MOSS BAY

KIDS CAMPS

KAYAK | PADDLEBOARD | SAIL

KIDS CAMP

 

Kids Camp

$550

per kiddo ALL IN!

At Moss Bay we believe in the concept of “inside-out” learning. By this we mean that young campers in our program will discover for themselves how much they love to kayak, sail or paddle board. Through our supportive, yet low key approach to skill development on the water, kids seek out those activities for which they want to develop more skill. By not over pushing the kids to perform, we find that they become more interested in water sports. Similarly, by having limited structure for the program we do not produce the kind of “stricture” that eliminates fun. Regardless, the kids will have safe fun, in a low-pressure setting. We fully appreciate the benefits of goal-setting, accomplishment, and skill acquisition and believe the proven benefits of our low key, inside-out approach produce the best results for kids and their parents. Campers will develop their passion for water sports through their initial experiences at Moss Bay centered on fun, play, safety, and incremental skill development, not excessive competition and pressure. Campers will learn to kayak, paddle board and sail while practicing water safety. Campers will experience fun interaction and teamwork with other kids. Each day campers will experience new boating destinations and games in Lake Union’s protected waterways.

  • Q. Why a kayaking, sailing & paddle board camp? How much of each will they do?

    A. They are simple, fun, and safe sports for children. None of these sports require the kind of hand-eye coordination of ball sports, but still develops considerable balance, rhythm and strength. Because kayaking emphasizes individual skill development rather than competition, in a peaceful setting, kids initiate their own creativity, curiosity, and discipline in order to gain this skill. Campers will Kayak and Paddle Board every day in more or less equal amounts. Sailing is a bit more tricky since we are depending on 'good' wind (not to much or to little). Kids can plan on sailing at least 3-4 times a week when the weather cooperates.

    Q. Is any prior experience required?

    A. Absolutely no experience is required. Many of our campers have been to MB before and others will have never been in a kayak before the first day of camp – either way we will keep them safe and make sure they have a ton of fun.

    Q. If my children are a few years apart but still want to be in the same group is that ok?

    A. Not a problem at all. Throughout the week there are times we travel as one big group and other times we split into groups as small as 6 campers. Before doing so we always ask the kids to stand with friends / siblings etc. If a camper is new to MB and not attending with friends our staff is great at introducing them to kids similar in age and experience.

    Q. 6.5 hours on the water seems like a lot for my young camper – is it too much?

    A. The kids will come home tired out – you’re welcome! But we never push them too hard. We take plenty of water breaks, sunscreen breaks and of course a nice long lunch (in the shade). We never go out for more than 45-50 minutes at a time without coming back to relax for a few minutes and catch a breather.

    Q. Is it important that my child be a strong swimmer?

    A. If they are, great! If not, no big deal. No matter their age or comfort level in the water they will wear life jackets at all times on our docks and on the water. Safety is our #1 priority at all times.

    Q. Are the children safe?

    A. Yes, we have a 6:1 ratio of kids to counselor (or better). The counselors thoroughly understand boat-handling safety, are CPR trained, and know the lake. Kids will wear lifejackets anytime they are on the water. There is a 7mph speed limit on the lake, which keeps motorboat speed down. Our boathouse is located away from the shipping lane, in the protected waterways of South Lake Union. All of our equipment is in great condition.

    Q. When should I send in the waiver I received with the email follow up packet?

    A. Please bring your waiver the first day of camp. DO NOT SEND it back to us before then. Our insurance company wants to make sure all the information is current. If you attended last summer we will need a new one (if you attend multiple weeks in the same summer we will also need a new form each session, sorry).

    Q. What should my kids bring?

    A. Even when it’s a hot 75-80 degree day (fingers crossed) it’s a bit cool in the morning so a nice warm layer is important. A swim suit is a must, same with sunscreen, hat and water bottle. Don’t forget a towel too. An extra change of clothes is never a bad idea as well. We will provide the life jackets – but if you have one you want to use that’s a-ok with us. You will need to send your camper with a sack lunch (and snacks) each day... or cash on THU when we have the option to buy Ivars!

    Q. What if it rains?

    A. This is Seattle, so a little drizzle will NOT scare us off the water. If it comes and goes we will get the kids off the water as much as possible inbetween drops. We do have pop-up covered areas to keep us mostly dry. Obviously, a rain coat is important on the ‘iffy’ days! Really high winds or lightening is more concerning. On days in question sailing is off the table. We keep in close contact with Harbor Patrol to make sure we are being safe and that the worst has passed before heading back out.

    Q. What happens after I sign up?

    A. You will receive a follow up packet by email in about a week to 10 days (if you don’t see it check your spam/junk folder)! This will include a welcome letter, waiver and receipt with tax ID. You will receive one more email a few days before your scheduled week with reminders about parking, pick-up / drop-off times, the waiver, before and after care etc.

    Q. Camp is full – can I get on a wait list?

    A. Yes! To do so please email us at, contact@mossbay.co (after Feb 5th). We always tell parents to cross your fingers but don’t hold your breathe. On average once a camp fills we typically see 4 or 5 spots open back up as family plans change and need to cancel. Every week and summer is a bit different.

    Q. Are Refunds given?

    A. Any cancellation before May 31st will be refunded 90%. Any cancellation after the 31st of May will be an 90% reusable credit (on June 1st our rosters are locked in). Moss Bay will hold onto 10% of the funds to cover the insurance that is purchased at the time of sign up – this is non refundable to us or transferable so we don’t give that portion back. Campers needing to cancel for medical reasons (and who have a doctor's note) or because of a family emergency (such as a death in the family) will also be refunded in full (minus the 10%). All cancellations must be called or emailed in by a parent of the registered camper(s).

    Q. Best thing about the program?

    A. Fun, low-key, & well supervised water sports program. We have had no serious injury or accident in 33 years of offering Kids Camp. The Camp has a variety of fun activities so the kids are constantly learning.

    Q. Is there after or extended care?

    A. Yes! We offer after care until as late as 515pm each camp day. This is signed up for and paid for daily at pick up (cash only). Cost is $12/hr per child. There is no before care, camp starts at 845am but you can drop off anytime after 825am.

    CAMP WEEKS:

    6/10, 6/17, 6/24, 7/1 (4 DAY), 7/8, 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12, 8/19 & 8/26.

    2024 Lottery: Jan 24-30th… winners announced Feb 1st!

    FEEL FREE TO CALL US ANY TIME WITH QUESTIONS,

    (206) 682-2031 OR YOU CAN EMAIL US AT, CONTACT@MOSSBAY.CO.

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT & LOYALTY TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS!!

WE WILL POST 2025 SUMMER CAMP INFO &

DATES IN EARLY JANUARY!

Hi Campers and Camp Parents,

Happy New Year ---  We are excited for another great summer on the lake. We hope you all had a lovely fall / winter season and that you’re feeling recharged and ready for some fun in the sun!

GENERAL CAMP INFO: Our summer Kids Camp is a week-long kayaking, paddle boarding and sailing camp on Lake Union in Seattle. Open to children between the ages of 6-12. Youth participants can expect terrific and well-trained staff, exciting adventures, fun games, high quality sports equipment, good times and fantastic instruction. Participants will build skills, friendships, and confidence all week long on the lake. Camps run M-F each week from 8:45am-3:15pm daily! Find more helpful info / details on our camp web page FAQ (look to the left and scroll down).

2024 CAMP WEEKS:

June 10th, June 17th, June 24th,

*July 1st, July 8th, July 15th, July 22nd, July 29th,

Aug 5th, Aug 12th, Aug 19, Aug 26th.

*July 1st camp is a 4 day pro rated camp week (no camp on the 4th)

2024 SIGN-UPS: We will do a ‘LOTTERY’ type drawing again in 2024 instead of the crazy, one day free-for-all. With camps selling out in just minutes the past few years, we hope this change in our sign-ups will slow things down a bit, give everyone an equal opportunity to secure a spot in camp, and ultimately create a less stressful and more equitable camp registration process for all of our camp families. Odds of winning a spot will all depend on how many families apply for each week… HEADS UP: If your schedule is wide open this summer there will be less competition / less ‘names in the hat’ competing for the first 4 weeks of camp. The June 10th, June 17th & June 24th weeks often fill last since many campers are still in school those weeks (& July 1st camp is a Holiday week - obviously).

THE RULES:

  • There will be a 7 day window to apply to the lottery - JAN 24th-30th!!

    • There is no advantage to earlier entries during the application window – all entries made before the JAN 30th deadline are equally considered. We suggest being early rather than late ONLY so you don’t forget to submit an entry!!

  • Only one submission email is allowed per camp family (up to three weeks per camper). Please only enter weeks that you actually will want to sign up for. Each weeks lottery will be independent of other weeks (you could ‘win’ more than one week)… You do NOT need to ‘rank’ your weeks by preference.

  • Sibs: If one sibling gets a spot in a week, both will get in!

  • Families may ONLY register their own children (no friends/classmates).

  • There is no cost for lottery entry – you will only pay if your campers receive the spot.  

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY: Between JAN 24th-30th!!

  • Subject line “Camp Lottery”.

  • Please include the week or weeks you are wanting to join the lottery drawing (3 weeks max per camper), campers(s) full name(s), age(s), parent name(s), contact phone number & best email address. 

WHAT (next): We will input all the applications to the back end registration system (hosted by Regpack) as they come in. The ‘winners’ for each week will be randomly selected on JAN 31st and notified on FEB 1st by email. You will then have a three day window to complete your registration for the spot(s) you ‘won’, (FEB 1st - 3rd), with a registration link that will be emailed to you. If you do not complete your registration during the three day window following your notification,  your spot will be offered to another family.

IF YOU’RE NOT SELECTED: If your name isn’t ‘pulled from the hat’, you will automatically be placed on a waitlist for the weeks you indicated interest in. The waitlist order will also be generated at random. If spots open up in any of our camp weeks (ie. families who were selected choose not to take the spots or who do take a spot(s) but end up needing to drop out of camp later on, we will go to the waitlists asap. 

After many years of sign-ups, getting input from camp parents and other popular camps in the area, and working with several different online sign up companies, we have realized there is no ‘perfect’ way to handle this part of your camp experience… but we are doing our best to make it less stressful and more equitable! We hope the lottery will be less frustrating than the usual mad dash – but like past years, we do expect many more entries than camp spots available in most weeks, so please be understanding! We truly wish we could have absolutely all of your campers join us out on the lake this summer! PRO TIP: Like we mentioned above, there is typically less demand for the early summer camp weeks - if your summer schedule allows getting in those lotteries may be the best odds of securing spot(s).

We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding and are excited for the 2024 camp season! We hope to see you this summer on the lake, enjoying the Seattle sunshine!!

FEEL FREE TO CALL US ANY TIME WITH QUESTIONS: (206) 682-2031 OR YOU CAN EMAIL US AT, CONTACT@MOSSBAY.CO -  We do our best to answer emails and return calls between 10am and 6pm daily this time of year!

______________________________________________________________________________

WAIT LISTS: If you tried your luck with the lottery and didn’t get a spot(s) you will automatically be put on our waitlists (as mentioned above)! If you ‘missed the boat’ and didn’t enter the lottery (Jan 24-30th) in time you can EMAIL us at contact@mossbay.co to get on one or several lists.  THESE WILL OPEN UP MONDAY FEB 5TH, 2023! Please include your name, best contact #, email, camper(s) age(s) and full name(s). No payment or deposit is required to get on a wait list. On average about 4-5 spots per week will open back up as families' summer plans change and they may need to cancel. We typically tell families, 'cross your fingers, but don’t hold your breath'! Obviously we don’t know exactly when a family may need to cancel (until they call us) so we cannot tell you when we will call a family off the list - so sorry!

REFUNDS: Any cancellation beforeMay 31st will receive a 90% refund (we do not hold any money for 'our trouble', it’s our pleasure to sign you up), but when you register insurance is purchased from a 3rd party who charges a small penalty for cancellations/changes & there are non-refundable credit card and IT fees involved. After MAY 31st we will keep a re-usable 90% credit on file that can be used the following summer for camp OR little by little for family kayak rentals… WHY?? Our rosters will ‘LOCK’ with insurance after June 1 so we often are no allowed to fill spots for last minute cancellations.