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Photo Credit: Doug Elsey

Prerequisites: * Can swim 50m with PFD ** Basic Paddling *** Basic Rescue

Private Instruction: $ 44./hr, $ 22./hr ea. additional person - includes equipment - 50% off for kids 14 and under. Programmes subject to GST & PST where applicable, includes boat rental. Meals are provided for Daytrips & Adventures only.

Discounts: Getaway Package - 10% off any combination of Daytrip and clinic(s) Tripper Discount - 10% off any clinic if taking a trip Bringing Own Boat - $20/day off Ok so what is a Weekend Getaway really? Our most popular weekend package especially those wanting to escape from city life for the weekend! Start out with an introduction or refresher to kayaking course on the first morning on our small protected Cole Lake. In the afternoon, should you wish to continue with more instruction, join us for a rescue course. Take any combination of a 1/2 day kayak course along with an Island Daytrip and receive a 10% discount on all programmes.

We want you to relax, have fun and learn some cool new things. Clinics are taught on the quiet, sheltered lake at our Paddling Centre. Our daytrips are on Georgian Bay, typically in the Franklin Island area, a short and fairly sheltered paddle from the mainland. Our staff are professional outdoor leaders with years of experience. They'll encourage you to learn approved paddling, safety and tripping skills. If you'd like to work on specific skills, we'll gladly help provided the group agenda isn't compromised. Weather & group needs determine how far we paddle and what we do.

For general day program information, click here

Basic Skills * $60 - 8:45 - 11:30 am

We'll meet at the Paddling Centre at 8:30 am for coffee, tea & orientation.  We’ll start at 8:45 am sharp with an introductory meeting and overview of the morning.  Then we'll jump in a kayak and go paddlin’.

What you’ll learn:

• warm up stretches for paddling
• intro to kayak gear (fitting of PFD, skirt, paddle)
• paddler ready position (stance, proper fit in kayak, adjust seat & foot pedals)
• dry run on attaching and releasing sprayskirt
• entering and exiting a kayak from shore and off a dock
• on water – hip wiggle (stability skill)
• low brace (stability stroke)
• turning strokes - stern rudder & sweeps
• draws – moving sideways
• forward, reverse and stopping strokes
• Wet Exits (back at beach) 1st without skirt , 2nd with skirt
• Register Now!

Basic Rescue ** $60 1 pm - 3:30 pm

• We'll meet at the Paddling Centre at 1pm for orientation & overview of the afternoon.  Plan to arrive a bit early to allow time for changing into get wet gear (bathing suits, wet suits, paddling jackets etc.). We'll make sure everyone has the appropriate equiopment and that all of it functions properly! Then it's time to jump in and out of kayaks for the afternoon and go rescuing! Here's what you'll learn:

  • paddling skill limits of group
  • planning ahead - weather, food, group prep, medical/emotional conditions
  • skills inventory of group - training/expertise in the group
  • capsize prevention - bracing skills and loose hips
  • what is a safety veto?
  • how to designate leader when with friends
  • group management on water
  • communication - visual and audible
  • rescue priority -  #1 yourself, #2 the group, #3 swimmer  
  • assisted rescue practice
  • self rescue practice - sponsons/paddle float together  
  Register Now!
  
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Photo Credit: Doug Elsey Prerequisites: * Can swim 50m with PFD ** Basic Paddling *** Basic Rescue

Fine Tuning Strokes & Edges *** $60 8:45 - 11:30 am

We'll meet at the Paddling Centre at 8:30 am for coffee, tea & onsite orientation.  We’ll start at 8:45 am sharp with an introductory meeting and overview of the morning.  Then we'll jump in a kayak and go paddlin’.

What you’ll learn:

• Review of paddler ready position – stance, symmetry, pivoting
• Paddles – blade size, shaft and length
• Proper boat fit for solid bracing
• Forward / Reverse and Stopping stroke primer –stance, symmetry and torso pivot
• Catch & Recovery of Blade
• Edging, leaning, pivoting with timing & co-ordination (make the kayak dance)
• Low & high brace turns
• Draws – underwater recovery – sculling draws
• What the next steps are to practice on your own
• Register Now!

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Beginning to Roll *** $60. 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm

We encourage anyone to take this clinic who has basic paddling and rescue skills, even if they don’t ever end up rolling a kayak!!  The reason is that the lead up skills are fundamental to safe paddling on top of the water for everyone!

• The first is learning to rotate the torso which prevents shoulder injury and results in a stronger stroke and brace.  This takes guided practice and wil make all of your kayaking more efficient and fun.
• The second is the ability to separate the lower and upper body so they move independently, creating dynamic stability in rougher conditions.  Some call it a “hip flick” or “wearing the boat with your lower body”  Whatever, the point is that “loose hips save ships!” and that’s what it’s all about!
• Finally, the efficient movement of the paddle blade to provide support and brace is a critical piece of preventing capsize.  Again, guided practice is the key.

Putting them all together carefully is the goal of this workshop.  We don’t  emphasize the roll itself as the end goal, but rather the safe and solid acquisition of these fundamental techniques.  When the roll does come, it’s so much fun, and remains the gold standard for self rescue. 

We also teach & coach intermediate & advanced rolling - again please contact us for more details on this program - taught as a private lesson

Register Now!

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Prerequisites: * Can swim 50m with PFD ** Basic Paddling *** Basic Rescue

Canoeing! We almost forgot! Private Lesson - starts at $ 44./hr, $ 22./hr ea. additional person - includes equipment - 50% off for kids 14 and under.

Taught as a private lesson to individuals, couples, groups, families, kids all welcome. Here are some of the skills we'll practice with you in an intro class:

• canoe design and safety gear
• paddle design – sizing of shaft, blades
• launching & landing
• balance & paddler position
• forward stroke review – entry, recovery, torso pivot
• reverse & stopping strokes
• draws - basic and sculling - pivots using draws
• prys - pivots using prys
• j-stroke and river-j
• timing / co-ordination - working on combinations of strokes
• canoe over canoe rescue

We teach intermediate canoeing as well - please contact us for details

Register Now!

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Enjoying the Georgian Bay scenery on a Daytrip Adventure with White Squall Photo Credit: Jennifer Clarke

Island Adventure *** $135 - 8:45 am – 5 pm

Paddle through the spectacular islands of the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve in Ontario, Canada. Imagine a yummy shore lunch and paddling in the clear sparkling waters amongst smooth granite islands. We start our day at 8:45 at our Paddling Centre for coffee, tea, introductions. We then review expectations and make sure all paddlers have the appropriate clothing & gear. Kayaking is a wet sport, so come prepared to have fun and get wet. You will be paddling on the Bay for up to 5 hours, with stops every hour or so. You must have “Basic Skills ” or equivalent including capsize practice. Combine this daytrip with a 1/2 day clinic and make a weekend getaway package of it! Register Now!

Island Adventure Info Package

Baysid Inn - Cozy, comfy, nicely furnished rooms overlooking Parry Sound Harbour

Bayside Inn & The Squall  *** $525 (2 days, 2 nights)   A Kayak Weekend Getaway at it's best!  

Enjoy two cozy nights in an awesome little Parry Sound Inn, & two fabulous kayak adventure days on Georgian Bay. We start our weekend with a gathering at the Inn at 8 pm Friday evening. Here you'll meet your guides and fellow weekend paddlers. The next morning, after a good nights sleep and hearty paddlers breakfast, we're off for a day of kayak touring on Georgian Bay returning to cozy rooms and perhaps a soak in a hot bath a the end of the day. Possible daytrip destinations include the tour of the Big Sound (including a stop at Hole in the Wall - Huckleberry I.), and a tour of the outer islands west of Snug Harbour (Franklin Island area). We may ask participants to carpool to the launch site each day. Weather and the groups ability will determine the location of each day's trip.

The evenings are yours to:

• Enjoy a meal at one of Parry Sound’s many great restaurants (not included in price)
• Stroll along the town’s Georgian Bay shoreline trail
• or take in a local show at the Charles W. Stockey Centre (not included in price)
• All we ask is that you have basic paddling experience and a big smile.
• Package includes: 2 nights accommodation, 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches, 2 guided kayak daytrips with boats and gear.
  (Double occupancy reduces your cost by $100/person)
• This Special Package is offered only twice this season, so contact us soon - Register Now!:
  June 6 eve, 7, 8
  Sept. 26 eve, 27, 28
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Island Adventure Participant Info Package

Kids Kayaking * $47 10 am - 3 pm (You may sign up for more than one session if you wish)

Prerequisite: can swim 50 metres with a PFD
Age: co-ed 8 to 12 years

What should i bring?

• one smiling, very happy face
• willingness to learn and have fun
• bathing suit, towel, sunshirt, windbreaker, raincoat, sunscreen, sunglasses, shoes that can get wet or sandals/water shoes, warm clothes to change into
• picnic lunch - this is really important or you'll starve!

So what am i going to do anyway?
Our goal is to introduce you to the world of kayaks in a fun way. Each of you will come to kids kayaking with a different background of experience with boats. Some of you will be trying kayaks for the first time, while others will already be quite familiar with strokes, braces and rescues. That's just fine, because we will teach, coach and encourage you at your own level and speed.

Sometimes we'll be playing games, other times we'll be doing group teaching, and we'll also work with each of you to learn a particular skill. Each week is different and full of surprises. You can come back to kids kayaking as many times as you wish because we'll challenge you to try new tricks.

The following are some of the things that we'll cover:

• choosing the right boat, paddle, PFD for your size
• personal and group safety
• how to get in without falling in!
• how to get out without falling out!
• how to go forward fast
• how to turn in a terrific way and then go sideways!
• how to lean out and tilt the boat...and then come back up
• maybe even how to roll!! (this is for the keeners)
• how to get back in the boat in shallow and deep water
• how to get your friends back in their boats
• how to know when it's safe to paddle
• how to camp with kayaks
• how to care and feed the boats and gear (they get hungry you know!)
• how to get the instructors very wet......

Please Note : -) Your parents/guardians may drop you off at 10 am and pick you up at 3 pm - If they want to stay for a while and try out boats, that's fine by us - there's no charge, just check with us first. Thanks (: -)

Register Now!

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Family Kayak Daytrip * $135. Adults - $ 67.50 ( Kids Under 14) 8:45am – 5:00pm

We’ve designed this programme to give your family a safe adventure out in the protected island waters and channels near our Centre.

To do that, we’ll gather first at our Paddling Centre on Cole Lake for introductions and  orientation to the kayaks.  We’ll make sure everyone is in a boat that fits them properly, and in some cases we’ll put the younger ones in with an adult in a tandem.  We’ll cover basic strokes and safety, including asking everyone to do a wet exit – which is really quite fun and simple to do.

Once we get off the water, dried off, snacked and loaded up – we’ll drive to our put in (about 15-20 minutes) and head out to the islands for the rest of the day.  You can bring your own picnic lunch for your family, and we’ll make sure there’s time for some swimming in the crystal clear island waters.  We want the children to have a good time, so the emphasis will be on going at their pace.

Every family is made up of varied ages and abilities, and we do a pretty good job of challenging everyone at their particular level – but if you are wondering about your group, please get in touch and we can guide you on whether it’s a good fit or not.  We’ve lowered the price for everyone on this trip to encourage you to bring the gang.  Hope you can join us!

For general participant day paddling information, click here

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OK What Do I Bring for these paddling courses?

Kayaking is a wet sport, so check the clothing list below and be prepared to have fun and get wet. We suggest you bring your own lunch for day courses or perhaps a light snack for evening courses or you can get fast food 10 minutes away.

Packing List

Other optional stuff: