HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Many Tennesseans love to kayak, and two state agencies are coming together to help residents safely engage in paddlesports.

The American Canoe Association, in conjunction with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Tennessee State Parks, is holding several beginner kayaking classes at locations across the state. One of the "Kayaking 101" classes is happening on Saturday, May 17 at Long Hunter State Park — which is also the first day of National Safe Boating Week.

“We welcome Tennesseans to experience paddling and kayak fishing on our beautiful waterways,” TWRA executive director Jason Maxedon said. “Safety is our number one priority, and our officers are proud to support this important outdoor recreation initiative.”

"They've got a lot of certified instructors coming out from all over the state — different outfitters of paddlesports and paddlesport experts," explained Long Hunter State Park ranger EA Boshears. "They are coming out and volunteering their time to teach classes."

Safety, Boshears added, is the most important part of the class.

"They're really just trying to get more people out involved in kayaking. It's something that's very prevalent on the park, especially since this lake is used pretty much year-round," Boshears told News 2. "It's all about teaching people to be safe."

Although all of the "Kayaking 101" classes in Middle Tennessee are sold out, the American Canoe Association also offers a free online course here. If you're near the Duck River in Columbia, Tennessee, Higher Pursuits offers classes, kayak rentals and guided tours. You can find more information about that here.

Additionally, several parks in East Tennessee still have availability for their introductory courses, which have a registration fee of $15 per person and is limited to just 15 people per class. You can find, and register for those, here.

The Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association can also help you find a certified private instructor if you shoot them an email.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-news/twra-state-parks-kayaking-101/