Eskape Sea Kayaking Custom Classes and Tours

ABOUT US -- EXPERIENCE: THE ESK DIFFERENCE

From first strokes to instructor certification, we've taught thousands how to kayak, polish their skills, and even become instructors themselves. Many former students now teach for us and at other local kayaking schools. Eskape's owner-operator, Roger Schumann, has been teaching kayaking professionally since 1990. In addition to being one of the top instructors in the nation, he is the award-winning co-author of two books on kayaking (see more below).    

We Train the Instructors.    
(ACA Instructor Certification Workshops )

ESK is one of only three schools on the West Coast qualified to certify American Canoe Association sea kayaking instructors. Roger has trained instructors from some of the West Coast’s finest paddling schools: Monterey Bay Kayaks, California Canoe and Kayaks, Eddyline, NOLS, Outward Bound, Alder Creek and others.

What does that mean for you? It means that you are going to get the best training available, geared toward your skill level, whether you are a first-time beginner or a fellow instructor.

Smaller Class Size

• Beginning classes 4:1 (8 students max. to 2 instructors) 
• Surf Zone and other intermediate classes 3:1 (6 students to 2 instructors).
• Advanced clinics 3:1 (6 students to 2 instructors).

Single Kayaks

Great Locations   Photos

Who We Are--experienced paddling professionals

Roger Schumann Eskape's owner and primary instructor, Roger is an A.C.A. Instructor Trainer Educator in Advanced Open Water (the ACA's highest level of certification) who has been teaching sea and river kayaking since 1990. He is known nationally for his many articles in Sea Kayaker magazine, and he is also the award-winning co-author of two books on kayaking: Sea Kayaking Central and Northern California: Best Trips From Morro Bay To The Lost Coast (winner of a National Outdoor Book Award) and Sea Kayak Rescue.  A California native, he grew up along, and often in, the Pacific Ocean surfing, sailing, snorkeling and eventually sea kayaking.  In addition to sea kayaking, he is also an ACA-certified whitewater instructor, a naturalist and adjunct instructor of  marine natural history field-study courses for Prescott College, and a regular guest speaker at various kayaking events and symposia across the country. For over 15 years Roger has been teaching classes and leading kayaking expeditions all over the world from Alaska to the Galapagos and from Belize to Baja.	Kayak     Birding       Tour       Elkhorn      Slough   >
	Mendocino     Pourover  >    Big Wave   Play Day  in Baja  v
	Sea Kayaking the Grand Canyon!   1995

Eskape's regular instructors are a "Who's Who" of local paddling talent,  including several of the Bay Area's most-experienced and better-known sea kayaking professionals:

Tom Shores is among a small handful of ACA Instructor Trainers (able to train and certify instructors with a single bound!) in our area. A gifted paddler and teacher, he managed and helped build a large kayak instructional program on Tomales Bay for many years. He currently works as a rep in the outdoor sports industry.

Brian Dresbach  is one of Eskape's best success stories: he began as a student some 8 years ago, went through all our skills classes, including an ACA instructor training, and became ACA-certified. Currently an Instructor Trainer Candidate, his infectious enthusiasm for the sport, sense of humor, and extreme competence as both a paddler and an instructor, has made him one of our more popular instructors.

Buck Johnson has been teaching for ESK since the early years. His experience and professionalism, coupled with his good humor and enthusiasm for paddling and teaching, have made him a perennial favorite among our students. When not teaching with Eskape, he is a paramedic for Monterey County who loves to surf kayak. In fact, he recently surfed his way to victory in the Masters' International Class at the World Kayak Surf Championships in Spain!

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