16. Trips may be a shorter distance of paddling (approximately 2 miles), shorter duration (approximately 2 hours), and/or have a higher staff/volunteer: participant ratio.
Based on the goals of an Intermediate Kayaking program, this type of session could have the following qualities based on the enrollment of the group: (1) It could consist of individuals who have been kayaking before and are ready to develop and learn more advanced kayaking skills. (2) It could consist of individuals who are familiar and comfortable with new social settings, can follow multi-step directions, or can stick to a task independently. It could consist of kayakers age 16 or over. Trips may be longer in paddling distance (approximately 4-6 miles) and/or take the full day (approximately 5 hours).
Scroll to the bottom of our Adventures Page to view our Program Calendar. Click on programs labeled “OPEN” to see how many slots are still available in that session.
On Sunday, YACHAD joined Waypoint for a day of paddling along the Charles River. YACHAD is dedicated to bringing people with and without disabilities together in an inclusive community.
It was great getting to join their community and talk about what it means to be together, and many of the people on the trip were meeting for the first time. It was a windy and challenging day on the river. Seeing everyone face that challenge and work together opened up a great opportunity to talk about how we face challenge and what it means to support each other in it.
From Woerd Ave in Waltham, we paddled south toward Fox Island and just past it to an animal menagerie on the river banks. This trip shaped into a great opportunity to grow a community and share a memorable, fun, and meaningful experience together! We’re really looking forward to rock climbing with this group in a few weeks!
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2016-09-29 13:49:522016-09-29 13:49:52YACHAD on the Charles
As we headed into our 6th summer of running kayaking programs, it was time to bring the focus back to our roots. Summer of 2016 became the #summerofwaypoint – a summer to recognize with our participants that adventures like kayaking are about more than just having fun – they’re about recognizing a point along life’s journey that teaches you something about yourself. A “waypoint” is a marker along a journey (like a landmark) that serves as a reminder or lesson about where you are, where you’re going, or where you’ve been.
Thanks to DCR’s Universal Access Program, Waypoint was able to offer low-cost programming to 16 groups of people ages 6-65. Over 115 people experienced their waypoints: “realizing that I’m a natural at kayaking even though it was my first time,” “being a part of a community,” “experiencing the city in a new way,” “jumping out of my boat…” and more and more and more. In-fact, we had so many waypoints, our banner ran out of space! Check out pictures from our awesome summer!
And like our participants, we hope YOU will experience life’s adventures and let the challenge of paddling a boat, working through a task, or being a part of a community be your waypoint.
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To Aspire (v): to direct one’s hopes or ambitions toward achieving something – a fitting name for this strong program within the Charles River Center. This fun and ambitious Aspire group came with their sandals and suits ready to engage in the challenge of kayaking and achieve their ambitions. Kelly Atkins, Family Support Program Director commented: “my favorite part was seeing our whole group participate in the SAME activity.” To paraphrase: “so often our group members participate in activities based on their abilities and we don’t all get to experience the same thing at the same time. It was great to be able to paddle together and socialize with one another.”
We’re so glad we could achieve our aspirations too: providing access to life-transforming adventures to everyone!
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Read below for one man’s take on steering a kayak for the first time. Bob Hachey is a member of the Bay State Council of the Blind and has always paddled in the front of a two-person kayak. The day he recounts below was his first kayaking program with Waypoint in 2015 when he finally had the opportunity to sit in the back! The above picture is of Bob and his paddle-partner Andrea taken in 2016 on the Charles River where Bob is practicing his new-found skill for steering despite being totally blind.
From BayLines Fall 2015 Newsletter for Bay State Council of the Blind:
On a perfect July day, I embarked upon a kayaking trip with an organization called Waypoint Adventure. The boats were launched into the Charles River in my home town of Waltham. I had been on many kayak trips before and was looking forward to a relaxing time out on the water, and, perhaps a bit of power kayaking.
But this trip went far beyond my expectations. My usual trips consisted of one to two hour treks through various waterways. But something felt different right from the start on this day. Others on the trip included four persons with a variety of disabilities and a number of volunteers as well as two representatives of Waypoint Adventure. The organizers asked all of us to introduce ourselves, lead the group in a stretching exercise, and tell the group what we might like to learn about kayaking on this date. I latched onto the third of these requests. All of my time spent in a two-person kayak was spent at the front of the kayak as a power paddler. The person in the back does the steering and I’d always wanted to learn how to steer a kayak. Upon mentioning this during my introduction, I was happy to hear encouragement from the trip organizers. One of them came up behind me with a paddle with a couple of unusual tactile markings which made it very easy for me to be sure that my paddle would always be in the optimal position for best results. This was something new for me as keeping the paddle in the correct position had always been a bit of a struggle. He then showed me in detail two methods for steering a kayak. At first, I said that maybe I should let my sighted volunteer steer until we got out into open water, but he assured me that I could steer the boat right from the start.
So, off we went. I was surprised how easily I caught on to steering the boat. After I got comfortable steering the boat, they asked me to try to follow one of the other kayaks by listening to the sound of the person’s voice. At first, this was difficult; it seemed like I was not able to turn the boat quickly enough to stay on track. But after a bit of trial and error, I was able to follow the boat just by listening to the voice. I was never told when the other boat was going to turn. Within one hour, I actually mastered the art of steering a kayak! At one point, we all gathered in the middle of the river and the organizers demonstrated how to roll the kayak without falling out and how to recover if you do fall out of a tipping kayak. On the way back to our launch point, I did get in a bit of power kayaking.
From now on, when I go kayaking, I’m going to be sitting in the back and steering the boat with instructions from my wife or my sighted volunteer. My wife will be happy that she no longer needs to steer the boat. The next time we go out, I’ll be teaching her some of the techniques I learned that day. When I stepped out of that kayak, I felt like I was walking on air. For those of you who enjoy boating, hiking or mountain climbing, I highly recommend Waypoint Adventure.
00waypointhttps://ma.waypointadventure.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/waypoint-adventure_logo_457x152.pngwaypoint2016-08-19 13:34:072016-08-19 13:34:07“Steering My Way Toward Boating Accessibility” by Bob Hachey
