SSTIKS 2025

The signature Pacific Northwest Greenland Paddling event will be held June 6-9, 2025 on the Columbia River in Skamokawa, Washington. But to make this a reality, we need your help.

We need to rebuild our volunteers to plan, manage, and conduct the event this year and in the future. If you have Greenland paddling skills and want to share them with others, consider volunteering as a mentor. If you want to help with the essential tasks of planning and administrating the event, we would love for you to join us. It takes a family to make all this happen. If this is you, contact us at sstikspnw@gmail.com and qujanaq (that’s “thank you” in Greenlandic).

SSTIKS has its own philosophy we call SSTIKSishness. To learn more, click here.

We look forward to working together and paddling again!

Your SSTIKS team

South Sound Traditional Inuit Kayaking Symposium (SSTIKS) is the Northwest’s premier event devoted to traditional kayaking skills and culture. SSTIKS is a family-friendly event featuring some of the best mentors in Greenland-style kayaking. SSTIKS is a volunteer-run event. We thank our attendees, volunteers, supporters, mentors, and Qajaq USA, who help make our non-commercial, all-volunteer event possible.

SSTIKS is supported by QajaqUSA, an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving traditional paddling worldwide. Please consider joining QajaqUSA.

SSTIKS 2025 Schedules are here!

Friday June 6th, Schedule





Friday, June 6th
Time Program Classes Ropes
1:00 PM Reg Table Open<

Boat Building Demo with Brian Schulz (all afternoon)

Informal Mentoring on the Beach
1:30 PM
2:00 PM
2:30 PM
3:00 PM
3:30 PM
4:00 PM Skin On Frame Rescue Demo – Don Beale
4:30 PM
5:00 PM Guided Stretch with Kathy Altieri
5:30 PM Ropes Demo with Dubside and Aidan
6:00 PM Potluck Dinner & Welcome to SSTIKS!
Bring food to share.
6:30 PM
7:00 PM
7:30 PM Dubside Keynote followed by Wedding of Palo Highlights.
8:00 PM
8:30 PM
9:00 PM Sing around the campfire with Dubside.
9:30 PM
10:00 PM
Saturday June 7th, Schedule

 

 

SSTIKS Saturday, June 7th
Time Program Trips Other Topics Greenland Paddling Strokes Beginning Intermediate Rolling Advanced Rolling Ropes
7:00 AM Reg Table Open  
7:30 AM   Yoga on The Beach with Dubside
8:00 AM Breakfast On Your Own
8:30 AM  
9:00 AM Reg Table Open Safety Talk (15 Minutes)
9:15 AM Wildlife Focused trip w/Tom Waldron & Denise Harrington Beyond the T Rescue w/ Don Beale & Mark Whittaker. Dewatering, X Rescue, Hand of Pavia. Intro to Skin on Greenland Paddles & Frame Boats: Choosing a paddle, understanding the boat, getting in and out safely and more. Bring your skin boat or use one of ours (You can take this class and not use a skin boat if you choose). w/ Joanne Barta & Noy Davis Using a Greenland Paddle: Forward and reverse strokes, directional paddling. Braces and sculls.
Don Beale & Joel Guay
Beginning and refining rolling. Bob Rivet, Trina Hahn, Gary Peniston, Pam Powell, Vadim Advanced rolling. Dubside, Don Short, Chessy Knight Ropes w/ Aidan Manning, Chris Duval, Sandra
9:30 AM
10:00 AM Beginning and refining rolling. Bob Rivet, Trina, Gary, Pam, Vadim Shayevich Advanced rolling. Dubside, Don Short, Chessy Knight
10:30 PM
11:00 AM Beginning and refining rolling. Bob Rivet, Trina, Gary, Pam, Vadim Advanced rolling. Dubside, Don Short, Chessy Knight
11:30 AM
12:00 PM Catered Lunch in the Tent by the Duck Inn
12:30 PM
1:00 PM Reg Table Open

Paddle Carving Demo with Don Beale (all afternoon)

Boat Building Demo with Brian Schulz (all afternoon)

Using your Greenland Padddle in the Wind and Current w/ Tom Waldron & Chris Duvall First Aid for Kayakers w/Mark Whittaker. Intro to Skin on Greenland Paddles & Frame Boats: Choosing a paddle, understanding the boat, getting in and out safely and more. Bring your skin boat or use one of ours (You can take this class and not use a skin boat if you choose). w/Joel Guay, Joanne Barta & Trina Hahn Advanced Strokes w/ Greenland Paddle: Topics based on student and mentor choice. Tim Mattson, Gary Peniston. Beginning and refining rolling. Bob Rivet, Noy, Chessie, Don Short, Paul. Advanced rolling. Dubside, Vadim Ropes w/ Aidan Manning, Denise Harrington, Sandra Villagarcia
1:30 PM
2:00 PM Beginning and refining rolling. Bob Rivet, Noy, Chessie, Don Short, Paul Advanced rolling. Dubside, Vadim Shayevich.
2:30 PM
3:00 PM Beginning and refining rolling. Bob Rivet, Chessie, Don Short Advanced rolling. Dubside, Vadim Shayevich
3:30 PM
4:00 PM Ropes Showcase – Show off your progress w/ Aidan Manning.
4:30 PM   Dead Fish Polo! w/Barb Mottler & Tim Mattson.
5:00 PM
5:30 PM Guided Stretching with Kathy Altieri.
6:00 PM Catered Dinner in the Tent by Duck Inn.
6:30 PM
7:00 PM
7:30 PM Brian Schulz Keynote.
8:00 PM
8:30 PM
9:00 PM Sing around the campfire with Dubside.
9:30 PM
10:00 PM

 

Sunday June 8th, Schedule





SSTIKS Sunday, June 8th
Time Program Trips Other Topics Greenland Paddling Strokes Beginning Intermediate Rolling Advanced Rolling Ropes
7:00 AM Reg Table Closed
7:30 AM Yoga on The Beach with Dubside
8:00 AM Breakfast On Your Own
8:30 AM
9:00 AM Reg Table Closed Safety Talk (15 Minutes)
9:15 AM Trip w/Tom Waldron & Denise Harrington Harpooning w/Aidan Manning & Henry Romer. Strokes
Advanced
Trina
Noy
Joel
Mark Whitaker
Tim Mattson
Beginning & refining rolling w/ Don Beale Bob Rivet Chris Duval Pam Powell Advanced rolling. Dubside, Don Short, Chessy Knight Ropes w/ Aidan Manning, Chris Duval, Sandra
9:30 AM
10:00 AM Beginning & refining rolling w/ Don Beale Bob Rivet Chris Duval Pam Powell Advanced rolling. Dubside, Don Short, Chessy Knight
10:30 PM
11:00 AM ٍBrian Schulz Demos – Steam building for kayak construction. Packing a kayak for camping.
11:30 AM
12:00 PM Catered Lunch in the Tent by the Duck Inn
12:30 PM
1:00 PM Reg Table Closed Wedding of Palo Race – Barb Mottler
1:30 PM Don Beale paddle ‘tweek’ session on shore. Adjust your paddle with Don, if it needs it. Dead Fish Polo Greenland Skills Strokes Beginning Rolling Advanced rolling. Dubside, Vadim Ropes
2:00 PM
2:30 PM
3:00 PM Advanced rolling. Dubside, Vadim
3:30 PM
4:00 PM Competition Rolling Demo -Feel free to Join!
4:30 PM
5:00 PM
5:30 PM
6:00 PM Dinner Together at the Duck Inn (self-catering).
6:30 PM
7:00 PM
7:30 PM
8:00 PM
8:30 PM
9:00 PM
9:30 PM
10:00 PM
Monday June 9th, Schedule




SSTIKS Monday, June 9th
Time Program Trips Other Topics Greenland Paddling Strokes Beginning Intermediate Rolling Advanced Rolling Ropes
7:00 AM Reg Table Closed
7:30 AM Yoga on The Beach with Dubside
8:00 AM Breakfast On Your Own
8:30 AM
9:00 AM Reg Table Closed Safety Talk (15 Minutes)
9:15 AM Informal Mentoring on the Beach Dead Fish Polo Informal Mentoring on the Beach Informal Mentoring on the Beach Informal Mentoring on the Beach Informal Mentoring on the Beach Informal Mentoring on the Beach
9:30 AM
10:00 AM
10:30 PM
11:00 AM
11:30 AM
12:00 PM See you in 2026!
12:30 PM

Our SSTIKS 2025 Mentors

Brian Schulz in a West Greenland Kayak

Brian Schulz

Special Guest Mentor

Dubside in Waterfield Kayak

Dubside!

Special Guest Mentor

Aidan Manning

Special Guest Mentor

Our 2025 Supporters – Thank You!

Kayak ACADEMY Logo
Kayak ACADEMY Logo
Columbia River Kayaking Logo
Portland Kayak Company
Alder Creek Logo
Dubcast logo
Kayak ACADEMY Logo
Manke Logo
Brooks

Brooks Tuiliks

OOPS Logo
Manke Logo
Deep Bay Kayaking
VitaminSea
Skamakowa Resort Logo
OOPS Logo
Vista Park

SSTIKS is coming! June 6, 2025

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