Facebook Instagram LinkedIn
    • About Us
      • About MEET® Magazines
    List My Business        Advertise
    MEET® Family of Publications
    • Home
    • Subscribe
    • Magazines
      • MEET® Missouri
      • MEET® Kansas
      • MEET® Med
    • Articles By Topic
    • Digital Flipbooks
    • Upcoming Events
    ➤ Find Suppliers
    0 Shopping Cart
    MEET® Family of Publications
    Home»MEET Missouri Issues»MEET Missouri Winter 2021-22»Paddling Your Group’s Way to Success – Underground Kayaking as a Teambuilding Activity for Group Outings
    MEET Missouri Winter 2021-22

    Paddling Your Group’s Way to Success – Underground Kayaking as a Teambuilding Activity for Group Outings

    The MEET® Family of PublicationsBy The MEET® Family of PublicationsNovember 19, 2021Updated:February 25, 2022No Comments4 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    IMG 7458 scaled
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    By Olivia Orman

    Many companies seek new and exciting ways to unify professionals in their organization to help them effectively collaborate in group settings.  Meeting planners typically accomplish this objective by employing team building activities that foster connections, promote problem-solving, and help the group overcome obstacles.  One unique group outing opportunity: Kayaking tours… in a cave.

    Meet Over Paddles

    The idea of kayaking in a cave may sound a little too adventurous for some, but one business in the St. Louis region has made this outing accessible for groups and paddlers of many ranges and levels of experience.  Based in Crystal City, Marsan Canoe & Kayaking Tours guides groups of 10-40 participants through a 160-acre lake over the span of two hours, which was once a mine in the early 1900s.  In fact, there are 90 columns in this cave alone.

    The Group Publisher and an editor of MEET Missouri took a Marsan Canoe & Kayaking Tour to see how it could benefit groups looking to boost team efforts.  Joe Clote, Group Publisher of MEET Missouri, explains: “This kayaking tour forces groups to partake in an activity that creates a level of discomfort.  Teams overcome new challenges through collaboration, and, while the paddling portion of this excursion is a solo effort, your group will share the commonality of conquering an adventurous undertaking.  This creates connection and increases teamwork.”

    The Ultimate Challenge

    Although kayaking in a cave already creates a unique bonding experience among paddlers in itself, there is that specific part of this experience that requires attendees to exit their comfort zone on a much larger level.  Paddlers are guided through a narrow space known as the ‘squeeze box’, which is, essentially, a small compartment that paddlers need to pass through, in order to proceed with the tour.

    As paddlers approach the ‘squeeze box’, the ceiling of the cave starts to inch closer to the water level, which requires paddlers to maneuver their paddle into their kayak, and then continue to glide their boat through the water by pushing their fists against the top of the cave in a forward motion.  The ceiling of the cave drops very low – to the point that paddlers need to lie all the way down in their boat in order to pass through the actual ‘squeeze box’.

    Traveling eight yards through the ‘squeeze box’ with the top of the cave four inches away from one’s nose requires a willingness to face the fear of being ‘boxed in’ to make it to the other side.  One of Marsan’s tour guides has the ability to guide two boats through the ‘squeeze box’ at a time, so two attendees have the chance to conquer this narrow passage together.

    IMG 7429 scaled

    A Year-round Group Activity

    Underground kayaking experiences facilitated by Marsan Canoe & Kayaking Tours take place all year long, as the cave retains a constant 40-degree temperature.  Thus, this opportunity is the perfect way to plan a group adventure for your organization during any time of the year.

    An editor from MEET Missouri explained what groups could walk away with after experiencing this tour.  The highlight: “Before going through the ‘squeeze box’, you will realize it is you against your obstacle.  It may appear daunting to overcome this challenge alone, so work through it with a teammate who likely has the same concern.  This principle holds true to a work environment as well.”

    Consider paddling your group outside its comfort zone for your next team building session.  You may have to motivate your group to dig up their headlights and sense of adventure, but you may find the thrill and collaborative outcomes make this excursion well worth it.

    MEET

    Olivia Orman is a contributing writer from St. Louis.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleMarried and Merry – How One Newlywed Couple Overcame the Odds to Celebrate Love
    Next Article Rescue Your Information from Data Purgatory
    The MEET® Family of Publications
    • Website

    The MEET® Family of Publications produces regional and national publications that keep corporate, association, medical, education, independent, and religious meeting and event planners informed about relevant industry suppliers, news, tech innovations, and resources that impact and influence how and where they plan their upcoming company function(s).

    Related Posts

    Twist and Shout! Two Fundraisers for Two Historic Sappington Houses

    May 26, 2023

    Survey: Most Americans More Likely to Stay in Hotels on Vacation This Summer vs. Last

    May 26, 2023

    How AI Tools Can Enhance the Hospitality Industry

    May 19, 2023

    Comments are closed.

    For 20+ years, The MEETⓇ Family of Publications has produced regional and national magazines that has kept corporate, association, medical, education, independent, and religious meeting and event planners informed about relevant vendors, industry news, tech innovations, and resources that impact and influence how and where they plan their group business.

    Latest Industry Insights
    • Twist and Shout! Two Fundraisers for Two Historic Sappington Houses
    • Survey: Most Americans More Likely to Stay in Hotels on Vacation This Summer vs. Last
    • How AI Tools Can Enhance the Hospitality Industry
    • 85 Percent of Exhibitors Experiencing Cost Issues in Q1 2023
    • Historic Saint Louis presents “Landscapes of Summertime Past”
    Quick Links
    • Home
    • Subscribe
    • Upcoming Events
    Our Magazines
    • MEET® Missouri
    • MEET® Kansas
    • MEET® Med
    More Resources
    • Articles By Topic
    • Digital Flipbooks
    • Online Resource Directory
    © 2023 MEET® Family of Publications. All rights reserved. Website managed and developed by PC40

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.