California Watersport Collective

02/05/2026

Went on an eating trip to Italy and did a little kayaking.

Valsesia is pure magic and I’m counting the days to get back next spring. Grazie mille for being the best host ever ❤️

.kayaks

22/03/2026

NEW course alert! Trip Leading, Logistical Planning and Group Dynamics. This hands-on course teaches the art of trip planning, risk management, and group leadership—on and off the water. Participants gain skills in river trip planning, communication systems, emergency planning, and understanding group dynamics in diverse paddling environments. Whether you’re guiding friends, coaching a community program, or preparing for professional leadership roles, you’ll leave ready to plan efficient trips, make sound decisions, and foster positive team experiences on the river.

This is a great one to combo with our Practical Safety and Rescue Skills Workshop.

More details and dates at:

This is a practical skills workshop for recreational whitewater paddlers of all skill and experience levels.

23/02/2026

“There is a place where the sidewalk ends…”

…and for me, that place has always looked a little like Futaleufú.

Someone asked me recently — what would your perfect last day in Futa look like?

When I thought about it, it was exactly what my everyday was — paddling, writing, friends, maté, asados, and moving at a Patagonian pace. Nada más. I leaned into a space where I allowed myself to play, run wild, be feral, slow down — all the things that make me be me.

So I am heading north with the same tender ache in my heart but instead of feeling sad to leave, I feel steady enough to go. ❤️

Gracias por todos y hasta la próxima, Mamá Futa 💙


Shel Silverstein

09/02/2026

Our season on the South Fork American is just around the corner and we are excited to add 2 more Whitewater II Clinics May 9-10 and May 23-24!

Check out our website for all the 2026 clinic dates:

Take your kayaking to the next level on the South Fork American! For the on-water instruction, the class is divided into 2 groups – Whitewater I-II and II-III.

19/01/2026

I’ve been quieter than usual, not out of absence but presence.

Patagonia gives me space to paddle, be with friends, and sit still long enough to write.

Thank you for the patience while I move at a human pace.

.kayaks

05/01/2026

Check our very own, Laura Zulliger, on this incredible series!

05/01/2026

2025 carried me from the deep turquoise pulse of the Futa to the carved stone canyons of Italy, to reconnecting in Norway, to Idaho’s cold mornings and California’s warm homecomings. It carried me through Cali Collective’s 10th Anniversary, Riverbound’s first brave steps and a hand surgery that taught me a new language of patience.

And then, back in Patagonia, I found myself ending the year on a Todo Futa from the Canyon to Casa — my longest paddle with the repaired hand — proof that recovery isn’t a single moment but a long conversation between determination and grace.

But my true highlight is quieter — captured in this photo — on my land in Chile, rescue kitten in my arms, basking in the sunshine.

Because this was the year I stopped gripping so tightly.

The year I softened.

The year I learned that strength without tenderness isn’t strength at all — it’s armor.

2025 didn’t ask me to power through. It asked me to open. To trust slow bends. To let the river teach me how to return to myself gently.

Here’s to 2026 —

More flow, more faith, more softness into the strong parts. 💙✨

.kayaks

02/01/2026

Some places meet you at the surface.
Italy meets you somewhere deeper.

There’s a moment on this river — slipping between limestone walls older than anything with a name — when the world goes quiet in a way that feels like remembering. The water turns clear as glass, the canyon breathes around you, and suddenly paddling feels less like movement and more like belonging.

We're heading back to Valsesia this May with a small group of paddlers who want exactly this: clean lines, turquoise water, slow mornings, good food, and the kind of beauty that settles into your bones.

If Italy has been tugging at you…
send us a message and I’ll share the details.

Sometimes you don’t choose the river.
Sometimes the river chooses you.



Kokatat

30/12/2025

Hand surgery who??

Endless Palguin + Fuy laps, sunshine and the best crews a girl could ever dream of.

More of this please. 💙🌊✨



.kayaks

17/10/2025

**LAST SPOT ALERT** If you've been on the fence, time to click BOOK NOW for our 10 day trip to stunning Norway July 1-10, 2026.

There's still a few spots available on our trip to Italy May 15-23, 2026 but don't wait too long and miss out on the trip of a lifetime!

Epic paddling, amazing food, comfy lodging and incredible scenery all included. What are you waiting for??

More details at:

https://cwwcollective.com/whitewater-trips-norway/
https://cwwcollective.com/international-trips-in-italy/

Kokatat Pyranha Kayaks YETI Werner Paddles Immersion Research Alpacka Raft Melissa DeMarie

Join us for a dreamy paddling trip in the Italian Alps in 2026 in Valsesia, Italy with California Watersport Collective. An all-inclusive guided trip! Book now!

09/09/2025

Stoked on another stellar summer season with this talented, funny, intelligent, creative crew ❤️❤️❤️