Dates: No Guide course offered in 2010.
Starting & Ending Place:
Price per person:
Route Length: 75-100 nautical miles. Travel by single and double kayaks.
Latitude: 68 degrees N
Day 1: Welcome to Scandinavia and Narvik, Norway! In the evening at 6 p.m. we will meet in the lobby of Breidablikk Guest House in Narvik (dinner is not provided this evening). Lodging is included in the price and you are welcome to check in earlier. After introductions and an evening snack we will talk through the schedule for the upcoming Wilderness First Aid course and the rest of our Educational Guide course.
Wilderness First Aid is different from the Red Cross or urban first aid. Focus is on initial and prolonged care for a patient in the backcountry. After this two-day course you will receive a two year certification with the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS (http://wmi.nols.edu).
Please contact us if you need assistance or your travel schedule does not get you into town until later this evening.
Day 2 & Day 3: Wilderness First Aid course. Intense course with 40% lecture and 60% demonstrations and practical work. We will be both inside and outside these two days. Be prepared to learn how to take care of broken bones, wounds, head injuries, heat stroke, hypothermia, belly ache and much, much more.
This evening your leaders will show you their personal equipment so you can organize your own gear. Narvik is the last place for purchasing quality outdoor gear so we need to make sure everyone has the necessary equipment for a successful course. Please read through the Personal Equipment List for recommended clothing. Tonight everyone will pack up their personal gear in water tight bags and be ready for a great educational adventure
Day 4: After an early breakfast we board a bus and ride a couple hours to Tysfjord. The scenery is fantastic and when the bus drives onboard the ferry to cross Tysfjord we can get out and stretch our legs.
Our fleet of sea kayaks will be waiting on the beach. This course does not require previous paddling or camping experience. Our staff will cover the basics of safe and fun sea kayaking. This includes kayak anatomy, getting in and out, basic paddling strokes, wet-exits, basic rescue techniques, injury prevention etc. Your leaders will also demonstrate a capsize and assisted rescue so everyone is familiar with our procedures. We expect participants with previous experience to help out teaching and sharing ideas and styles. The success of this course depends on each persons willingness to contribute and work together.
During our first day we will take it slow to ensure each participant demonstrates safe and proper paddling techniques. Today we will cover basic skills in front of our camp. From this point on, most of our meals will be cooked on our camping stoves and our nights will be spent sleeping in tents.
All participants will help out on a rotating schedule with the preparation and cooking of our meals. You will learn how to serve well balanced and tasty meals.
Our staff will teach you how to pitch the tents, and our lavu’ (the large teepee-like tent we have along for rainy days). You’ll learn how to load the kayaks and get comfortable in the outdoors. During the trip, weather conditions and our group’s paddling ability will help us determine our speed of travel. The weather in this region can be warm and sunny, but rain and wind are not uncommon. We should expect the best yet be prepared for the worst.
Day 5: Today is a day of skills and classes. We mix theoretical classes with practical learning. We will spend many hours working on technical paddling skills and rescues as well as how to teach others these skills. Crossing Latitudes provides wet suits and dry suits but if you have your own please bring it. Be prepared to get wet!
An afternoon hike up on the hills above us will give us a great view of our route for the next few days.
Day 6 to Day 10: If weather allows we will pack up and paddle off every morning. During this course we encourage your input while making decisions on where to camp, how far to paddle and what areas to explore. This is what makes a Crossing Latitudes expedition and course unique, active participation and making new friends. We may choose to paddle on the protected side of the larger islands or venture out along the more exposed coast. We might paddle into the fjords and visit Hamarøy where Knut Hamsun the Norwegian Nobel Prize winner grew up.
Salten, although wild, is not a wilderness. As we head south we will encounter a few inviting fishing villages. We might spend more than one night in the same camp due to weather conditions. We can expect areas with extremely rocky cliffs offering few landings, but also some long stretches with sandy beaches. A visit to the 100 year old Tranøy Lighthouse and some food shopping at Tranøy community is a must.
The fishing is excellent in this region. There are trout in the mountain lakes and cod, haddock, saithe and redfish in the ocean. Bring your own fishing equipment if you’re an enthusiast. Crossing Latitudes provides hand lines for jigging from the kayaks.
During the next few days we will do our best to cover topics like Cold Water Immersion, Wind and Waves, Navigation, Ocean Hazards, Expedition Behavior, Tides and Currents, Food Planning etc. During our expeditions we live by the influences of the tides, sea and mountain climate. This could mean an early morning departure, long moving days or staying hunkered down in camp waiting out a storm. We will learn and develop as outdoor leaders as the course progresses.
Day 11: If the weather and sea-conditions are in our favor we hope to paddle to the village of Skutvik. After loading the kayaks on our trailer and cleaning up our gear we will return to Narvik and the Breidablikk Guest house. Tonight we'll celebrate with a well deserved dinner in a local restaurant. Tonight's’ lodging and dinner are included in the course price.
Day 12: Breakfast and a final group photo will mark the official ending of our course. Each participant will be given a Course Evaluation of their participation in the course. Please do not make reservations for your return prior to this morning.
This Coastal Outdoor Educators Course develops and refines Sea Kayaking and Outdoor Expedition Skills in order to prepare the participants for working as guides in a coastal environment. Our basic curriculum emphasizes safety and judgment, expedition skills, outdoor living skills, technical sea kayaking skills, environmental awareness and Leave No Trace principles.
Goals of the Course:
To provide the participant with a combined Sea Kayaking and Camping Experience.
To develop skills for working as guides in a coastal setting.
To learn and further develop Sea kayaking and Traveling skills.
To learn and further develop Outdoor Living and Expedition skills.
To become certified Leave No Trace trainers.
To gain experience in different ways of teaching, camping, cooking and being in the outdoors.
To have fun and enjoy the outdoors together.
To become confident Wilderness First Aid care givers.
General Information:
Travel Insurance: We recommend that you protect yourself from unforeseen circumstances while traveling. The Travel Guard "Protect Assist" insurance plan protects you in the event that you have to cancel your trip for a variety of reasons. It covers you for everything from your cancellation to Trip Interruption, Travel Delay, Lost, Stolen or Damaged Luggage, Baggage Delay, Medical Expenses, Emergency Medical Transportation and more. This plan is ideally suited for adventure travel.
Pre- and post-trip accommodations: We recommend EDMONDS TRAVEL outside Seattle. They specialize in travel to Scandinavia. “KJ” is our primary contact person, she will help you book tickets. Call: 1-800-261-3868. Email: kj@edmondstravel.com
Weather: The coastal weather of Arctic Norway can bring strong winds and rain. Count on clouds and drizzle for at least half the time. Sunny days will be a welcome exception. Here the average temperatures range between the low 50's to 70’s. The coastal weather of Sweden is usually warmer and sunnier than Norway, but be prepared for some strong winds or heavy rain. Summer temperatures in Sweden can reach into the 80's. At times, the elements can prohibit us from paddling or hiking but not from enjoying these spectacular places. Good rain gear and footwear will also enable us to explore the mountains, forests, coast and villages by foot. The weather in the mountains is variable like in most mountains. One day can be warm and sunny with the next being windy and drizzly, it’s even possible to see some snowfall.
Currency: Each Scandinavian country has its own currency. Exchanges can be made at banks, airports, train stations and most hotels. Scandinavian currency is not interchangeable between countries as each has a different exchange rate value. Major credit cards are widely accepted throughout Scandinavia. Sweden and Denmark are part of the European Union but have chosen not to use the Euro. Norway is not part of the EU. Travel checks are not used in Scandinavia. The banks will charge a stiff fee if you want travel checks cashed.
Language: English is Scandinavia's second language and is almost spoken fluently throughout. We encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to speak the native tongue. Phrase books and dictionaries are a great help. All our staff are bilingual and speak English as well as Norwegian or Swedish.
Last minute assistance: If you need assistance shortly before departure or while traveling to Scandinavia, you may call the following number for Crossing Latitudes in Sweden: 070-670 11 53 (within Sweden) or 46-70-670 11 53 (from outside Sweden). Please leave your name, a message and a number where we can reach you.
We are looking forward to our adventure together!
Crossing Latitudes, Inc.
420 West Koch Street
Bozeman MT 59715, USA
USA:1-800-572-8747
Europe: +46-70-670 1153
www.crossinglatitudes.com
