Why take a kayaking class?

Well...why not? Here at Savannah Canoe & Kayak, we believe strongly that increased time spent paddling, and practicing paddling skills and technique, will lead to increased physical and mental satisfaction, as well as overall health and happiness in life. Who couldn't use a little more of that each day?

Our highly skilled and friendly staff, with over 60 years combined paddling experience, can help you to prepare for and meet all of your personal paddling goals, and we'll most certainly have a lot of fun in the process. Take advantage of Georgia's warm waters and it's vast network of barrier islands, estuaries, and tidal creeks which await your discovery.  As your skills grow and you gain the confidence and ability to manage yourself and your kayak on the water, endless opportunities of exploration and adventure will become available to you. Are you ready to begin this educational and exciting adventure?

Whether you're simply looking to increase your fitness level, discover the waterways of the area, meet other paddlers, or become an expedition paddler, guide or instructor, or even a kayak surfer, Savannah Canoe & Kayak would be excited to help you meet these goals. The discipline of paddling a kayak efficiently, safely, and competently can become a lifelong and joyous pursuit of discovery.  We hope that you will make it a passion of your own and that we may be helpful to you throughout your growth in the world of paddlesports. 

Give us a call, 912-341-9502, or stop by our shop, www.savannahcanoeandkayak.com, today and our knowledgeable and friendly staff will help you to determine which paddling program would best suit your needs. Welcome to the paddling community, and we'll see you on the water!

New Schwag at SC&K!

Hydroflask 18oz. Wide Flip Lid Thermos  
This is definitely one of my all-time favorite coffee tumbler/thermoses. Hydroflask really got it figured out with a flip top sipping lid that actually stays shut. Listen for the click and toss it in your day hatch or passenger seat without the worry of spilling your hot or cold beverage all over. Fill 'er up in the morning and enjoy a hot beverage in the afternoon if you like. This handsomely finished stainless steel thermos has a vacuum sealed double-wall, is BPA free, and comes with a lifetime warranty. Hydroflask is also a socially responsible company, partnered
with www.fivepercentback.org, where you can register and donate 5% of the proceeds to a charity of your choosing. You'll feel all warm and fuzzy every time you take a sip from one of these!

 

      Simplify your life with Astral's new YTV
This PFD is one fine example of simplicity and function. Designed with the freestyle or whitewater paddler in mind, this life-jacket is so lightweight, adjustable, and comfortable, it will surely be an excellent choice for a wide range of paddlers. With 4 straps for adjustment and a pocket on each side for storage, the low-profile, no nonsense features of this jacket make for one elegant and performance oriented piece of gear. Weather your ripping it up in the surf, knocking out some miles in the sea-kayak, throwing ends in a play-hole on the river, or just out for a relaxing day on the water, this vest will surely keep you feeling comfortable and safe while you're out. Choose colors from safety yellow (as shown), navy blue, or black. Come in for a fitting today!

New Paddles from Adventure Technology

The Search (sport series) - This highly adjustable two-piece, carbon shaft, with nylon reinforced fiberglass blades comes in 210cm or 215cm lengths. Each can be feathered as desired or lengthened up to an additional 5cm as you wish. Weighing only 36.5oz., and priced at $125, this is a very versatile and economical option. 

(yellow blade shown in picture)

The Oracle (advanced series)- a real performer, this ultralight (29oz.), carbon shaft and fiberglass blade offers all the versatility and design of the Search model, only it's quite a bit lighter! If your looking for the rigidity and ultralight performance of a fiberglass blade with breakdown capability and adjustable feathering, this could be your new paddle. Priced at $260, this is a great introductory rate for high-performance blade. Stop by the shop and  take 'er for a test paddle if you feel so inclined.

Surf's Up, Sprouts!

   Surf Sprouts, April 14th Training Day & Camp; 2 Sessions in June Now Available!!   

     Sprouts, grab your paddles and let's dig in as we get ready to catch some waves and start shredding some surf! This paddling activity best suited for ages 12-16 yrs, will focus on paddling safely and efficiently in the surf with a major emphasis on fun. Sprouts will learn the fundamentals of kayak surfing technique, proper equipment, surf zone safety and etiquette, how to choose proper surf, and essential techniques of wave riding. Prepare to get wet and learn to love a good wipe-out. Sprouts will spring forward with improved paddling skills and confidence after our super-charged two-day camp. Also, for those students who just can't wait for camp to start, we'll have a mid-April warm-up surf session. All levels of experience are welcome, but good attitudes are required. Better eat your fruit-loops before surf day, because you're going to need 'em! April 14th is Practice Day, and Surf Sprouts camp will take place Mon. & Tues., June 3rd & 4th, and again on Wed. and Thurs. June 19 & 20. Call today to sign up, (912) 341-9502. The cost for each day is $60 per student.

Sea Sprouts on Deck! June 10-11, June 24-25, July 8-9

    Get ready for more on-water shenanigans with the Sea Sprouts! This 2 day kayak camp, geared for ages 9-12 years, will be action packed with plenty of exciting games and activities to help develop paddling skills, and on-water safety.  Classic games and Sprout favorites like "Muddy Buddies" and "Shakey Monkey" will surely make their way into the games list for this year as well. Sprouts will also go on a paddling trip on the second day of camp putting all their new skills to the test. This is both a great way for kids to get started paddling or build on any skills they've developed previously. Camp will take place at "Butterbean Beach" or Rodney J. Hall Boat Ramp in the Skidaway Narrows from 9:00 until 12:30pm on Monday and Tuesday (1st session June 10-11, 2nd session June 24th-25th, and 3rd session July 8th-9th) Cost is $60 a day or $120 for both days, call the shop today to sign up, 912-341-9502.

Join Us Thursday Evening...

...for our first get together of the new year. Tim Keyes of the GA DNR will be coming up from Brunswick to talk about nesting shore birds, volunteer opportunities, and all the news from living in the fly by. Free and open to all.

Cumberland Island Adventure Apr 11-13

One of our favorite parts of the Georgia coast is the mysterious and magnificent Cumberland Island.
This is a great trip for new and experienced paddlers alike, but also a great introduction to those new to kayak camping. With a dense canopy and huge live oaks draped in moss and vines, Cumberland's habitat is reminiscent of a tropical rain forest and dates from the pleistocene epoch.
Paddling to an island and then exploring it is what the kayak was invented for...at least we think so. Base camping on the northern end of the island will put us in the thick of the wilderness area, and the least visited part of Cumberland.
Day 1 : Launching from Crooked River on the ebbing tide puts us at Plum Orchard for lunch. If the building is open we'll take a snoop around a great example of turn of the 20th century aristocratic living. An afternoon paddle gets us to the Brickhill base camp just in time for tea and tiffin.
Day 2 is an island exploration day with several options. Hike to the settlement and the first African Baptist Church made famous by JFK jr, or an awesome hike along one of the best walks on the GA coast...the rollercoast trail.
Day 3. Leisurly breakfast and break camp, for a flood tide trip back to the Crooked River S.P. We should arrive back in the modern world around lunch time on Saturday.
We have 7 places open for this mini adventure, which is ideal for adults and children alike.
All meals and gear provided.

Yes, We Are Open For Year 10.

Regular shop hours are once again the order of the day.
Day trips are now running to all points of the compass, and the weekend instruction program will kick off at the beginning of March.
New kayaks from Dagger, Liquid Logic, Native Watercraft, Venture, Feel Free and Stellar have started showing up. Excited about the new Stellar S18S, in the shop any day now.
And the Dagger Alchemy is our new favorite surf toy.
Plenty of used, demo, plastic and composite surf kayaks at great prices.

Our first instructor workshop of the year is this coming weekend, in Jacksonville, Florida.

Mountain Film Fest is Back

January 18-19.
Trustees Theater on Broughton.
One of our favorite film festivals will soon be back in town for it's 4th season.
Following the success of last year's move to the Trustees Theater on Broughton St, the Telluride Mountain Film Festival comes to Savannah via some great folks who think these are some cool movies we need to see.
The films are not about skiing, but rather human endeavor and environmentalism. They stem from award winning grassroots video journalism, capturing visions and inspirational stories of our world, past, present and future.
We will be there, and we will be inspired.

2012 - Season 10 Wrap Up.

Sunday Dec 30th - Our last scheduled trip was off the water by 1pm, the shop floor is swept, and the counter cleared as we conclude our 9th year.
We've had a great year and would like to thank you all for being a part of it. We were pleased to introduce many newcomers to the fantastic world of paddlesports, as we took over one thousand people kayaking on the Georgia coast.

Next year will be our tenth year in business as Savannah Canoe and Kayak.
And to quote somebody around here...."If I'd known I was going to own a paddlesports business, I would of married a doctor ". But it's too late for that now, and there is no going back.
So, 'what's new in 013 ?', you ask. Well, actually nothing.
We will continue to run high quality, low volume trips and classes.
The shop will again be stocked with the finest selection of paddle craft and accessories from around the world. The service will be attentive and jovial, and our monthly thursday evening meet ups will continue as scheduled. We look forward to seeing more of our new customers in 2013, as well as all you 'old dogs' who give us such a good laugh. And if you did not enjoy your expereince with us this year, we are sorry..we did the best we could.
Happy New Year...the year of the snake... may we spread joy, consume less and pick up garbage.
Here are a few slides from 2012.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/savannahcanoeandkayak/sets/72157632374067132/show/

Georgia Coast Trippers Raise 10G

From James Marlow
Georgia Coast Paddler. Nov 10-18th, 2012

"I wanted to say thanks again for the use of the P&H Scorpio and all of the great advise and wise council for our Georgia Coast Adventure. The trip was a great success and we have raised close to $10,000.00 for Georgia coastal environmental non-profits."

"The Scorpio was a fantastic boat for the trip, which was close to 150 miles with strong winds, heavy spring tides and small craft advisories that were very challenging. The crossing of the sound between St Simons and Jekyll were at the limit of my strength and skill.
Nigel had said that this was an expedition and he was right. He also said that a lot of people talk about kayaking the Georgia Coast and not may people actually do it. His experience and suggestions for the trip were invaluable as was the day of training and self rescue off of Little Tybee Island. We often quoted Nigel throughout the 8 day trip. Savannah Canoe and Kayak is a wonderful resource for coastal watersports, equipment, instruction and friendship.
The Scorpio was very comfortable and it excelled in surf and waves.
The day hatches worked well and are a great feature of the Scorpio. It was an excellent choice for this adventure.
Some of the highlights were the raw beauty of this special part of the world, over 100 dolphins - two of which gently touched the Scorpio. I saw a mature dolphin with a young dolphin by it's side, great birding, seeing the wild horses and the uniqueness of Cumberland Island. Big paddles across the sounds with 3 foot waves and 61 degree water temperatures.
I thought that we would paddle hard in the morning, eat lunch, take a nap and read a bit but the 8 day schedule to go from Hilton Head to Florida required hard paddling almost all day everyday, with many times setting up camp in the dark. The first night the low as 37 degrees on a sandspur covered campsite on Little Tybee.
I sincerely appreciate the support from P&H and SC&K for the assistance with this trip."

James Marlow
CEO Radience Solar,
Atlanta.
James was part of a 4 man team on this trip.
Philip Hodges, Allen Bradley, Doug Pettersen and James Marlow.