Photo by Sophia Sherman ’25.
Over the past weekend Northwood Adventure Sports director Bobby O’Connor took students to the Chasing Water Symposium. This kayaking event was held in Maine and aimed to improve skills for beginners and novices alike, as well as to create a close community of outdoor enthusiasts.
“It’s a great opportunity for our paddlers to build skills and meet other professionals in the industry,” O’Connor said. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or advanced paddler, there’s space to progress with some of the country’s best coaches,” added O’Connor.
Photo by Sophia Sherman.
One of the participating students, Sophia Sherman ’25, is an experienced paddler. “I’ve been sea kayaking for about a year now,” Sherman said. “At the symposium we sea kayaked for two days, about 5-6 hours a day and camped for three nights.” She also describes her experience sea kayaking during Northwood’s annual Learn Engage Apply Perform (LEAP) program. “I went to Wales last LEAP. The scenery and kayaking are unlike any other place. The kayaking is world-class due to the Irish ocean and the weather conditions. The UK is a really special place, I definitely want to go back.”
Nate Benjamin ’24 who also went to Chasing Waters, speaks about his experience with Kayaking. “I’ve been kayaking for 2 years. My favorite part of the trip was the kayaking through the white water.” He recommends trying it out and describes the activity to be exciting and fun to learn no matter what your skill level.
Looking ahead for the future of kayaking adventures Bobby O’Connor says, “I am planning to run a whitewater kayaking trip the first week of April break. This will most likely take place in the southern Adirondacks, Vermont, and New Hampshire.” Despite the change of weather in the Adirondacks, students suggest other fun activities to keep busy such as rock climbing, snowboarding, and ice climbing.
