COURSE OUTLINE
| Day 1 | AM | Trip Planning, Depart on journey |
| PM | Reading the sea/land boundary; rock hopping. Navigation | |
| Evening |
Debrief. Night paddle | |
| Campsite: Coastal Islands | ||
| Day 2 | AM/PM | Navigation (cont’d), route selection, difficult launch/landings |
| Assisted rescues & self rescues (including Eskimo roll), in deep water, with loaded boats. Return to base | ||
| Evening | Debrief. Discussion: Weather | |
| Campsite: Tangier | ||
| Day 3 | AM | Surf Practice (Lawrencetown/Clam Harbour Beach) |
| Evening | Return to base - down time | |
| Campsite: Tangier | ||
| Day 4 | AM/PM | Tides current practice, (Shubenacadie River) |
| Evening | Discussion: Group leadership and decision making | |
| Campsite: Cape d’Or | ||
| Day 5 | AM/PM | Tidal current practice, rocky shore (Cape d’Or, Bay of Fundy) |
| Evening | Discussion: Navigation exercise in tidal waters | |
| Campsite: Cape d’Or | ||
| Day 6 | AM | Tidal current practice (Cape d’Or, Bay of Fundy) |
| PM | Written test and debriefing; return to Tangier |
The goal of this course is to help participants develop the technical
and judgement skills necessary for paddling in the advanced conditions that
we can encounter in Atlantic Canada’s coastal waters. The importance of
safety will be emphasised throughout the course. This will be a demanding five
days and participants are expected to arrive in good shape and with the appropriate
basic skills. We will be beginning early in the morning and continuing well
into the evening. BCU and CRCA certification will be available to those
who have attained the applicable levels.
Note: Our coastal waters can be chilly and we will be in it a lot. Cold water
gear is mandatory (a dry suit is highly recommended, especially during the May
course) . Campsites will vary, and transportation to and from the various venues
(e.g. Shubenacadie River, Cape d’Or) will be the responsibility of the
participants (although we will be car pooling). Weather and water conditions
have a major influence on sea paddling and we reserve the right to alter the
schedule as needed.