No Transportation? No Kayak? No Problem!
If you want to hop in a kayak for a trip out on the water, the Wednesday Evening Kayak Rental Program is for you! It’s a no hassle, easily accessible way to have a mid-week paddle on some urban flat water.
Wednesday nights throughout the summer paddling season, Aquabatics arranges to have a variety of recreation and touring kayaks at the Heritage Park Dock of Glenmore Reservoir for no hassle rentals.
This summer I was asked if I would be interested in helping out with AQ’s Wednesday Evening Kayak Rentals Program. As a Flat Water Paddling Ambassador, this was a welcomed opportunity to support new paddlers getting out on the water.
Helping new people experience kayaking has been a passion of mine. I love the transition that is easily visible when a brand new paddler sits in a kayak for the first time, gets a little bit of support with some basic tips, ventures out on the water in a safe and protected area and returns to the dock a couple hours later with a confident smile feeling relaxed and fulfilled.
Some folks are new to the experience and are excited to explore the world of paddling. For these new paddlers, the Wednesday Evening Kayak Rental Program really fits the bill. It provides a sweet opportunity to meet a friend for a great evening of fun recreational paddling and a chance to decide if kayaking is for them. Having the opportunity to check out kayaking often starts the beginning of the shift from wanting to try kayaking to living the life of kayaking.
While the evening is a non-instructional event, in my role as a Paddling Ambassador with AQOutdoors Aquabatics, I get a chance to head out on the water and connect with new paddlers, to build a basic level of understanding related to paddling skills, answer some questions about kayaks and promote what I think is an awesome paddling community.
Some individuals come to paddle a specific kayak and perhaps want to compare the feel of one kayak over another. Certainly this is a great way to sort out which boat meets their needs, fits the paddler best and is the most comfortable and appropriate for their paddling goals.
There are several recreational and touring kayaks options available to paddle from Dagger, Wilderness Systems and Delta. Requests for specific kayaks to demo can be made through AQOutdoors Aquabatics Calgary. There are a range of paddles to try also beginning with affordable entry level paddles, some mid priced paddles and some higher end carbon paddles. Trying out a paddle for an extended period of time is often helpful given that it is an investment.
Pre-Paddle Safety First Discussion
Following a safety on the water talk, paddlers are given their gear and fitted to their kayak. Then it’s out on the water for a solid bit of paddling time. If you’re interested in discovering what recreational/touring kayaking is all about, book a spot through Aquabatics and start “lovin’ life on the water!”
“create your own momentum”
Bryan Hume
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AQ Outdoors Contact
Edmonton: (p) 780 463-4892 (e) info@aquabaticsedmonton.com
Calgary: (p) 403 288-9283 (e) info@aqoutdoors.com
