Eskimo Roll Workshop

Duration: 5 hours (9 am to 2 pm)

Day 1 is when you make your way into Rishikesh. The closest airport from this holy town is that of Dehradun. The drive from Dehradun to Rishikesh is short but pleasant with refreshing views of Ganga meandering about and patches of forests. Please make sure that you get to your designated hotel by or before 08:30 AM on Day 1. You have half an hour before your instructor picks you up from your hotel to take you to the swimming pool for your very first lesson.

Put on your swimming suit, stretch your muscles and launch your kayak in the water. Since this is a technique which is at a slightly advanced level, we brush up on basic skills of kayaking first so as to refresh your memory before diving into learning something new. Revisiting your basics is important since an Eskimo Roll is an add-on skill that is meant to further build on what you know so as to make you a stronger kayaker. Practice balancing your kayak with paddling strokes and let the muscle memory guide your body. We also practice simple rolls, T rescue, and wet exits to jolt your memory of the fundamentals learnt as part of your Basic Kayaking Course. Instructors take this time to analyze your body language, skills, and reflexes on the water for the first 2 hours. Based on their assessment of how much you remember of the basics, the instructors move on to demonstrating an Eskimo Roll, step-by-step. From here on, there’s no looking back – we shift our entire focus and energy on learning this one important skill which could do wonders for your kayaking!

Each day consists of 5 hour practice rounds with personal instructors in a secured swimming pool indoors. Be sure to pay close attention to understand the principles of this ancient survival technique built on the age-old wisdom of the Eskimos – all while having fun with your course mates.

An Eskimo Roll: Steps to Follow

Setting

Step 1 is setting your body with the kayak. Lean forward, keeping your head closer to your kayak's deck. Place your arms and paddle parallel and closer to the side of the kayak. You can choose your side according to your comfort. Now, gently flip your boat towards the paddle side and go underwater.

The Sweep Out

The second vital step is leaning out and placing your paddle out. When you are upside down, don't try to turn your boat quickly. Just stop for a few seconds and observe your position. This process helps you analyze the angle and be aware of your subtle movements. Make sure the bottom part of the blade is pointed upwards. Look at the top blade near your bow and slice the water until the paddle is perpendicular to your cockpit. This move allows the tail blade to surface out of the water, giving you the right balance to maintain your position.

The Snap Out

The final and essential part of the rolling is to snap your lower body and resurface. Always keep your legs tight and intact. This helps you to easily manoeuvre your kayak without any disbalance. Think about the direction you are emerging from before snapping. If it's the right-hand side, push your right knee and snap with your hips. Voila! You are now out of the water. But don't rush to sit straight. In snapping, the boat comes first and then the head. Keep your head slightly towards the slope until your kayak gets settled on the water.

Do the above steps sound like a lot of work for 3 days? If they do, there’s still no need to fret for that’s what the 5 hour practice rounds are for – practice and practice till you master! The course is designed in a way so as to make it as easy for you to learn this technique as possible. There’s absolutely no need to rush – 3 days are more than enough to master this technique. At the end of the course, you will be the proud owner of the most perfect template of the roll, perfectly engraved in your brain giving you the confidence to perform it without hesitation and more importantly without needing supervision – of that we are certain.