Got Kids?
Oakland-Alameda Estuary “Up Close and
Personal!”
By Mary Swift-Swan & friends
The
Jack London Aquatic Center (JLAC) offers a variety of
opportunities for kids and their families to learn to kayak
or row. All equipment , including kayaks, life-preservers,
paddles, etc., is provided by the JLAC. NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE
IS NECESSARY. Except as noted below, PARTICIPANTS DO NOT
NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SWIM. Our certified instructors are
skilled at working with kids and adults who have no prior
experience with the water.
JLAC is located in Oakland’s Estuary Park,
on the Embarcadero, between Oak St. and 5th Avenue. It is
located about 1.5 miles south of the Ferry docks of Jack
London Square, on Embarcadero, not in Jack London Square.
The Aquatic Center is a municipal boathouse of the City of
Oakland, operated by the JLAC under contract with the City.
Kids-in-Kayaks
Learn to paddle a kayak! Three sessions: each is five
consecutive afternoons.
June 21-25 Monday-Friday 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
July 12-16 Monday-Friday 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
August 9-13 Monday-Friday 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Limited to 15 participants. This program
is for students enrolled in the 6th through 10th grades.
Cost for five-afternoon program: $100. Fee-waivers are
available.
Family Paddling in Double Kayaks
One-day sessions — Saturday mornings
Saturday, June 26 8:00 AM to noon
Saturday, July 17 8:00 AM to noon
Saturday, August 14 8:00 AM to noon
Parents/guardians/grandparents and kids
can paddle together in double kayaks, lead by a certified
kayak instructor. Children must be 10 years or older, and
must be accompanied by an adult. Cost for one-day, Saturday-morningprogram,
per each adult-child group: $10. Fee-waivers available on
request.
Friday-Evening Twilight Kayaking
Friday, June 25 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Friday, July 16 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Friday, August 13 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
A great way to end your work-week: Meet at
the Jack London Aquatic Center at 5:00 PM; we will paddle
past the Ninth Avenue pier, into Embarcadero Cove, around
Government Island, and back to the Aquatic Center, returning
before 8:00 PM. This program is for adults and for kids 16
years and older accompanied by an adult. Cost per
participant: $10.
Learn to Single-Scull
Learn to single-scull, just like they do on the Charles
River in Boston and the River Isis in Oxford! Three two-day
sessions:
June 5-6 Saturday-Sunday 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
July 10-11 Saturday-Sunday 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
August 7-8 Saturday-Sunday 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Limited to 6 participants. This program is
for adults, and for kids 14 and older.
Please note that sculling participants must know how to
swim. Cost for each two-day session: $100.
Group Sessions.
Do you belong to a community, church, or school group?
Contact JLAC executive director DeDe Birch to arrange a
special event in kayaks. We can specially tailor the
kayaking to meet the special needs, agenda, and resources of
your group.
Youth summer camp enrollment is open now and is expected to
be full by early June. Contact JLAC executive director DeDe
Birch at 510-208-6060, info@jlac.org, or www.jlac.org.