Sea Kayak Program Guide Page

Welcome to Sea Kayak Guide Page!

Please check out the updated trip schedule to see where you can help out: Sea Kayak Trip Schedule

Contact the Sea Kayak Program Manager via email or phone (415-474-7662 ext. 13) to sign up for trips and get out on the water!

Skills Training

For more information on opportunities for current Guides to refresh and build skills as both sea kayakers and as outdoor educators see: Sea Kayak Skills Training

Information on Conditions

This National Weather Service site has excellent hourly conditions reports.

If you have a Mac, we recommend a free download of Ayes Tides for Mac for location-specific tides and currents predictions. If you have an iPhone or iPad, we recommend a download of Aye Tides, the equivalent program for your mobile device.

Talk Outlines

Want to remember what the Boat and Soft Gear Talk, Paddle Talk, and Safety Talk consist of?  Here are some cheat sheet refreshers!

• ETC Boat and Soft Gear Talk Outline
• ETC Paddle Talk Outline
• ETC Safety Talk Outline

Sea Kayak Guide Manual

The Guide Manual covers all the essential information you need to be a Guide on an ETC Sea Kayak Trip.  From policies to rescues, Guide roles to specific trip and equipment logistics, it’s all in here! PDF versions of each chapter are available here for online viewing or download at your convenience.

• Chapter 1: ETC Organization Information
• Chapter 2: Roles of Guides and Trip Leaders
• Chapter 3: Sea Kayak Program Trips
• Chapter 4: Policies and Procedures (revised 2023)
• Chapter 5: Equipment
• Chapter 6: Sea Kayak Skills
• Chapter 7: Adaptive Sea Kayaking

Sea Kayak Program Education and Activities Manual

The Education and Activities Manual is packed full of resources you can use to provide educational and fun trips for your groups. This manual provides an overview of natural and human history, and includes instructions for many games and activities that can enhance your trip. This manual is designed to provide background information that complements the portable, laminated educational materials found at our field locations.

Download the Education and Activities Manual Here!

Skills Videos

If you’re feeling rusty, attending an ETC Skills Refresher is the best way to brush up on your kayaking hard skills.  If the timing doesn’t work out for that, or if you want to refresh your memory in advance of a Skills Refresher, the following videos provide great visualizations of key strokes and rescues that you should be comfortable with.

• ETC Boat, Paddle, and Safety Talks (in English)
• ETC Boat, Paddle, and Safety Talks (in Spanish)
• Forward Stroke (Focus on the low-angle touring stroke)
• Back Stroke
• Sweep Strokes
• Low Brace
• High Brace
• Paddle Float Self Rescue
• Assisted Rescues (Focus on the “side sit re-entry” method)
• Heel Hook (Used in an assisted rescue)
• Scramble Re-Entry

Helpful Information and Forms

Driving Directions
San Francisco Bay Program Driving Directions
Tomales Bay Program Driving Directions

Parking Instructions
San Francisco Bay Program Parking Instructions
Tomales Bay Program Parking Instructions 

Guide Roster
Coming soon!

Important Forms
2022 Health Form and Liability Release

ETC Policies
Volunteer Contract
Sea Kayak Program Policies
Sea Kayak Guide Boat Use Policy

Sea Kayak Program Contact Information

  (Sea Kayak Program Manager)

Email: kayak@etctrips.org
Phone: 415-474-7662 ext. 13
Fax: 415-474-3919