The final days of summer came to an end this weekend, and one group of University students decided to make the most of it by kayaking in the waters of Pensacola, Fla.
Chris Bullard, assistant director of adventure and experiential education with the University Student Recreational Complex and Billy Marcantel, graduate assistant in adventure and experiential education, led a kayaking beach trip with six students in the Gulf Islands National Seashore and Fort McRee area Sept. 21 to 23, where students kayaked and explored the beach.
Keylo Allen, photography freshman, said she had never been kayaking before this trip. Allen said she is comfortable with water and wanted to try something adventurous.
Students camped in tents, which were provided by the UREC, but students were required to bring their own meals.
Katherine Arbour, coastal environmental science sophomore, said she and her friend cooked chicken alfredo on mini-stoves provided by the UREC.
Arbour said hiking a mile to the campsite on the beach was the most challenging, but rewarding, part. She said the group woke up at 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning to watch the sunrise.
“It was painful but fun,” Arbour said.
Arbour said this was a new experience for her because she had only been camping one other time in her life. She said the “ocean was the bathroom” — the campsite had no running water.
The original plan was to camp on Fort Pickens, but the group camped on Fort McRee, Arbour said. She said the kayakers could see where the storm-surge hit the sand from Hurricane Isaac, but there was no other apparent damage.
Bullard and Marcantel said they had a schedule for the weekend, but they emphasized that they do what the students want to do. Bullard said they were there to have fun.
“No frowning or complaining,” Bullard said. “You can complain, but we will just laugh and say suck it up.”
Before the trip, Bullard and Marcantel taught the participants about the “Leave No Trace Seven Principles.” Some of the tips include leaving what you find, respecting wildlife and respecting others.
“If we find a huge shell, we should leave it there for other people to see,” Bullard said.
The cost of the weekend adventure was $100 for students and $130 for non-students. This price included everything but food.
The kayaking trip is one of four adventure education trips planned for this semester.
According to the UREC website, UREC Adventure Education began taking students on adventure-based overnight trips in the spring of 2012. Students are educated in canoeing, kayaking, climbing and backpacking.
“The overall goal is to get people comfortable doing these trips on their own,” Bullard said.
