MI Paddle Stewards - Traverse City

July 22, 2025

Ellsworth River Park 
Corner of Bridge Street and Rushton Road
Village of Ellsworth, MI 49729


MI Paddle Stewards Training
9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET

Kayak Skills Safety Training 
1:30 - 4:30 p.m. ET

The MI Paddle Stewards train-the-trainer half-day course is for people who anticipate training others how to identify and report aquatic invasive species and/or how to decontaminate paddleboats to prevent the spread of invasive species. You must have at least five previous paddlesports experiences to participate in the training. You do not need to have experience with aquatic invasive species identification prior to the course, but you do need to complete the online MI Paddle Stewards course through Michigan State University’s Desire2Learn platform prior to the training. We encourage participants to have at least 5 paddling experiences to attend this training. 

Have a safe kayak trip—learn how to avoid potential dangers, practice self-rescue skills and develop the skills you need to manage minor in-water incidents.
Kayak Skills Safety Training is an additional half-day course. Participants that register for MI Paddle Stewards do not have to take the safety portion but are welcome to. 
Note: please wear quick-dry clothes for water immersion –no cotton. Bring dry clothes to change into after the course is complete (water immersion will be the last course element).
Participants will need to meet the 11 ACA Eligibility Criteria for the training. 

This is a free event. 

Please bring a water bottle, sack lunch, sun block, and weather appropriate clothing to the event.