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Discover Paddling - Kayak & SUP "Open House" at Sandia Lakes
"Discover Paddling" Every Wednesday at Sandia Lakes Recreation Area! Come join us for a variety of fun skills building games, socialization and practice. Ideal for NMKI students who want to practice or tune up, meet others or play fun games.
We especially invite families to join us during this time.
- Beginners Welcome! This is a great place to start out or try kayaking for the first time!
- NMKI students welcome! This is a great place to tune up or practice skills you've learned and meet others in the paddling community!
- SUPs Welcome! Great place to practice, or exercise!
- Kids & Families Welcome! Introduce your kids to kayaking in an informal, yet controlled environment. Get them hooked on the outdoors at this amazing recreatin area!
- Touring kayaks Welcome! Unlike the pool, Sandia Lakes has plenty of space for touring kayaks. Practice rescues, strokes and maneuvers to fine-tune your boat control skills!
There's no official theme for this month; the only requirement is that you come out and kayak with us!
What to expect:
- 5:20 - 5:30pm; Arrive at Sandia Lakes, meet NMKI representative and pay user fees before entering the park. After park entry fees have been collected, drive to designated lake (typically #3) and meet NMKI representative to gather assigned gear. 4 total bathrooms are near by for changing (2 mens, 2 womens). Do not change in the parking lot.
- 7:30 - 7:45; Out of the water, assist in returnining equipment to storage area
- 8:00; Gates lock. All paddlers must be out of the locked area by 8pm.
Ground Rules (per Sandia Lakes Recreation Area):
- Drive counterclockwise around the lake (ie: follow the one-way signs)
- Park in the designated parking lots; those unloading boats may park nearer to the access point, provided they do not block access to the road or additional parking.
- Do not block the drive when loading/unloading the boats
- Enter the lake at the gravel entry only; do not enter from the grassy areas
- Kayakers are not permitted in the lakes before 5:30pm. Please wait outside of the gated area until Jane or other NMKI representative collects your entry fee between 5:20 - 5:30.
- If arriving after 6pm, Sandia Lakes will not open the gates; you will be expected to carry your boat from the store parking lot to the lake for kayaking. Best to arrive well before 6pm.
Price:
$10 per kayaker ($3 per 'Visitor'; those who are neither kayaking or fishing)
Boat & Gear rental options:
Students of New Mexico Kayak Instruction - $5
All others - $5 for the first two trial sessions; $15 after that.
$15 if you request a specific boat for demo
If you requested a boat, you must arrive by 5:30pm to pay the park entry and gear rental fee, and get your gear by 5:45. Otherwise, all unclaimed gear will be locked down for security for the remainder of the night; no exceptions.
Private instruction is available upon request. $85/person for a 2hr lesson, pre-paid. May include up to two people.
We look forward to paddling with you!
I like the emphasis on kayaking as a positive experience. After taking the classes, you realize that you can have a very fun time, even before mastering the roll. Other classes I've taken make the roll seem like a necessity, and learning to roll (or not), becomes the focus, which eclipses the fun of kayaking.
I just took Kelly's Intro to Kayaking class at the Chavez Center in Santa Fe and really enjoyed it. He was able to work with all levels (I'd never been in a kayak with the skirt on before) and even helped me overcome my fears after the initial freakout of being strapped to my boat underwater. Great teacher, I'm looking forward to the roll class!