June - September - each month we will hone your skills on a different aspect of sea kayaking. The skills are specific to the Mendocino Coast but can be applied to other sea kayaking destinations. Working with students over the course of 4 or 5 months, we see significant progress in their skills and comfort and confidence in dynamic waters. If you really want to accelerate your sea kayaking skills, this is the program for you.
Sea kayak classes and tours on California's Mendocino Coast.
If you have taken sea kayak classes before (even this series), we encourage you to re-take the ones in areas where you want to fine tune and master your skills. Every day on the sea is different and a learning experience - take this opportunity to learn under the guidance of LiquidFusionKayaking.
Rock garden pour-over play on the Mendocino Coast.
Each 2 day class
is $270/person using your own equipment.
Equipment rentals are available.
Students have the option of using a decked sea kayak or a sit on top
touring kayak. Reservations are
necessary and can be made online at LiquidFusionKayak.com or by calling Liquid
Fusion Kayaking (707) 962-1623.
Sea kayak surfing on the Mendocino Coast of California
Whitewater of the Sea aka Whitewater Kayaking in Ocean Rock Gardens.
Liquid
Fusion Kayaking is an owner-operated instructional kayak company based on the
Mendocino Coast of California. Liquid Fusion Kayaking's mission is to provide
fun, personal, interactive, and educational adventures that garner appreciation
for wildlife, nature, and kayaking. LFK is owned and operated by
internationally acclaimed kayak instructors - Cate Hawthorne and Jeff Laxier.
Cate and Jeff guide and teach all of LFK's tours and classes. Cate and Jeff's
specialties include sea kayaking, whitewater river kayaking, surf kayaking,
rock gardening, and natural history. They are both a bit nerdy when it comes to
nature and love sharing wildlife and natural history during their classes and
tours.
LFK Owner/Operator/Instructors Cate Hawthorne and Jeff Laxier
Get ready for summer kayaking season on the Mendocino Coast with a kayak safety skills clinic.
Capsizes happen to all kayaks. Learn how to help yourself and others back into and onto their kayaks after a capsize.
On Sunday May 19, Liquid Fusion Kayaking is going to be hosting a Kayak Safety Clinic. From 10- Noon there will be a2 hour on water kayak safety clinic that includes capsize prevention techniques and capsize recovery. $20/person with their own kayak and equipment (must wear a wetsuit). $40/person includes kayak and wetsuit rental. All proceeds will be donated to the Mendocino County Water Safety Coalition.
Good to know how to help yourself and your friends when a kayak capsizes.
NOON - FREE KAYAK SAFETY DEMONSTRATION -
Liquid Fusion Kayaking will demonstrate safety skills including how to get back into and onto a capsized kayak.
Learn techniques to keep your kayak from capsizing.
ALL TYPES OF KAYAKS ARE ENCOURAGED FOR THIS EVENT. BRING YOURS OR RENT ONE FROM US. CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
If a picture says a thousand words, what does a video say?
Evolution of Liquid Fusion Kayaking's Mendocino Kayak Videos
Last month, I created 2 new videos for Liquid Fusion Kayaking to showcase our Mendocino Kayaking Adventures. When I uploaded them to YouTube, I spiffed up LFK's YouTube Channel and revised some of our playlists. Doing so was a bit of a stroll down memory lane. It is hard to believe that 10 years ago, I created our first video - Rock Gardening on the Mendocino Coast. I learned a lot from the process and the feedback that I received from viewers.
In 2009, I created our Mendocino Coast Sea Kayaking video. This is still one of my favorite videos. I hope someday to recreate it with better quality video.
Fast forward 10 years to 2019
It was fun this week to share and reveal our new videos and to reminisce over our oldies. I have published over 30 videos for Liquid Fusion Kayaking's YouTube Channel and created several playlists. It is amazing how far video quality and technology have come - even for us amateurs using hand held point and shoot cameras and simple editing programs. I think the biggest game changer was when we could shoot and edit HD video without sophisticated equipment and software. The continual battle with shooting kayaking videos is water spots, lighting and moving water and subjects. Jive'n is one of my favorite Mendocino Coast kayaking videos. The good old Necky boats like the Jive are still fun boats for rock gardening and kayak surfing.
This year, I have created and posted 2 quickie - 1 minute videos. I like the challenge of editing for quality not quantity and the challenge of a 1 minute video that entertains and tells a story. My first challenge was a 1 minute video to use as a "trailer" or promo video to showcase LFK as an owner/instructor multi-discipline kayak company. Check it out and let me know what you think.
My second project this year was to portray our Whitewater of the Sea - rock gardening lesson/tour. We get lots of interest and questions about this trip. My goal was to create a video that gave an authentic teaser of our Whitewater of the Sea Adventure. The challenge was to portray it as fun, exciting, challenging, but not scary. Take a look and let me know how I did.
I hope that you enjoyed the videos and the little stroll down memory land. I have a couple of future video projects in mind. If you know anyone who would like to collaborate with us on some fun, inspirational, or instructional videos, we are open to suggestions. To be the first to see our new videos -
Please subscribe to Liquid Fusion Kayaking's YouTube Channel
Cate is a high energy person who loves sharing her passion for learning and the outdoors with others. Cate has several K-12 teaching credentials and a masters degree in education. After 13 years working in public schools, Cate moved her teaching talents from the classroom to the water.
Kayaking is one of her many outdoor adventure pursuits on the Mendocino Coast. When not kayaking, Cate is likely to be mountain biking, hiking or running in the forest. Cate is an avid birder, connoisseur of wild mushrooms, and writer. She is an ACA certified whitewater and sea kayak instructor, wilderness first responder, and is a Lieutenant in the Tsunami Rangers.
