The sea kayak is an amazingly versatile craft, equally at home on a quiet river or the ocean. From a kayak, you can visit places you never even knew existed, or view popular destinations from a completely different point of view. This full-day trip will introduce you to the wonders of sea kayaking and to the Massachusetts coast.

No experience is required! The instructors from Charles River Canoe and Kayak will teach you the basic strokes to maneuver the boat in any direction, plus basic rescue techniques that you can use to recover from a capsize. After this trip, you can confidently paddle calm water on your own or expand your skills with a more advanced clinic.

Massachusetts, with its 1,000 miles of varied shoreline ranging from the dunes of Cape Cod and rocky outcrops of Cape Ann to working harbors like New Bedford, is a wonderful place to paddle. On this introductory trip, you'll experience a section of this beautiful seascape and learn techniques that will allow you to visit more. These trips travel to locations protected from big waves, so you can learn without the worry of poor conditions.

Most of the trips for 2005 travel to Hingham Harbor, a picturesque portion of Boston Harbor with small islands to visit, salt marsh to explore, and the lush World's End Reservation providing an undeveloped backdrop for instruction. Other trips visit Gloucester, Manchester, or Marblehead.