Adventures FAQ

General

Is Adventures just for UC Berkeley students?
No. Adventures is proud to provide quality programs to the entire Bay Area including community members, Cal students, faculty and staff.
What if my class/trip is cancelled?
Adventures may be forced to cancel a class or trip due to inclement weather or other circumstances beyond our control. If this is the case, we will offer to transfer participants to a future class, give a full credit or refund, or reschedule cancelled sessions of a multi-session class.
Will my class/trip be cancelled if it's raining?
Gentle rain is not sufficient reason to cancel a class. If the class/trip is going to be cancelled for weather reasons, every attempt will be made to contact participants as quickly as possible. Please attend your scheduled class unless you receive a call or hear on the Marina Hotline that it has been cancelled. Marina Hotline: call 510-642-7707 for recorded weather and class updates.
Can children participate in adult classes and trips?
Mature individuals of 16 years and older may participate in classes, provided they are dropped off by a parent/guardian who can sign their waiver form at the first class meeting. Individuals under 16 should see our comprehensive youth program offerings.

Custom Ropes Course and Kayaking Programs are suitable for general groups ages 10 and up. If part of an organized school event, we may be able to work with a younger group – dependent on program length and desired outcomes.
What is your Refund Policy?
Requests for refunds, credits or to transfer to another class must be made at least 14 days before the first meeting of the activity. A $25.00 administrative fee will be assessed on all refunds, credits and transfers. All refund requests must be submitted via our Action Request Form.

No refunds, credits, or transfers are given within 14 days of the first meeting of the activity, even if you signed up for the activity within the 14 refund period. For example, if you signed up 7 days before the first class, you would not be eligible for a refund, credit or a transfer. Please be sure that you can attend all dates of the course you are enrolling in. You will be asked to sign off on our refund policy during the online enrollment process.

EXCEPTION: Overnight trips, such as New Student Trips (OATS) and the Wilderness Medicine Course, require a 30 day cancellation notice.
Where is the Ropes Course located?
The Ropes Course is located at Strawberry Canyon Recreation Area. The course is not open to drop-in use, and currently available by request only.

Program Registration Policies

Program Refund Policy (Effective Aug. 1, 2025)
All program withdrawal requests must be submitted via email to RecWell@berkeley.edu or through the Action Request Form.
- Refund requests received more than 3 business days before the program start date will be approved, minus a 15% administrative fee deducted from the program registration fee.
- No refunds will be issued within 3 business days of the program start date or after the program has begun. This policy is applicable to participants who registered within the 3 business day window.
- Refunds are processed Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., excluding UC holidays. Requests submitted outside these hours will be reviewed the following business day.
  - Example: If your program starts on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday before 9 a.m., your refund request must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. the Tuesday before.
- Please note: Wilderness First Aid (WFA) and Wilderness First Responder (WFR) courses are offered in partnership with NOLS and are subject to the NOLS cancellation policy, which requires a minimum of 15 days’ notice for any changes or refunds. The Wilderness Medicine Course is also not eligible for RecWell’s standard refund or transfer policies, and it requires 15 days' notice for requests due to administrative processes with our external partner.
Transfers
Transfer requests must be submitted via email to RecWell@berkeley.edu or through the Action Request Form at least 3 business days before the program start date.

Please note: Some programs may be ineligible for transfer due to program age restrictions, certification requirements, waiver acceptance limitations, enrollment capacity, or other reasons. We recommend reviewing eligibility requirements before submitting a request.

Fee and Pricing Policies for Transfers
Transfers to a program of equal value will incur no additional fee. Transfers to a program of greater value require payment of the difference at the time of the transfer. Transfers to a program of lesser value are subject to a 15% processing fee for the any refund.

Late Transfers
Transfer requests submitted less than 3 business days before the program start date are not guaranteed and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Customer Service Supervisor, Program Manager, or their designee. Late transfers may be subject to a 15% processing fee, or approved only as account credit to be processed by the Customer Service Center staff for future enrollments. No transfers will be approved after the course has begun, except in the cases of skill level misplacement identified by the instructor.
Program Payment
For questions regarding enrollment or purchases, contact us at RecWell@berkeley.edu

Payment

Eligible customers may register for programs through our online platform or in person at the Customer Service Center. Full payment is required at the time of registration. Participants must accept the RecWell Waiver at the time of purchase to participate in RecWell programs and access RecWell facilities.

Enrolled participants who request to transfer a registration payment from the original payment method to another credit or debit card will be charged a 15% processing fee.

Price Adjustments
- Students: Each academic year, students must accept the RecWell Waiver in CalCentral before their student RecWell membership is imported into our system, typically within 1-2 days. Students may request one retroactive price adjustment per academic year if they paid the non-student rate before their membership imported. The request may be submitted up to 3 business days after the program start date. This applies to most programs, including Adventures offerings, as long as there were no separate student and non-student listings.
  - Note: Some Adventures programs have separate listings for student and non-student participants. If the student-rate listing is full and you register for the non-student offering instead, no refund or price adjustment will be offered. Please confirm your membership status before registering.
- Non-students: Please confirm your membership status before registering. The rate paid at the time of purchase is final and cannot be adjusted.
Class Minimums
All programs will need to meet a minimum number of participants at least 72 hours before they begin. If an offering does not reach that number, it may be canceled. This approach helps us ensure a high-quality experience for all participants and allows our team to plan effectively.

If a class is canceled, we will update the website and notify affected patrons via email with options in advance of the program start date.
Waitlists
Most of our programs offer a waitlist option. When a program is full, click the registration link and follow the prompts to join the waitlist. If a spot becomes available, the Customer Service team will email the next person on the waitlist with a deadline to accept and pay. Openings not claimed by the deadline will be offered to the next person on the list.

Last-Minute Openings

If a program is scheduled to begin within 3 business days, the Customer Service team may reach out to everyone on the waitlist to gauge interest for a last-minute opening. The spot will be offered to the person closest to the top of the waitlist who responds and confirms interest by the stated deadline.
Attendance and Missed Classes
Please review program dates carefully before enrolling. Program fees are not prorated or adjusted for missed classes. Credits or make-up classes will not be provided for classes missed or non-attendance.

Full attendance is essential for participant success and may be required to complete the program or qualify for sequenced offerings (e.g., Sailing 1-A to Sailing 1-B). In some cases, tardiness or absences may pose a safety risk, as instructors are unable to provide individualized instruction for missed content in a group setting. For safety reasons, the Instructor and Program Manager reserve the right to remove participants from the program without a refund if attendance requirements are not met.

Sailing

Can I rent sailboats after finishing the basic class?
Adventures requires that participants complete the basic and intermediate classes before renting, to ensure competence in all necessary skills and a variety of wind conditions.
Can I rent boats if I haven’t taken Adventures classes but know how to sail?
For your safety and ours, Adventures requires that people with outside sailing experience have the equivalent of our intermediate class skills. To ensure this, we require that you pass a 2-hour private skills checkout with one of our instructors.
I can’t make all four sessions of the sailing class. Can I take private lessons instead?
If you are unable to attend a day of your scheduled class, you will be asked to make up the necessary skills with a private lesson. Your class fee will not be refunded for missed days and can not be used towards the cost of a private lesson. Please be sure you can attend all sessions before enrolling in a class. If you prefer to take all private lessons in place of a class, we can schedule a series of private lessons to teach you all the necessary skills of our basic or intermediate classes. A minimum of three lessons is required in place of a basic or intermediate class, and more lessons may be necessary to develop confidence and competence in various conditions.
How big are your boats?
Our basic and intermediate classes, as well as our sailing clinics, are taught in 2-person, 15 foot dinghies. These boats are very responsive and can be wet but are excellent for learning. Our advanced sailing classes and Saturday Night Cruises use our brand new 17 foot RS Ventures.
I have some previous sailing experience, can I skip basic and just enroll in intermediate sailing?
If you wish to skip basic you must schedule a private lesson before enrolling in intermediate sailing, where we will assess your skills. Also, our basic sailing course covers important information that is specific to the Adventures facility. For example: location of our equipment, how boats are rigged, launched using a hoist, de-rigged and stored. This information will not be taught in the intermediate sailing class. This information and a check out of the students' skills can be completed in a private lesson before going into intermediate.

Kayaking

Can I rent kayaks after I finish my class?
Yes. The area in which you are permitted to paddle will depend on your level of experience. Group paddles are a great way to build confidence and skill with other paddlers of various skill levels.
Can I enroll a group of friends in a full moon paddle?
Yes, if there is room in the class. Please note that it is not possible for one adult to register a second adult for this class. Each participant must register themselves. If there is not enough space in the Full Moon Paddle then Adventures offers incredibly affordable custom group full moon paddles. These private events are a convenient solution and can be scheduled a few weeks in advance by contacting our team at Adventures@berkeley.edu
Can I get stuck upside down in a kayak?
Before even getting on the water, the “wet-exit” skill will be practiced so that participants can safely and quickly get out of a flipped boat.
Are there sharks in the Bay where we will be kayaking?
There have been isolated sightings of sand sharks in the area of the South Sailing Basin. These sharks are very small and have no predatory interest in humans.
Will the kayak sink if I capsize?
No. The kayaks have foam bulkheads and will float, even when full of water.

Wilderness Medicine

Do you offer discounts for employees of non-profit organizations?
No. Adventures offers the same great value for all participants.
What is the difference between the 9-day and the 10-day courses?
There is no difference in the course curriculum. The 10-day course has a break day in the middle.

Windsurfing

Is there an advanced windsurfing class?
At this time Adventures offers a Basic Windsurfing class and then clinics throughout the season for individuals to learn more advanced skills such as using a harness or water starting. Please see the Windsurfing Clinic page for more details on what is currently being offered. Private lessons are also an excellent option for receiving individual instruction on specific skills.