Chesapeake Bay Sea Kayaking & Appalachian Backpacking
Adventure by land and by sea - exploring Appalachian Trail and Chesapeake Bay trails with your crew.
More than a technical skills course, this 12-day sea kayaking and backpacking expedition offers the chance to grow as an individual and as a leader. Explore the Chesapeake Bay from the hull of a kayak. Traverse the Appalachian Trail by foot. At every step, work as a group to overcome expedition challenges, develop a greater belief in yourself and your crew and learn why teamwork is often more important than everything else combined. As you move through stunning natural landscapes and encounter physical, mental and emotional obstacles, you’ll discover the importance of perseverance – and identify and refine the leadership skills you already possess.
UPCOMING COURSES
Course # BBTJ-2531
Age 16 - 18
Days 12
Cost $4,420
Dates 7/9/2025 - 7/20/2025
ENROLLMENT CLOSED
As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
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JOIN WAITLIST
Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
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When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
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As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
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Settled by the Powhatan Indians and first explored by Captain John Smith in the 1600s, history and nature intersect in the Chesapeake Bay to create a place with endless potential for discovery. Students paddle throughout the Chesapeake Bay, camping each night along the shoreline. Instructors teach proper sea kayaking techniques such as paddling, rolls and wet exits. Students also learn marine navigation and face challenges that develop advanced leadership skills separate from the technical skills they will be mastering.
Students learn how to hike effectively and efficiently as well as how to set up and manage trail campsites each night. As the team overcomes numerous expedition challenges, they develop a greater belief in themselves and trust in one another. Successful completion of this course requires more than the mastery of technical skills. It also requires adaptability, decision making and teamwork. Students backpack for five days in the wilderness of western Maryland and southern Pennsylvania in the crown jewel of outdoor areas in the Eastern United States: the Appalachia's.
During the expedition, students take a break from hiking and spend an afternoon rock climbing. This challenging activity pushes students out of their comfort zones and helps develop trust among crew members. Students rely on one another for support and encouragement to reach the top of cliff faces and crags.
Service to others and to the environment are core values of Outward Bound and they are integrated into each course. Participants follow Recreate Responsibly ethics as part of their service to the environment. Students develop an ingrained appreciation of service, seeing the impact of their actions firsthand, by multiple small acts of service with and for their crewmates while leading and supporting each other throughout the journey.
Chesapeake Bay, Nanticoke River
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the nation - the meeting point where 400 rivers, creeks, and streams spanning from New York to Virginia all travel to the Atlantic Ocean. It boasts 4,600 miles of tidal shoreline perfect for kayaking. Outward Bound courses use a section of the historic 3,000-mile Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail which trace the 1607–1609 voyages of Captain John Smith to chart the land and waterways of the Bay. Along with the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, it is one of two water trails designated as National Historic Trails. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Nentego (Nanticoke) nation.
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail in Maryland follows a 41-mile route along the backbone of South Mountain, a north-south ridge that extends from Pennsylvania to the Potomac River at the Border of West Virginia. The AT varies in elevation across the state from 230 feet to more than 1860 feet. The trail follows classic Mid-Atlantic deciduous forests with rocky lookouts. Along the trail, Outward Bound students will break from hiking to experience an afternoon of rock climbing at one of three sites along this section. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Massawomeck and Piscataway nations.
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Getting Started
If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Customer Success Specialists (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.
To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.