Freeflow Institute Writers’ Workshop

$2,999.00

Per person

Duration: 7 Days

Season: Limited Offerings

Our 2022 San Juan Islands Workshop collaboration with Freeflow will feature daily craft lectures from Brendan Leonard (creator of Semi Rad, generative exercises, individualized workshopping sessions, and ample opportunities for discussion, both on and off the water. We will consider the qualities of successful narrative, the role of humor in our storytelling, and how to clarify our voices in a crowded, evolving media landscape. An element of personal challenge is fundamental to a Freeflow experience. To that end, the workshop incorporates movement – paddling and walking – as well as intentional exploration of place, as individuals and as a group. The cohort will convene two times via Zoom in the month prior to meeting on San Juan Island for the field experience. Participants will receive a list of preparatory readings, podcasts, and films to be reviewed before the workshop. The course may also count toward continuing ed credits for professionals in some fields. Check with your organization or institution to see if the workshop can count toward your professional development. Experience the archipelago to its fullest with this half circumnavigation of San Juan Island and its surrounding waterways, camping on both Stuart and Jones Islands. More time kayaking on the water means more opportunity to view diverse wildlife and enjoy gourmet, 3-course meals customized by your tour guide and chef. Find out more about our trip below and we hope to see you on your next San Juan Island Kayak Tour!

Start

Friday Harbor - Afternoon July 13, 2023

End

Friday Harbor - Morning July 19, 2023

Price Includes

pre-course logistical support + reading list
Daily craft talks
Credit Option - University of Montana
Credit Option - Continuing Education
one-on-one sessions with Freeflow staff
All meals
Kayaking instruction and guiding
Dry bag
Tent

You Provide

Gratuity for your guide
Water bottle
Sunglasses and/or hat
Sunscreen
Headlight or flashlight
Extra layers
Sleeping bag & pad (rentals available)

FULL PACK LIST ›

Freeflow Institute Writers’ Workshop Itinerary

Afternoon of July 13 – Afternoon of July 18

Field experience sea kayaking in the San Juan Islands

Evening of July 18 – Morning of July 19

Decompression + final evening with the cohort near Friday Harbor + breakfast the next morning.

Learning Targets

- Learn to identify the characteristics of a successful personal story.

- Refine your knowledge of the themes and styles of various nonfiction and adventure writers.

- Explore the process of being published in traditional and beyond-traditional media outlets.

- Develop an understanding of the San Juan Islands and the nuances of its associated ecosystems, human histories, and contemporary challenges and issues facing the region.

- Consider your moral or ethical accountability for protection of wild spaces, as well as the impact that societal, ecological, and personal decisions or forces can have on those places.

Learn More

The OO crew couldn't have been more professional and prepared from the moment they picked us up at Friday Harbor through the launch and landing. It was beyond expectations and worth every penny.

Brian

If you’re looking for a fun and unforgettable kayak trip in the San Juan Islands, I highly recommend Outdoor Odyssey. Our 3-day trip was superb.

Shelly

I am not usually someone to pay for a guided tour, but this was absolutely worth it and a huge highlight during our time in the San Juan Islands. Our guide was awesome. We were a group kids, teens and adults (two families). We learned a lot about the island, and had a ball along the coast for our 7 mile day trip.

Seth K

The food was excellent. Organic as much as possible, fresh as much as possible, well prepared, and plenty of it.

Tim

This trip was one I will never forget. Outdoor Odysseys does such a great job on these kayak trips. Our guides were wonderful. The food was beyond belief...for anywhere, not just a kayaking trip.

DJW

This company has been around for a long time. They know how to treat people.

Cocoa

What Sets Outdoor Odysseys Apart

Our Guides

Food & Amenities

Giving Back

Guide Profile

Tom Murphy

Tom Murphy graduated from Lawrence University with a biology degree in 2003. After graduation Tom spent a year and a half overseas. He traveled through India, worked for an NGO in Nepal, and taught elementary students science in the…

Peter Yacobellis

Peter, a lifelong New York City region resident, now lives full time on San Juan Island, helping to run Outdoor Odysseys. Peter has a long and storied career in government, tourism, and in corporate America. Peter has a graduate…

Lily Keziah

Laura Montanari

Born on the coastal islands of Georgia and raised in the marshes and swamps of the south, Laura has always maintained a deep connection to the ocean. Her earliest memories are paddling canoes through the Okefenokee Swamp with her…

Hayden Peck

Hayden’s roots are in Colorado and Central Oregon. She ventured out to the Pacific Northwest when she started school at University of Oregon, where she studied human physiology and business. These days, she finds joy in connecting others to…

Eli Todaro

Eli Todaro grew up in Southeast Louisiana. Eli is a NOLS Wilderness First Responder alumni with specialties in swift water and high angle rescue. He has always had a great passion for the outdoors. Growing up hunting and fishing…

Carl Cain

Tiff Pendergrass

Caroline Seto

Hunter Bennion

Vanessa Elliott

Sam Maylor

Sam grew up outside Seattle, WA, with the Cascade Mountains and the Puget Sound as his backyard. After getting a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington, Sam vagabonded through Europe, Australia, and the US before finding…

Maddie Hollister

Growing up in Seattle, Maddie Hollister gained a love for outdoor recreation and education attending a summer camp on Puget Sound, where she eventually became a lifeguard and outdoor educator. She studied marine biology and science communication at Quest…

Patrick McEvoy

Boston bred, Georgia grown, and Seattle seduced; Patrick remains as footloose as his “military brat” childhood would deem but continues to rebound back to the San Juan Islands. In Georgia he attended both high school and college where he…

Duncan Smith

Duncan will be returning for a second season to the San Juan Islands as an Outdoor Odysseys guide and adventure filmmaker. Born in San Mateo, California, Duncan grew up SCUBA diving, backpacking and sailing. After college he spent a…

Christina Deierling

Born in Snohomish, WA, Christina grew up mushroom picking, squid jigging, crabbing, traveling, backpacking, fishing, clamming, skiing, frog catching, climbing, and everything else outdoorsy. Christina made her way down to Orange, CA to attend Chapman University as a Business…

Zoey Smith

Born near the ocean cliffs of northern California, Zoey was raised just as much by redwoods and harbour seals as she was by her parents. She is currently going into her 4th year at Quest University, focusing her studies…

Elliott O’Brien

Elliott grew up in sunny Seattle and spent countless days exploring the Cascades, Puget Sound, and the forests and deserts throughout Washington. He studied environmental science and policy down in California, and uses his emphasis in ecology daily while…

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