Wednesday, August 12, 2026 from 4:00–8:00 p.m.
Thomson Reservoir in Carlton (Maps link here)

Join the St. Louis River Alliance, in partnership with the University of Minnesota Duluth Recreational Sports Outdoor Program (UMD RSOP) and Day Tripper of Duluth, for an evening of hands-on instruction designed to help you become a safer, more confident paddler.

Rather than a traditional paddling class, this event lets you customize your experience. During registration, you'll rank your preferred workshops and be assigned sessions based on your experience level, interests, and workshop availability. Small class sizes ensure plenty of personalized instruction.

Workshops are offered in three formats:

• Dry Land – Learn essential paddling knowledge without getting on the water.

• On Water – Practice paddling techniques while staying in your kayak (expect wet feet and occasional splashing).

• In Water – Build confidence through hands-on rescue and recovery skills (expect full immersion).

Each workshop includes a location, activity level, and "how wet you'll get" rating to help you choose the sessions that best match your comfort level and goals.

Scroll down to the Workshop Descriptions for details about each session, including what you'll learn, who it's best suited for, and any prerequisites.

Whether you're preparing for your first kayak purchase, hoping to paddle the St. Louis River or Lake Superior with more confidence, or simply looking to develop new skills in a supportive environment, there's a workshop for you.

All required paddling equipment—including kayaks, paddles, personal flotation devices (PFDs), and safety gear—will be provided. Participants who own a sea kayak are encouraged to indicate this during registration, as bringing your own boat will help reduce rental needs.

Participants must be 12 years or older. Youth ages 12–17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Registration

Space is limited to approximately 60 participants, and advance registration is required. During registration, you'll be asked to rank your first, second, and third workshop choices. We will do our best to place participants in their preferred sessions while balancing workshop capacities and experience levels.

Rain date: To be announced.

If online registration is not accessible to you, please contact the St. Louis River Alliance at outreach@stlouisriver.org for assistance.

Workshop Descriptions

Dry Land - Kayak Prep: Safety, Gear, and Car Top Transport

• Geared towards: Beginner to intermediate paddlers seeking a solid foundation in safe, confident kayaking. Ideal for anyone who owns or plans to own a kayak and wants hands-on guidance with boat transport, essential safety gear, evaluating weather conditions, and calling for help.

• Three stations, rotating every 45 minutes

  • Kayak & Car-Top Solutions (Moderately strenuous: optional lifting)
    This session covers practical strategies for safely transporting and storing your kayak. You’ll learn how to secure it on a car-top rack, lift and carry it efficiently, and use common gear like straps and cradles. Don’t have a car top rack? No cradles? We’ll show solutions for rack-free, roof top transport too. We’ll also review storage tips to protect your kayak from weather and damage, giving you the confidence to move and store it safely and independently.

  • VHF Radios & Marine Forecasting (Not strenuous)
    Learn how to use VHF radios and interpret marine weather forecasts for safe paddling. You’ll practice operating and communicating on a VHF radio in addition to understanding key channels. We’ll also review how to read marine forecasts and recognize weather patterns to make informed decisions on when and where to paddle, giving you greater confidence and safety on the water.

  • Essential Safety Gear (Not strenuous)
    This session introduces essential safety gear every paddler should have on the water: personal flotation devices, paddles, bilge pumps, throw ropes, signaling devices, and other key equipment. We’ll cover how to choose, use, and maintain each item, so you’re prepared for common situations and unexpected challenges. 

On-Water Strokes & Maneuvering – sweep strokes, draws(Mildly strenuous)

• 1 instructor / 5 participants In this session, we’ll focus on the strokes that help you turn and move your kayak with precision and ease. You’ll practice sweep strokes for efficient turning and draw strokes for moving the boat sideways — skills that are especially useful for docking, navigating tight spaces, and paddling in groups. Each stroke is broken down step-by-step with attention to body position and blade placement, helping you feel more responsive and in control on the water. Expect wet feet, no full immersion planned.

On-Water Tandem Maneuvering & Mini Tour around Thomson(Mildly strenuous)

• 1 instructor / 5 participants This session focuses on tandem kayaking skills, teaching partners how to communicate and coordinate for smooth, efficient paddling. You’ll practice strokes, turns, and maneuvering techniques specific to two-person kayaks, building teamwork and control. After practicing maneuvers,, we’ll take a short guided mini-tour around Thomson Reservoir, giving you the chance to apply what you’ve learned in a real paddling setting while enjoying the scenery and exploring together. Expect wet feet, no full immersion planned.

In-Water Wet Exit & Paddle Basics(Mildly strenuous; light paddling)

• 1 instructor / 5 participants A wet exit is the process of safely exiting your kayak if it tips over. While capsizing can sound intimidating, practicing a wet exit in a calm, controlled setting helps remove fear and builds real confidence. In this workshop you’ll learn what to expect, how to stay calm underwater, how to release your spray skirt, and how to come up safely with your boat and paddle. Once everyone has had a chance to practice, we’ll teach essential paddle strokes to help you move forward efficiently, turn with control, and stop confidently before heading out on a short tour of Thompson Reservoir. Expect to be wet/fully immersed in the water.

In-Water Bracing Workshop – requires wet exit demo(Moderately strenuous)

• 1 instructor /  5 participants This bracing workshop builds the stability and confidence you need in dynamic conditions — whether waves are building on Lake Superior or wind and boat wakes are catching you off guard on the St. Louis River. Strong bracing skills help you stay upright and composed when your kayak is pushed off balance. You’ll practice low and high brace techniques for quick, effective recovery. Expect to be wet/fully immersed in the water.

• ***Prerequisite: Learning to brace can sometimes lead to capsizing. Participants are required to demonstrate a comfortable, controlled wet exit at the start of the session. Options to learn this skill for the first time, or simply demo your already mastered wet exit will be offered. 

In-Water Rescues Workshop – T-rescue & paddle-float rescue(Strenuous; climbing into boat from water)

• 2 instructors/ 10 participants This rescues workshop teaches essential skills for getting yourself or another paddler back into a kayak after a capsize. You’ll practice the T-rescue (assisted rescue), a reliable method for emptying water and supporting a partner’s deep-water re-entry, and the paddle-float rescue, a self-rescue technique that uses a paddle float for added stability during re-entry. Skills are taught step-by-step in a supportive environment to build confidence, teamwork, and calm decision-making on the water.

What to Bring

A packing list will be sent prior to the event. Depending on the workshops you are assigned, you may get wet or be fully immersed in the water, so please come prepared with clothing appropriate for the activities you've selected.

Paddle a Restored Stretch of the St. Louis River

This workshop takes place at Thomson Reservoir, one of the newest restoration sites within the St. Louis River Area of Concern. For decades, pollution from historic industrial activity left contaminated sediment on the bottom of the reservoir. Today, a major cleanup effort is helping make the river healthier for fish, wildlife, and the people who enjoy it. As you build your kayaking skills, you'll have the opportunity to experience firsthand how restoration is transforming this stretch of the St. Louis River into a place for recreation, learning, and community connection.

Funding for this event is provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, supporting efforts to reconnect people with the recovering St. Louis River Estuary.