The course description for the August 2 class is available on the KPC website and states that, “Kachemak Bay is a unique geological area featuring a mixture of volcanic flows, earthquake features, glacial sediments, ancient seafloor rocks, and sea creatures. There are many exposures only accessible by water and kayaking will allow students to get up close and personal with our K-Bay rocks. Instructor for the class, Ph.D. Geologist Taz Tally will reveal the unique geological history of the Bay including active faults, pillow lavas, glaciation, mountain building, and evidence that the rocks of Homer were once near the equator.
With the course date quickly approaching, Jill Burnham, Community Programs Coordinator for the Kachemak Bay Campus, recommends registering as soon as possible. You can register online through the campus kpc.alaska.edu or at the campus in person.
Instructor Taz Tally provided KBBI with a few details about the class. “This is, first of all, one of my favorite classes to teach. It is absolutely one of my favorite classes because it kind of details everything that I love to do, because I'm kind of half scientist. You know that I have a doctorate in geology, but the other half of me is a creative artist as a landscape photographer, and I really get to indulge both on this journey. And we take the trip through Halibut Cove. And as you probably already know, Kachemak Bay is one of the great geology areas on the face of the planet. So anybody who's interested in geology and natural history would be good candidates to join the class. We don't just talk about geology, we also talk about forest ecology and development of soil profiles, and glacial history. There are lots of things to discuss in terms of natural science, but it's not just for scientists, because it's like kayaking through an abstract art gallery, instead of walking through serenely, paddling through this abstract art gallery. So it's for artists, too. It's for humanists of all kinds, as well as scientists. So if you're inclined towards beauty and/or science or a combination of the two,” he said, “It’s my favorite class to teach face to face in a kayak in the middle of Kachemak Bay. It doesn't get much better than that.”
Tally also shared some of his background experience in kayaking. “I've been kayaking for decades, both white water and sea kayaking. And I've been guiding kayaking as well hiking backpacking tours ever since I came to Homer, which was in 1998 and I guided before that, so I have enormous decades of experience on the water, and safety is always my first concern. Always, always, always, nobody has any fun if they don't feel particularly safe. So safety first. And one of the great things about sea kayaks is they are inherently extremely stable. They're difficult to tip over. No kayak experience at all required.”
Registration for the August 2nd course and more specific details about the course is available through the KPC website. kpc.alaska.edu. There you can find information about times, costs and what you’ll need to bring with you.
