The Value of the Paddle Golden Gate Symposium (And Events Like It)

Written by ACA Instructor Trainer Educator, Josh Hall

I recently had the opportunity to attend the Paddle Golden Gate Symposium in California; I won’t attempt to paraphrase their vision as it is worth sharing in its entirety:

The mission of Paddle Golden Gate is simple; to offer high-end professional paddlesports instruction and a quality event experience in a truly unique location. This remarkable venue provides a challenging coastal environment with strong currents and powerful swells for advanced skills training alongside protected water appropriate for novice and intermediate paddlers to develop their skills. With a focus on skills training, this unique event offers participants the opportunity to paddle with some of the world’s best instructors and athletes, in one of the finest teaching locations in the world.

A similar event known as the Golden Gate Sea Kayak Symposium (GGSKS), was created by Sean Morley, Jennifer Kleck and Matt Palmariello in January 2009. After the first year, GGSKS was given to the California Paddle Sports Council, a non-profit paddlesports advocate organization in Northern California. With the cancellation of the event and dissolution of the California Paddlesports Council in 2015, there was an opportunity to review every aspect of the event and thus Paddle Golden Gate (PGG) was born.

The event is organized by California Canoe and Kayak, and supported by the Bay Area Sea Kayakers, an ACA Paddle America Club (PAC). As the manager of Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission’s outdoor program and event organizer for the East Coast Paddlesports Symposium for over the past 20 years, I have been fortunate to travel the country attending many excellent events as both a presenter and participant.

These events include: Baja Kayak Fest, Bay of Fundy Sea Kayak Symposium, Florida Gulf Coast International Sea Kayak Symposium, Great Lake Sea Kayak Symposium, Lumpy Waters, Midcoast Sea Kayak Rendezvous, and Sea Kayak Georgia Skills Symposium & Ocean Gathering.

The organizers of these events share a common vision with Paddle Golden Gate: to provide the highest quality training opportunities for the paddling community and inspire paddlers of all ages and abilities. Unfortunately, many of these quality events are seeing a decline in participation numbers despite high quality coaching/instruction and uniqueness of their offerings and venues. There is no denying that the landscape of sea kayaking in North America is changing, and while passionate paddling enthusiasts may not have the  disposable income to travel to each of these events, this list [of events] represents a significant geographical spread. While not everyone shares the same motivations to participate in these events, the event organizers work tirelessly to ensure that those looking to improve their skills, paddle in more challenging conditions, and make social connections within the paddling community have a place to do these things. They also work diligently to meet individual participant needs and goals, whether it be for aspiring instructors to connect with potential mentors or an opportunity for a paddler to leave their cell phones behind and connect with the environment.

All these events share one thing in common: they started off as grass roots events, designed by paddlers for paddlers. Two things are likely to be happening as you read this: first, you reflected on your attendance  at one of the events above, or a similar paddling event, and remembered the positive impact that it had on your paddling - or you are new to sea paddling have not attended one before. No matter where you sit, my advice is: don’t put off attending an event! Take advantage of these rich opportunities, many of which are often close to home.

The next hope I have for those reading this is to invite a friend or young person to get involved. By simply affording new or aspiring paddlers the opportunity to be part of great events can have a positive impact on their life.  Be it sea kayaking or any other paddlesport, I encourage you to continue your involvement in paddling and further grow the community by inviting a friend or family member the next time you head for the water!