Expeditions
have 3 or more sections that are carefully designed to combine
active adventure and wilderness travel. We believe they are the
best ways to experience the particular regions that we travel
through.
All
of the skills associated with our activities are taught from the
fundamentals on up, and no experience is necessary. One of our
goals is to have participants gain a basic understanding of each
activity, so that they have a solid foundation of skills necessary
to become safe and competent Backcountry Travelers, Paddlers and
Sailors.
Backcountry
Travel unites all of our Expeditions. Selecting a campsite,
forecasting weather, handling emergencies and planning/cooking
meals are all skills that are a part of traveling in the backcountry.
We work on the skills necessary to travel and live with a group
in a wilderness setting, focusing on personal and group responsibility.
Sea
Kayaking is perhaps the best way to explore the coast
line in protected waters and inland waterways. The kayak enables
us to glide through shallow waters, investigate small inlets and
make beach landings in secluded coves. Paddling technique and
kayak safety, including wet-exits and kayak rescues, are discussed
and practiced. Additionally, we learn basic navigation skills,
weather forecasting and, when in the ocean, tide prediction and
marine navigation.
Backpacking
is a way to experience the wilderness with simple self-sufficiency.
Our backpack trips are at least a few days in duration, and take
us through glacier carved notches, over mountain passes, across
alpine meadows and along rugged coast lines. We focus on the basics
like what to pack, how to pack it, and adjusting your pack for
efficiency. We also learn backcountry navigation techniques, camp
site selection, and how to travel with a group.
Sailing
through the protected waters along the coast of Maine, USVI
or in the San Juan Islands are excellent ways to learn or build
coastal sailing skills. Sail theory, seamanship and marine navigation
are taught by expert instructors - and students are actively engaged
in the sailing and navigation of our vessels. We believe that
our trips are unique because we sail with two boats, and limit
the number of students to 5 or 6 on each boat (see
What Makes Us Unique for more details).
Whitewater
Rafting in inflatable kayaks,2-person row-frame rafts
or 8-person paddle rafts are a part of each expedition. Whether
a single day of invigorating Class IV rapids or four days of rafting
through a desert canyon, rafting is always a highlight of every
Williwaw expedition. With the help of expert guides, we learn
paddling skills and whitewater navigation, as well as the importance
of teamwork and communication.
Whitewater
Kayaking school is a focus of our Paddle Maine trip.
Beginning with the basics in flatwater - you will learn wet-exits,
paddling techniques and how to roll. Then you will move on to
moving water, and progressively build you skills. With the help
of expert guides, learn paddling skills, how to surf waves, ferrying,
whitewater navigation and whitewater safety.
Surfing
needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated. Harnessing
the energy of a wave on top of a surfboard is an amazing and exhilarating
way to spend time on the coast. Our instructors teach us to read
waves on the horizon, paddling skills and balance. We spend several
days building our surfing skills along a stretch of coast that
is ideal for learning.
Float
Planes take us from one activity to another in remote
areas where travel by other means is not possible. In expeditions
that have float plane elements, we experience the wilderness we
are traveling through from a different perspective.
Exploration
is an important aspect to each expedition and a key
component to creating a unique experience for you and your group.
You may arrive to camp early in the afternoon and decide to check
out a swimming hole; be waiting for the fog to lift and take a
walk around a small island on the coast, spend the afternoon exploring
a slot canyon, or spend part of a travel day exploring the town
near your campsite.
