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Sea Kayaking Level 1 Skills (Paddle Canada)

Overview

This comprehensive, enjoyable, two-day course teaches you everything you need to know to confidently embark on day-long sea kayaking trips in sheltered waters. During this course, you’ll further develop your kayaking strokes and rescue skills, and you’ll add important new skills to your repertoire, including turning on edge, towing, and self-rescue technique. You will also learn to interpret marine weather forecasts, plan routes using marine charts, and read tide tables. Upon completion of this course, you’ll be well on your way to safely enjoying the lifelong sport of sea kayaking. This course teaches you the necessary components for Paddle Canada Sea Kayaking Level 1 Skills Certification. Register early, because this is a popular course that fills up quickly.

Equipment List

Please read the equipment list below carefully, as it indicates what Ocean River Sport will provide you on this overnight program in moderate sea conditions. A link to the comprehensive equipment list follows; please refer to it for a list of all items we recommend to ensure a safe and comfortable experience. Ocean River Sports stocks many of the items listed. If you need advice or would like to purchase gear, please check out our online store and read our Kayaking Gear List entry in the Compass Blog.

For this program, Ocean River Sports provides:
Immersion Clothing – Wetsuit; Paddling jacket.
*If you like, you may wish to provide your own wetsuit and paddling jacket or drysuit. If you are providing your own, please ensure that it is comfortable for paddling for extended periods and will keep you warm during immersion.

Safety Gear – First aid equipment; VHF Marine Radio

Navigation Equipment: Shared charts of the paddling areas.; Chart 1: Symbols, Abbreviations and Terms; Tide and Current Tables Volume 5: Juan de Fuca Strait & Strait of Georgia: Orienteering compass

Please refer to the full equipment list for personal gear required on this course

 

Testimonials
To read all of our reviews, click on the Trip Advisor logo below! TA_550x370

Gary is an excellent instructor! He was very patient and made everything easy to learn.
We had a great time! Thanks Gary, we’ll be back.

I just completed the Level one sea Kayaking course with Gary Allen and it was a wonderful experience! Gary was patient, encouraging and positive…a wonderful teacher and as I too am a teacher, I appreciated his manner, his knowledge and his manner of sharing this knowledge with us.

We learned a ton and at times my head was “full” but it was exciting and I would certainly take more courses with ORS. Thanks for the great weekend and thanks again Gary. Looking forward to learning more with you.
– Sandi Berry

The Level 1 Kayak Guide course, run by Janete and Gary, was perhaps the most well-run course that I have had the priviledge of attending. The quality of instruction, easy fun atmosphere and superb learning environment contributed to a great experience. Janette and Gary proved themselves to be kayaking and life mentors.
– Steven Tanaka

About Ocean River

Located in Victoria, British Columbia on beautiful Vancouver Island, Ocean River is one of the premier speciality kayak and adventure companies in North America. Brian Henry, the founder & current owner, has been running Ocean River since 1981, and Ocean River continues to be recognised as one of the most significant outdoor/paddlesports instructional & tours provider in North America.

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