ON BREAK:

Students in the Newport Aquatics Center’s kids paddle camp have two valuable trainers: Billy Whitford and Mother Nature.

Two decades ago, Whitford, ? the executive director of the center, ? leased a beachside property from the city of Newport Beach with the intent of turning it into an aquatics school. The center, which Whitford built himself, sits in an attractive spot next to the Back Bay.

There’s only one catch: The wind usually carries west off of the ocean. As a result, when young paddlers head off to Newport Dunes, the Balboa Pavilion or other destinations, they often have to maneuver against the breeze.

“It’s kind of hard, but you don’t really notice,” said Abby Griffith, 10, who attended the five-day camp the first week of August. “It’s easier coming back, though.”

During the five days of kids paddle camp, students learn the basics of paddling: manning kayaks and larger boats, moving with and against the wind, getting back in the driver’s seat after their boats are capsized. Along the way, they also get to mess around and have adventures, paddling their way to some of the choicest shores of Newport Beach.

“At this recreational level, it’s just a giggle,” Whitford said. “It’s just for fun. But if you wanted to put it into a regime, it’s a very aerobic sport.”

The paddle camp, which has up to two dozen kids at a time, runs from June through September, with the same program repeating every week. On Monday, the class starts by learning paddle safety and other techniques, then travels across the bay to Newport Dunes. Subsequent days bring the paddlers to Beacon Bay and the Balboa Fun Zone, among other places.

And while the kids put on life jackets and have adult supervisors, they get to engage in horseplay. In one popular game, a player swims around the bay and tries to mount and overturn others’ kayaks. On Friday, the last day of the camp, the participants run relay races against each other and enjoy a cookout on the beach.

Many of the kids in the program are first-time paddlers, though a few have experience. Josh Griffith, 7, said he had spent many years maneuvering Newport’s bays.

“I go with my dad,” Josh said. “My mom’s afraid to go out on the water.”