ACA ACTIVITIES CALENDAR
Upcoming American Canoe Association Instruction Offered at Sea Kayak Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina
March 11 – 14
ACA Coastal Kayak Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) / Instructor Certification Exam (ICE)
Level 1 (Intro to Kayak) – Level 3 (Basics of Coastal Kayaking) - $450.
Contact Sea Kayak Carolina at (843) 225-7969 to register or for more info.
March 21
Full-Day: ACA Level 3 Skills Training - $60
Emphasis on strokes and manuvers as outlined in the ACA Level 3 course outline [pdf]. Get your personal kayaking skills on the fast track, perhaps prepare for our Level 3 Assessment with Tom Nickels on April 19, and be ready for any future Instructor workshops that you may be considering.
Call (843) 225-7969 to register. $60 includes kayak and gear if needed.
April 9 – 14
ACA Coastal Kayak Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) / Instructor Certification Exam (ICE)
Instructor Training Team Tom Nickels and Scott Szczepaniak, featuring Kelly Blades.
Days 1-2 - Level 1 (Intro to Kayak) - $250
Days 1-4 - Level 3 (Basics of Coastal Kayaking) - $450
Days 1-6 - Level 4 (Open Water Coastal Kayaking) - $650
Call Sea Kayak Carolina at (843) 225-7969 to register or for more info.
N.B. April 16 – 18
East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival
April 19 – 20
Two-day BCU 3 Star Sea Assessment with Coach Tom Nickels
Students also have the option of participating in an ACA Level 3 Assessment on Monday, and / or an ACA Level 4 Assessment on Tuesday.
$140 for both days, or ACA assessment $80 per day.
Contact Sea Kayak Carolina at (843) 225-7969 to register.
April 22, 24, 25
Fundamentals of Coastal Kayaking
Thursday evening (April 22) from 7 - 9 pm in Sea Kayak Carolina's classroom; on-water Saturday (April 24) and Sunday (April 25) from 9 am - 5 pm. Trip planning, dressing for paddling, the basics, strokes & maneuvers, kayak rescues and more. $120 includes sea kayak and gear.
Contact Sea Kayak Carolina at (843) 225-7969 to register.
May 1 – 2
ACA Coastal Kayak Day Trip Leader Training & Assessment
Two days of classroom and on-water training. Focus is on trip planning, tides and currents, weather, navigation, group management, safety and rescues – $220.
Call 843-225-7969 to register.
May 27, 29, 30
Fundamentals of Coastal Kayaking
Thursday evening (May 27) from 7 - 9 pm in Sea Kayak Carolina's classroom; on-water Saturday (May 29) and Sunday (May 30) from 9 am - 5 pm. Trip planning, dressing for paddling, the basics, strokes & maneuvers, kayak rescues and more. $120 includes sea kayak and gear.
September 18 – 23
ACA Coastal Kayak Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) / Instructor Certification Exam (ICE).
Instructor Training Team Scott Szczepaniak and Sue Kershaw.
Days 1-2 - Level 1 (Intro to Kayak) - $250
Days 1-4 - Level 3 (Basics of Coastal Kayaking) - $450
Days 1-6 - Level 4 (Open Water Coastal Kayaking) - $650
Call Sea Kayak Carolina at (843) 225-7969 to register or for more info.
November 16 – 21
ACA Coastal Kayak Instructor Development Workshop (IDW) / Instructor Certification Exam (ICE)
Instructor Training Team Tom Nickels and Scott Szczepaniak.
Days 1-2 - Level 1 (Intro to Kayak) - $250
Days 1-4 - Level 3 (Basics of Coastal Kayaking) - $450
Days 1-6 - Level 4 (Open Water Coastal Kayaking) - $650
Call Sea Kayak Carolina at (843) 225-7969 to register or for more info.
ACA Assessments – Custom Scheduling
The American Canoe Association (ACA) offers skills courses to paddlers of all skill levels. The courses represent sets of skills, safety procedures and other materials deemed appropriate for particular paddling environments. Assessments by qualified trainers confirm skill levels and provide a basis for ongoing skills development.
Learn more about the ACAs defined skill levels in these PDFs:
Coastal Kayak Level 1 Award
Coastal Kayak Lavel 2 Award
Coastal Kayak Level 3 Award
Coastal Kayak Level 4 Award
Our certified instructors can perform your ACA Assessment here in Charleston, South Carolina: To schedule an Assessment or discuss your particular training needs, please stop by the shop, call us at (843) 225-7969 or send
being sure to include your contact information.
ACA Coastal Kayak Instructor Development Workshops
and Instructor Certification Exams —
Who should consider an ACA IDW/ICE?
Kayak shop staff. Kayak outfitter staff. Kayak club officers. Kayak club trip leaders. Camp staff with kayak safety responsibilities. Any individual with kayaking experience looking to develop their skills and teaching abilities.
An explanation of the ACA Coastal Kayak Instructor Levels can be found in these ACA documents (downloads are in PDF format and will open in a new window, or may be downloaded):
Level 1 – Introduction to Kayaking Instructor
Level 2 – Essentials of Coastal Kayaking Instructor
Level 3 – (Basic) Coastal Kayak Instructor
The Level 1-3 IDW/ICE is held on protected waters. A roll is required for Level 3 Coastal Kayak Instructors, but not for Level 1 & 2 Instructors.
Level 4 is the Open Water Coastal Kayak Instructor level. Level 4 portions of the course will venture into ocean waters and conditions.
Please contact Sea Kayak Carolina at (843) 225-7969 to inquire about our next IDW/ICE, or for further information.
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About Dale Williams:
Dale is an ACA Advanced Open Water Instructor Trainer Educator and a BCU Level 4 Sea Coach. As the founder Sea Kayak Georgia on Tybee Island, Dale has developed a reputation as one of the best sea kayak instructors in the U.S.. Dale sold Sea Kayak Georgia in 2006 so that he could paddle more and can be found teaching at various symposia around the U.S.