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High School

Outer Banks – Sea Kayak

Paddle wild coastal waters, camp on remote barrier islands, and discover what you’re capable of along North Carolina’s legendary Outer Banks.

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Savings Plan

Use a 529 College Savings Plan.

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North Carolina

The image shows a group of people kayaking on a calm body of water under a partly cloudy sky. A vibrant rainbow arcs across the sky, adding a touch of magic to the scene. The kayakers are spread out, enjoying the serene environment and the beautiful weather. The water reflects the sky, creating a sense of peace and tranquility.
A person is kayaking on a body of water. The kayaker is wearing a hat and a life jacket. In the background, there is a grassy shoreline with two horses grazing. The sky is blue and clear. The kayak is orange. The water is calm.
CB20 Course Overview

About This Course

Activity

  • The image shows a blue drawing of a kayak and a paddle on a black background. The kayak is depicted with visible seating and a rounded shape. The paddle is positioned diagonally below the kayak, suggesting a sense of readiness for paddling. The drawing style is simple, resembling a sketch, with clear lines defining the shapes of the kayak and paddle. Kayaking
  • The image shows a stylized, blue-outlined graphic against a black background. Two hands are cupped together, as if holding or presenting something delicate. Above the hands, there are three leaf-like shapes, suggesting a plant or nature. The overall impression is one of care, growth, or environmental stewardship. The simplicity of the design and the use of a single color give it a clean and modern look. Service Projects

Setting & Location

  • The image shows a dark background with blue, pixelated shapes clustered in the lower-left and upper-left areas. These shapes might represent landmasses or abstract forms, with some resembling islands or coastlines. The pixelated style gives the image a retro or digital aesthetic, and the contrast between the blue and black creates a stark visual effect. Coastal
  • airplane Course Start Location: New Bern, NC
  • airplane Course End Location: New Bern, NC

Students Can Earn

  • College Credit

Session Details

2 sessions are available for this course

Chat with the Customer Success Team
A group of people are gathered around a map, seemingly engaged in a navigation or orienteering activity. They appear to be outdoors, possibly in a wooded or natural area. One person is pointing at the map, while others are looking at it intently, suggesting they are working together to understand the map and plan their route.

What You'll Learn

On Outward Bound courses for older high-schoolers, students do exciting things with new friends, focusing on having an unforgettable adventure. You’ll refine skills like teamwork, leadership, and navigation that expand beyond your time on course. Try new things, remember what you’re made of, and return revitalized and ready for what’s next.

The image shows three people kayaking on a calm body of water. The kayakers are spread out, with one in the foreground and two further back. The water is reflecting the sky, and there are trees visible in the background. The sky is clear and blue, suggesting a sunny day. The kayaks are different colors, including red, yellow, and blue.

What You'll Do

Students paddle coastal waters by sea kayak, teaming up to navigate, read tide charts, and camp on barrier islands while building teamwork and leadership skills.

The image shows a lighthouse standing tall amidst a field of tall grass, with a backdrop of a blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds. The lighthouse is black and white and appears to be in the distance, while the grass is in the foreground and closer to the viewer. The scene is bathed in soft, warm light, suggesting it might be near sunrise or sunset.

Where You'll Be

Stretching North Carolina’s coast, the Outer Banks are a chain of barrier islands that offer remote sandy beaches, wide sounds, diverse wildlife, and a deep sense of history.

The image shows four young women inside a tent, likely camping on a beach. They are all smiling and appear to be enjoying themselves. The woman on the left is wearing a yellow shirt and a white cap, while the others are wearing blue or green shirts and caps or sunglasses. The background shows a sandy beach and possibly the ocean.

Why It Matters

Outward Bound courses are a great way to disrupt your routine, connect with new people and activities, and gain clarity about who you are and what you want to do next. Navigating challenges with a supportive crew gives you space to explore your strengths, recognize your contributions, and celebrate your wins.

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CB11 Scrolling Bullets

Ready For Anything

What if you learned how to develop strong communities with peers while confidently forging your own sense of self?

Our Educational Approach

One Week Courses for Ages 16-18

Try exciting things and practice new ways of being in a connected group. You and your crew will value each other’s unique gifts as you together and find success! This is a space to ask, “who am I?” and to learn the answer through an unforgettable adventure.

Us. But Better.

You and your crew will learn how to support each other’s success, boldly tackling challenges and persevering together through epic adventures! Our skilled instructors protect the time and space your need to both recognize your strengths and consider the strengths of others.

Prepare to Launch!

Whether you’re getting ready for a big life transition or you have another year or two before you turn the page into a new chapter, you will leave your Outward Bound course having practiced important life skills to help you be successful in both this adventure and the next!

Reflective Relationship Building

This is an opportunity for you and your crew to focus on being thoughtful about your actions, words, and the impact of each on other people. You’ll work together and on your own to practice new reflection skills that’ll help you make sense of the world and build dynamic relationships within your active crew, and beyond.

CB31 Media Gallery

Life on Course

Embark on an unforgettable coastal adventure where you will paddle, camp, and explore the wild beauty of the Outer Banks.

Spend your days paddling sea kayaks across sounds and along barrier islands, spotting wildlife like wild ponies, and landing on quiet sandy beaches. Work with your crew to navigate your routes, read tide charts, set up camp, and cook meals to enjoy together. Through these experiences, crews will discover their true potential, build leadership skills, and develop deep connections for life, all while having fun along the way!

Two people are in a yellow kayak on the water. The person in the front is holding a paddle and wearing a life vest and a cap. The person in the back is wearing a hat, a life vest, and a tank top. The water is calm, and the sky is overcast. The kayak is reflecting in the water.
A group of people stand on a sandy beach, holding paddles and kayaks. They appear to be preparing for or returning from a kayaking trip. The sky is blue with scattered clouds, and there's vegetation on the right side of the frame. The overall scene suggests an outdoor recreational activity.
A top-down shot shows people camping and cooking outdoors. A portable stove has a pan with food and a pot of water on it. Someone is pouring something from a metal container into a bowl. Other camping supplies are scattered around on a blanket or tarp, including plates, utensils, and a propane tank.
A group of people are kayaking on a sunny day. They are wearing life jackets and paddling in the water. The sky is blue with some clouds. The water is calm and there are some small waves. There are nine kayaks visible in the image. The kayaks are of different colors, including blue, yellow, and white.

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CB39 Table Feature

Sample Itinerary

Here’s an example of what your course itinerary might look like. The actual plan will depend on permits, weather, group skills, and instructor evaluation.

Swipe on table below to view more.

6-Day Course

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Day 1 Course start, review equipment, and boat packing techniques. Practice exiting a capsized kayak and re-entering the boat in the water.
Day 2 Begin kayak expedition: learn paddle strokes and boat control techniques
Day 3 Paddling: Learn navigation skills, reading tidal charts and flow, and using a weather radio
Day 4 Paddling: Outer Banks natural history lesson; Beach Campfire
Day 5 Final Expedition Paddle; Course End Ceremony
Day 6 Course End; Transportation to the Airport
CB27 Pull Quotes

On this trip, I figured out that I am much more tough and capable of conquering challenges than I’d thought. This has made me so excited to see what I can do in the future.

Glenn F.

Age 16

CB17 FAQs

FAQs

Is this like summer camp?

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Our courses are fast-paced and take place entirely outdoors in all types of weather. We unplug from devices. We have tons of fun. And we work hard, too. Come prepared to be part of the team and participate fully.

What are your essential eligibility criteria?

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Our Essential Eligibility Criteria shares what participants must be able to do during course. Full disclosure of all health and medication information is required during the admissions process.

Is this a course meant to address patterns of concerning behavior?

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No. This is a Classic Outward Bound course-it is not designed for struggling teens or “at-risk youth.” Please check out Outward Bound Intercept courses that do focus on repairing behaviors and challenging family relationships.

 

 

What do Instructors do to manage risk on course?

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In addition to ongoing training and mentoring that is always happening for field staff, Instructors have numerous conversations before, during, and after course about how to manage risks and make specific plans to keep students safe emotionally and physically. The goal is to offer students enough opportunities involving perceived risk, such as rock climbing, so that they are stretched to step outside their comfort zones. It is through those experiences that they have powerful learning experiences. We are also teaching students how to use what they learn so they too can prevent incidents and respond proactively to our greater teacher–nature – which can often be unpredictable!

 

THERE'S A BREAKTHROUGH OUT HERE. THERE'S A BREAKTHROUGH OUT HERE. THERE'S A BREAKTHROUGH OUT HERE. THERE'S A BREAKTHROUGH OUT HERE.
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