May 18, 2008 
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Come and play; experience the joy and exhilaration of moving water and springtime! You’ll learn how whitewater canoeing can feel like a dance, with the river as your partner.
This advanced beginner day is for women who’ve done some basic whitewater canoeing, want to brush up on their skills, or just want a fun day in the rapids with a great group of women. If you take the beginning canoe day on Saturday, May 17, and you’re comfortable in a canoe, you’ll be able to join us for Day 2 of whitewater instruction.
With an emphasis on stroke refinement and reading the river, you’ll learn basic whitewater techniques that abundantly increase your pleasure in paddling, while significantly reducing any fear you might have. Our emphasis is fun, with gentle and thorough instruction. Our guides truly love whitewater canoeing, and have taught beginners for decades.
 We’ll begin the morning with a brief ground school, reviewing basic whitewater techniques like eddying and peeling out, side slipping to avoid rocks, ferrying, and reading the river. Then we’ll spend the rest of the day on the water, practicing and playing as we paddle a Class II/III section of the Bois Brule River. After a fun and full day, we’ll end at a local restaurant for a celebratory meal. Camping and/or hotel recommendations in the area are provided.
You need only basic whitewater canoe experience prior to this trip. Some previous instruction or paddling experience is required, since we will be spending the majority of the day paddling and practicing, with less ground school instruction. We paddle with extra clothes in dry bags so you can change clothes if you get wet or chilled. Feeling nervous is fine—and very normal. Our instructors are thorough, very safe, fun, and experts at teaching whitewater (no yelling).
Watch the feature that National Geographic Today did on The Wild Institute's whitewater weekend.
The details…
What to bring: When you register, you’ll receive a packing list with everything you’ll need for the day. You bring only your personal gear. All canoe equipment and lunch are provided.
How much experience, how in
shape do I need to be: Though many women use their trip as motivation to get in better shape before they go, no particular level of fitness is necessary for this trip. You need to be comfortable in a canoe, and have some basic whitewater canoe experience. Expect several hours of kneeling in the canoe (for stability and leaning into turns). The day is very full, so plan on playing hard during the day, and sleeping hard at night.
Can I sign up on my own: All women are welcome. Most women sign up on their own, others register with friends, mothers, adult daughters, partners, sisters.
Weather: Plan on anything from gorgeous spring weather in the 70’s to chilly days in the 50’s. It gets cold at night (usually in the low 40’s), but typically warms up significantly during the day. The suggested clothing in the packing list that you receive when you register will help you be comfortable in all kinds of weather.
Meals: Food matters! A hearty and delicious lunch will be provided on the river.
What does my trip fee cover: Your trip fee of $175 includes all canoe equipment, lunch, and guides with combined experience of 50 years teaching whitewater to women.
Schedule: Plan on arriving in Brule, Wisconsin at 9AM on Sunday, May 18 (directions to follow when you register). We’ll start with a brief ground school, then move to the river for a little more instruction, then several hours of practice and play on a Class II/III stretch of the river. We’ll end early evening and enjoy a celebratory meal at a local restaurant. When you register, we can recommend various camping or hotel options in the area. We’ll also provide contact information of other participants so you can carpool or share camping/hotel costs if you like.
Group size: Groups
are small, typically 6-10 participants with a very high
ratio of instructors.
Transportation: The Bois Brule River in Brule, Wisconsin is about a four-hour drive of the Minneapolis/St Paul area. If you are flying, the closest major airport is Duluth, MN. Plan your flights for Saturday evening (May 17) and Monday morning (May 19) at the earliest. It’s likely you could make a Sunday evening flight, but weather and capsizes can sometimes delay your departure from the river.
Payment information: Your deposit is not refundable. If you must cancel, please do so in writing. If you cancel 50 days prior to the trip or more, the balance of your trip fee is refundable; 30 to 49 days, the balance of your trip fee is transferable to any other Wild Institute trip through the end of the following year; 0-29 days, the trip fee is not refundable or transferable. We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance so that you can recover your losses should you need to cancel your trip. Some companies that Wild Institute participants have used are: CSA Travel Protection (800-348-9505) www.csatravelprotection.com/comfort, or Travel Insured, 800-243-3174. The Wild Institute reserves the right to alter trip plans due to severe weather, water/snow conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances.
How do I sign up:Please send your full trip fee of $175 along with your name, address, phone, and e-mail address.
The WILD Institute
P.O. Box 353
Loretto, MN 55357
Click Here to view and print registration form
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*Our canoe trips follow the American Canoe Association standards for
instruction and safety*
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