Aqua Adventures is the best place in southern California to learn paddlesports and here's why:

Jen Kleck: Owner Jen Kleck has been paddling and coaching paddlesports for over 15 years.  in 2009 she became the first American to reach the highest coaching standard (Level 5) within the British Canoe Union and one of only a handful of women worldwide who hold that certification.  Jen's high standards reflect in her exceptional staff.

Water Front Location: We are located on the water on Mission Bay which makes rentals, lessons and trying out kayaks and SUPs fast and easy.  We are located in a quiet basin with sea lions and birds in abundance, and easy access to the ocean or the rest of the bay including paddle-up eateries, sandy beaches, and beautiful scenery.

PARKING: Tired of fighting the traffic to the beach on a summer day?  We are located a bit off the beaten path with unlimited parking in large lots just across the street!  No other waterfront paddlesports location in San Diego can offer you such hassle-free access to the water!

Fantastic Value: We strive to offer our products and services at fair prices!  Check around - our prices are extremely competetive and our quality far superior to most of our competition!

Quality gear: One size does NOT fit all!  Your gear should fit your intended purpose and your body.  Your comfort, safety, and enjoyment depend on it!  We have over 50 different models of kayaks to fit your body and your purpose.  We have quality, lightweight Werner paddles in 6 different lengths and 2 different shaft sizes.  We spend several times as much as our competitors on the PFDs we require our staff and students to wear in order that you have the most comfortable and adjustable fit possible.  

Quality instructors: Doing it is one thing; teaching it is an entirely different skill.  Our instructors do BOTH!  They are trained in both safe and effective techniques, and also in current instructional methods that make learning fun and help you unlock your potential.  We aim to teach you in such a way that you continue learning even when you're paddling on your own!  Take a lesson with one of our competitors and you're likely to have an instructor who is teaching you the same way their instructor taught them, who taught the way their instructor taught them, who taught the way.....well, you get the picture.

Diversity: We offer a huge range of paddlesports - sit-on-top kayaking, sea kayaking, whitewater and surf kayaking, standup paddleboarding (SUP), and canoeing!  We believe that our expertise in one type of paddlesport, makes us better at others.  It's common to find staff dripping wet in the morning from an early kayak surfing session, or hurrying out the door in the evening for a coastal sunset paddle or SUP cruise.

Dog Friendly: We welcome your non-aggressive dog on a leash!  There's nothing like sharing an adventure with you pup for quality time together!  We offer FREE clinics to show you how to have fun doing paddlesports with your dog!  We have a selection of Dog PFDs, toys, and accessories too!

All of our classes are taught by experienced instructors. Regardless of what kind of kayaking you'll be doing, the fundamentals are all the same, so we strive to get you started off right for a lifetime of paddling enjoyment. Because everyone's goals and budget are different, we offer a variety of classes to fit your desired time and financial commitment.

Want to know what makes Aqua Adventures the best place in southern California to take a kayaking lesson?

If you've been wanting to try kayaking, or have done it a few times and are thinking of buying your own, here's everything you need to know to get started!  We'll show the basics of safe and effective paddling technique and with hands-on instruction and practice.  Plus, you'll have the opportunity to try out a wide variety of kayaks we'll help you sort out the differences, advantages, and applications of all the various types including sit-on-top, recreational, and touring kayaks. 

In a couple of hours, you'll know more than you thought possible!

We won't have time to cover the very important topic of "capsize recovery" during this class and we invite you to join us for an additional hour in the afternoon for just $20 more.  Check out the capsize recovery class for details.  This course is especially important if you plan on renting or buying a sit-inside kayak.

Want to know why Aqua Adventures is the best place in southern California to take a kayaking lesson?

You really can't do justice to the richly diverse sport of sea kayaking in a mere 3 hours, but a busy schedule shouldn't keep you from enjoying the pleasures of kayaking! We'll cover safe and effective techniques for propulsion, steering, and capsize prevention, plus capsize recovery, while focusing on kayaking safety so you can rent sit-inside kayaks and explore independently with confidence.  We'll open up a whole new world of fun on the water to help you experience San Diego as never before!

Our instructors are trained by highly certified instructor-trainers so you can be sure you'll get started right. Learning the correct techniques from the beginning will mean more enjoyment, less chance of injury, and lots of fun!

Want to know why Aqua Adventures is the best place in southern California to take a kayaking lesson?

We offer private coaching by our best instructors for any skill level for those who prefer one-on-one kayak instruction or have scheduling constraints.

This is also a perfect option for experienced paddlers who want to focus on a specific skill or technique, or who have plateaued in their development.

Private coaching has many benefits and is very cost effective.  We can cover more material one-on-one or with a small group and we can tailor the course just for you - no waiting around while others catch on to things you already know and we won't move on to something new if you need more time.  Our coaches will ask you about your goals and will assess and adapt to your preferred learning style.  They know how to enhance the learning process for lasting skill acquisition.

Want to know what makes Aqua Adventures the best place in southern California to take a kayaking lesson?

Sea kayaks are fast, sleek, maneuverable, sea worthy, and FUN!  They can take you places you can't get to in any other way, show you the world from a unique perspective, and get you closer to nature than you ever thought possible.  Almost anyone can sea kayak, so join us for an introduction to this wonderful adventure with our expert instructors. Graduates will be qualified to rent decked (sit-inside) sea kayaks in calm, protected water, to participate in many of our guided trips, and to take higher level classes.  

Topics include: kayak design and gear, kayaking safety, paddle strokes for propulsion and steering, bracing for capsize prevention, and the all important capsize recovery!  We believe in learning by doing, so you'll spend most of your time with a paddle in your hands and your butt in a boat!

Want to know what makes Aqua Adventures the best kayaking school in southern California?

No previous kayaking experience is necessary. Reasonable physical fitness and comfort in water will ensure your experience is enjoyable.

Save $60 when you enroll in Sea Kayaking 1, 2, & 3 at the same time.

We’ll build on what we learned in Sea Kayaking 1 or Sea Kayaking Basics, unlocking the body-boat-blade connection as we focus on stroke technique, bracing, balance, and edging for increased control of your kayak. We’ll also review capsize recovery techniques.  These important foundation skills are the stepping stone for surf zone, open ocean, and beyond.  We'll introduce basic navigation, calm water trip planning, and group awareness as we take a kayaking journey around Mission Bay and add some new safety skills to the mix too!

Save $60 when you enroll in Sea Kayaking 1, 2, & 3 at the same time.

Your introduction to the dynamic world of the open ocean taught by expert instructors! We'll focus on applying the skills you've learned to the dynamic ocean environment and add some new skills like map reading and trip planning.  We’ll cover open ocean hazards and safety, surf zone basics, steering in wind and waves, and develop our group awareness and introduce towing. We'll practice our rescue techniques in choppy water while we journey to the open ocean. If conditions permit, we'll launch and land through small surf.

Our topics will strive to take advantage of the days conditions. The skills learned in this class are prerequisites for anyone wishing to journey on the open ocean or to participate in many of our trips. It is also an introduction to BCU 3 Star training.

Save $60 when you enroll in Sea Kayaking 1, 2, & 3 at the same time.

The kayak roll is indisputably the best way to recover a kayak from a capsize! While every whitewater kayaker knows the importance of a kayak roll, it's an important technique for sea kayakers as well! Aside from the tremendous sense of accomplishment you'll get from learning to roll, you'll find that skills like bracing and edging your kayak improve as well. This one technique can provide the confidence you need to push all your skills to the next level!

We typically teach this important skill in a 2 hour class in a heated indoor pool. Instructor to student ratio is 1:2.  During summer months, we can teach it Mission Bay by appointment.

What a great place to learn or perfect your "wet" skills like rolling, wet exits, and capsize recovery!  A clean, heated, indoor pool makes these skills seem a lot less scary for beginners, and just plain fun for experienced paddlers. If you'd like instruction in capsize recovery, bracing, or rolling, the cost is $100 (including equipment). We keep the student:instructor ratio very low for high success rates. You can practice your "wet" skills on your own for as little as $10 (see below)!  We meet the second and fourth Wednesday of every month from 7:30-9:30pm.

This intensive course held in Baja is designed for experienced paddlers. We'll focus on group awareness, judgement, risk assessment and management while we hone navigation and rescue skills. This course is designed for those who paddle (or want to paddle) in challenging conditions where things sometimes go wrong. We'll discuss and practice strategies and techniques for managing incidents as they arise and keeping them from becoming major problems. This course is a great precursor to BCU 5 Star training. Instructor to student ratio: 1:4.

A full day course class focusing on an efficient forward stroke so you can paddle farther and longer, with less fatigue and less risk of injury. The magic of this class is extensive video feedback that allows you to learn quickly! Guest instructor and national champion Brent Reitz visits us a couple times a year to teach this special class.

This is a British Canoe Union (BCU) course and a pre-requisite for 4 star training. It is also a great course for anybody wishing to develop their understanding of the ocean environment and how weather, tides and currents affect our kayaking outings, plus chart and compass use. Taught as a single day, or in 4 parts.

We offer certification of your kayaking skills through the British Canoe Union - othe most highly regarded governing body of paddlesports world wide! Certifications provide an excellent framework for your development as a skilled paddler, as well as motivation to acheive goals, and are a great way to demonstrate your skill level if you want to attend a tour or rent a kayak during your travels.

For those who have been paddling sit-on-tops and would like to use sit-in kayaks. We'll learn assisted and solo recovery techniques so you can rent our closed cockpit kayaks.

This class provides hands on instruction in practical navigation from a kayak. We teach you how to read nautical chart, use hand-held and deck compasses, and calculate tides, distance, and speed.