Hi! I am Bruce Williams. I founded White Water Learning Center of Georgia in 1996 and taught kayaking, canoeing and river rescue full time until December 2010 when I formally retired and dissolved the company. WWLC was the only full time independent professional paddlesports instruction program in Georgia and its closure left the public with no place to get professional instruction. To remedy that situation, in February 2011 I  resurrected the White Water Learning Center of Georgia website as a joint marketing venture among Georgia-based American Canoe Association-certified kayak and canoe instructors.   I will continue to teach private lessons and will act as the lead instructor for the Atlanta Whitewater Club's annual swiftwater rescue workshop. 

I pride myself as an instructor who teaches by the book, following the ACA curriculum and teaching progressions and not omiting essential steps. I have been teaching kayaking for 25 years and canoeing for 12 years and am good at diagnosing and remedying problems with clients' paddling techniques. Patience is my middle name.

I offer one-day private whitewater kayak and canoe lessons the beginning through intermediate level as well as one-day recreational lessons.

Beginning whitewater kayak classes use boats that are very maneuverable but unstable and require a spray skirt to keep water out of the cockpit. We start on a lake where I teach how to get out of a capsized kayak safely (wet exits), how to balance and control a kayak with the legs and torso, using the "hip snap" technique, how to use the paddle to turn the kayak and make it go straight and how to return a kayak to an upright position using braces and the Eskimo roll. We then go to a class II whitewater river where I teach how to "read" water and use the techniques learned on the lake to run rapids and  control the kayak in whitewater. You will learn how to stop by doing U-turns into calm spots behind rocks and next to the bank (eddy turns); get back into the current from an eddy (peel outs) ; and cross a current without getting pushed downstream (ferry). I have a variety of whitewater kayaks and will outfit you with one appropriate to your height, weight and foot size. Private lessons can include from 1 to 4 persons.

Beginning whitewater canoe classes follow a similar progression as kayaking, except that wet exits and Eskimo rolls are not taught. I teach both solo and tandem techniques using highly maneuverable boats equipped with foam saddles, thigh straps and air bag floatation. We start on a lake with the basic strokes. In tandem canoeing, bow and stern partners, paddling on opposite sides of the boat, will learn how to coordinate their strokes to turn, go in a straight line, and move directly to the side. Solo paddlers will learn how to move their canoe in the desired directions while paddling on one side without switching. Both styles have their respective challenges.

We can teach canoeing and kayaking using whitewater design boats at either level 3 (class I - II(-) rapids) or level 4 (class II - III(-) rapids) depending on how much you want to challenge yourself.

If you have some whitewater experience but want to improve your paddling technique, I can tailor private instruction to meet your needs. Novice and intermediate lessons are normally a full day on a river, but may include some flatwater practice, if appropriate.  

Recreational kayak and canoe lessons may either start on a lake or on a moving flatwater section of river. The recreational kayaks  that we use are 9'6" long and are roomy and stable and easy to paddle in a straight line. Our       tandem recreational canoes are 16 feet long with flat bottoms and high sides so they are stable and dry. After discussing boat design, paddle use, and safety, we will get on the water and teach the basic paddle strokes. These are the same as in whitewater. We will also teach how to control the boats in moving water and class I rapids using eddy turns, peel-outs and ferries.

Every paddler needs to know what to in emergencies and we include basic safety and self-rescue instruction in all our lessons. However, it is a good idea to learn more advanced rescue techniques, especially if you plan to paddle class III and higher difficulty rivers. Every May, I lead a Swiftwater Rescue Workshop for the Atlanta Whitewater Club in which we teach how to use a throw rope, how to set up hauling systems, and how to unpin a boat. We practice wading across a current, swimming rapids, and various swimming and boat-based rescue techniques. The workshop will be on Wednesday evening, May 2, and Saturday- Sunday, May 5-6. To register, go to the Atlanta Whitewater Club web site www.atlantawhitewater.com. AWC members get a $25 discount.

Fees: One-day private kayak and solo canoes lessons are $275  for one person, $400 for two, $495 for three and $560 for four. Private tandem canoe lessons are $300 per day (two people)  or $450 per day (four people). 

To make a reservation, for further information about which course is most suitable for you, or if you have other questions, call Bruce Williams at (404) 231-1917 (day or evening).

                                Instructor at a Glance 

* Whitewater classes are insured through the American Canoe Association. There is a $25 surcharge for reservations made less than 10 days ahead to cover the "rush" insurance application processing fee charged by the ACA. 

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