The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) are teaming up with paddlesports leaders to offer low-cost beginner kayaking classes Saturday, May 16 at Montgomery Whitewater to kick off National Safe Boating Week.
This is the first year for Kayaking 101 in Alabama. Still, the multi-state initiative is in its fifth year, having helped hundreds of beginner paddlers across the Southeast safely dip their paddles into kayaking for the first time. Last year, 330 paddlers across five states received training at the coordinated “Kayaking 101” event. In 2024, the volunteer-led effort was recognized with the National Safe Boating Council’s Communications Community Impact Award. This year, volunteers are offering Kayaking 101 classes to the public on Saturday, May 16 in more than 40 locations across eight states.
The event is supported by paddling leaders from ACA Alabama, Montgomery Whitewater, and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, as well as instructor volunteers across Alabama who are certified to teach paddlesports by the American Canoe Association (ACA), whose nationally recognized standards guide paddlesports instruction for the event.
For the first year of Kayaking 101 in Alabama, a beginner kayaking course will be offered to the public at Montgomery Whitewater on Saturday, May 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Montgomery Whitewater is located at 1100 Maxwell Blvd., in Montgomery, Alabama.
“National Safe Boating Week is a reminder that enjoying Alabama’s waterways comes with a responsibility to be prepared,” said ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor. “Through partnerships like Kayaking 101, we are giving people the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of paddling safety before they ever get on the water. When individuals are equipped with the right knowledge and skills, they are far more likely to make smart decisions that protect not only themselves, but their families and others sharing our waterways.”…