Why an Adaptive Paddling Workshop?
“When I injured my spinal cord… I was left with paraplegia. I would now have to do some of my favorite activities from a wheelchair. Basketball, softball, and backpacking are not the same sports that they were before my injury. Canoeing, however, is exactly the same sport it was before my injury. I have to take a different route to the water, and adapt my seating, but the sport has not changed. The first time after my injury that I paddled with my daughters, my older daughter smiled at me from the bow. It was a smile I’ll never forget.” - Tom, 2000 Workshop
This ACA workshop has been taught across the country since 1990 & at Bay Cliff since 1998. The course brings together certified instructors, recreational paddlers, and people with physical disabilities with the goal of further promoting canoeing and kayaking for paddlers with disabilities.
If you are an adult with a physical disability, a recreational paddler or a certified paddling instructor, you are eligible to register for this course. Please download the appropriate information packet from the links below and mail in the registration and medical forms along with the tuition/room & board (if appropriate) to the address indicated on the forms.
Questions and Answers or Workshop Information or
Information Packet for Instructors and Recreational Paddlers or
Information Packet for People with Physical Disabilities
Class Sequence that includes photos of the course
Photo Gallery from previous APWs (all photos on this page and the gallery are taken by many people including: Karen Schlicher, Mike Fowler, Sam Crowley, Dean Juntenan )
Questions? Contact Karen Schlicher, Course Coordinator and Assistant Camp Director of Bay Cliff, at baycliffhc@aol.com 906 345-9314.
This page is provided as a public service to Bay Cliff Health Camp. Often SKS staff members are employed by Bay Cliff in a consulting and planning role as well as in programs such as Kids Camp, Camp Independence, and Adaptive Paddling Workshop. The Adaptive Paddling Workshop program featured on this page is a Bay Cliff Health Camp program only with no connection to SKS other than we think it is a great event and want to help promote it!
Q. Who can attend? Anyone with an interest in paddling. Instructor participants are individuals with interest/experience in kayaking & canoeing. Instructor certification not necessarily required. Paddling experience is required. Student participants are adults with physical disabilities who want to learn to paddle! Students would attend on the last two days of the workshop.
Q. What will it cost? Instructor participant fee schedule for the 4-day course is listed in Workshop Information and is discounted for early registration. The cost is FREE to student participants (adults with disabilities) .
Q. Is lodging available? Yes! Room & board is available at Bay Cliff (the workshop site). This includes lodging and meals for the 4-day course. Student participants (adults with disabilities) stay free. Other lodging can be found around the Big Bay area.
Q. What equipment will I need? Instructors: Kayak (must have acceptable flotation), paddle, spray skirt for kayak, PFD, wetsuit, paddling clothing. Instructors may bring extra of the above equipment to share with the student participants (adults with disabilities). Students: Kayak equipment is provided.
Q. What if I don’t have equipment? For Instructors, all the necessary paddling equipment except a wetsuit is available for a rental fee for the duration of the workshop. Student participants (adults with disabilities) have all kayaking equipment provided.
Q. What will I be learning? The Instructor participants will be involved in a 4-day course that includes on-water instruction, a classroom session, and interactive learning with adults with disabilities. Instructors learn what disabilities are, how to work with people with disabilities, what adaptive equipment is available, and how to adapt. Instructors then participate in real-time instruction with a student, which involves making adaptations, a pool session, and an open water paddling session. In addition, instructors will have an opportunity to update paddling skills and practice rescue techniques.
Student participants will be involved in the last two days of the workshop. Students learn the basics of boating & paddling, practicing first in a pool and then on flat open water.
Dates: September 10-13, 2009 (4 days from thursday to sunday)
Instructors (certified instructors as well as recreational paddlers) attend all 4 days
Students (people with physical disabilities) attend the last 2 days
WORKSHOP FEES:
- $180 if registered by June 15
- $200 if registered by July 30
- $225 if registered by Aug 31
- Registration deadline is August 31.
- Space is limited! Preregistration is required.
Room and board fee: $180
Course Coordinator:
- Bay Cliff Health Camp
- PO Box 310
- Big Bay, MI 49808
- Website - www.BayCliff.org
- Phone - 906 345-9314
- Fax - 906-345-9890
Karen Schlicher - baycliffhc@aol.com
Information Packet for Instructors and Recreational Paddlers
Click here 
(Click here if you can’t read these files)
Information Packet for People with Physical Disabilities
Click here (Click here if you can’t read these files)
The APW is broken up into 4 distinct days.
Day 1 - The first day the Instructors (professional/certified paddling instructors) and Assistant Instructors (recreational paddlers) get together for a skills update that takes place on the waters of Lake Superior. This gives everyone a common background of terms and paddling techniques as well as a chance to try out some/practice some skills.
Click here for a more detailed description of day one.
Here a Scoop rescue is being demonstrated. The Scoop rescue is commonly used when a disability or an injury prevents the swimmer from using a more standard rescue.
Day 2 - The second day is a day long classroom session. Instructors and Assistant Instructors will learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act, how to interact with people with disabilities and other disability related issues. In addition they will be instructed in the concepts and philosophy of adaptation development. 
Click here to see a more detailed description of day two.
A class discussion on a sunny day.
Day 3 - Students with disabilities arrive this day and are paired with Instructors. After the Student/Instructor teams get to know each other, they begin the process of boat fit, equipment adaptation and dry land instruction. Equipment is then taken to the pool to assess effectiveness and continued instruction. Click here to see a more detailed description of day three.
A team working together developing adaptations for a Student’s kayak. Later the adaptations are taken to the pool. During this time the student is also receiving instruction i how to kayak.
Day 4 - This is what the hard work on Day 3 is all about, getting out and paddling! Harlow Lake, a nearby inland lake, is the location for the day and offers protected and calm conditions for the Student’s first outdoor paddling experience. Click here to see a more detailed description of day four.
A kayaker after her first day on the water with her paddling partner and husband.