Option 1: Five Days on trip. Phillip Edward Island, Georgian Bay 

Take a launch and learn trip with us! We believe that the best way to truly improve your skills is by instructing and practicing in the environment and conditions you’ll be using them!

What better way is there to learn your Level 2 Skills than while paddling the beautiful shores of Northern Georgian Bay? Phillip Edward Island is located on the North Shore of Georgian Bay, just south of Killarney Provincial Park. For anyone who has paddled here it’s an experience they never forget. The coastline is littered with small islands and with the Cloche Mountain Range in the background it makes the photo opportunities frequent and the paddling exciting.

We depart southward down the Chikanishing River and out onto the North shore of Georgian Bay. This short section of river winds and flows out onto Georgian Bay a little northeast of the town of Killarney. A great thing about Phillip Edward Island is the ability to paddle in close to the island for navigational practice or to head out and around the outer islands for practice in bigger conditions.

Camping opportunities are frequent on the Outer Islands which is usually where we decide to camp due to the lake breeze keeping any bugs away! You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the lack of bugs we generally have out on the bay.

This is a Level 2 course so participants will be taking it in turns to lead the group under the supervision of your Instructors. You’ll also, as part of your required skills, be taking a turn in the camp kitchen under the supervision of, and with instruction from head camp chef Roberts, (also known as James, your instructor.) Through the duration of this 5 day trip we will have plenty of time to teach and practice paddling skills, improve our outdoor camping and culinary skills, navigate through this incredible maze of islands and channels, swim in the freshwater and enjoy the rugged wilderness. Kicking back at the end of an exciting adventure filled day and watching the glorious sunset is, as they say, priceless.

Prerequisites for this trip are a Paddle Canada Level 1 skills or equivalent. This is a Level 2 Skills trip. We will be teaching all the Paddle Canada Level 2 content and the end of the trip we will award you your Paddle Canada Level 2 Certification upon successful completion of the skills. For more information on the skills to be covered please see our Paddle Canada Level 2 Skills Assessment Sheet below.

While we will be covering the basic roll, participants really should come along with some previous knowledge, practice or at least previous attempts at rolling. Try to get some instruction in beforehand. Paddle Canada requires that a roll be demonstrated although if other rescue skills and in particular self-rescue skills are very strong then a pass may still be awarded.

Dates:

August 2nd-6th 2010 Sorry this course is FULL!

Call us with interest of us adding a new date or to be put on our waiting list.

Max: 8 Participants to 2 Instructors.

Cost: $750+tax

Includes: All Meals, Instruction, Certification fees

For Directions to the put-in click HERE!

Option 2: Lake Ontario weekend, followed by three day weekend on Georgian Bay

This level two is for all of you who work too hard and can’t get five days off to explore beautiful Georgian Bay, as we do on our Killarney Level Two! So we’ve compromised! You’ll still have to take one day off work, but at least you’ll get out of the city and onto the Bay to discover the beauty of kayak tripping! Which is exactly what the Paddle Canada Level Two course is all about!

We’re running it over two weekends. The first weekend, July 3-4, we stay local. We meet at Burlington Beach for our on water skills and at the learntokayak headquarters in Burlington, our big kitchen table, for all of our theory tutorials. We’ll cover all the navigation, weather, food preparation, menu planning and packing, wilderness first aid, group awareness theory and so on. We’ll also spend our time out on Burlington Beach practicing the Level Two on water skills. We’ll plan and prepare our trip for the following weekend out of Byng Inlet.

The following Friday morning, July 9, we’ll meet at Byng Inlet and head out for our trip. We’ll spend three days exploring the islands from the Cunninghams all the way up to Dead Island maybe even the Bustards depending on weather conditions. Here we will take all the weather and navigation theory we studied around the kitchen table and apply it to on water conditions. We’ll return later in the day on Sunday.

Bring a lunch for the days we’re in Burlington. On trip, we will provide the food but you will have the opportunity to discover the secrets of camp cooking by helping in the preparation of our meals. Our goal in this course is to provide the knowledge and practice you need to be able to feel comfortable tripping on your own under what can sometimes be challenging conditions.

July 3rd,4th and July 9th, 10th and 11th

Only 2 spots remain on this course.

$650 + tax
Contact us with more questions of to book. 905-399-1216

Level 2 Assessment Sheet
All items must be completed for certification.
Skills (performed with a loaded boat in the context of an overnight trip)
1.) Bow rescue both as a victim and the rescuer using bow, stern, side or paddle
presentation.
2.) Unassisted re-entry performed by any means in less than two minute.
3.) All-in rescue performed in deep water with two or more paddlers.
4.) Rolling (with set-up) on one side in calm water.
5.) Towing with towline—application and safety.
6.) Towing without a towline (contact tow)—application and safety.
7.) Launching and landing in small waves.
8.) Forward paddling: With efficiency and proper torso rotation. Able to sustain forward
stroke during a journey of 10 kilometres in two hours.
9.) Efficient turning strokes using good edge control (deck/hull seam in the water).
10.) Efficient turning strokes while underway with little loss of forward momentum.
11.) Efficient draw strokes with proper torso rotation (on the spot and underway).
12.) Effective low brace with explosive hip flick and proper head movement.
13.) Effective high brace where the primary means of recovery is good form.
14.) Effective stern rudder in appropriate conditions.
15.) Able to link strokes and manoeuvre the kayak with confidence.

Equipment Knowledge
1.) Advantages and disadvantages of rudders, skegs and deck lines.
2.) Understanding of kayak efficiency and manoeuvrability in design features.
3.) Advantages and disadvantages of foot, deck, handheld and electric pumps.
4.) Features of rescue and safety equipment for sea kayak tripping.
5.) Paddle design and nomenclature.

Preparation
1.) File and submit a written float plan.
2.) Estimated time, distance and time of arrival for destination.
3.) List possible hazards (in conjunction with potential sea conditions).
4.) List possible emergency access points.
5.) Record weather and long-term forecast (three times) before trip and assess potential
effects on paddling conditions and possible dangers.

Navigation and Route Selection
1.) Determine estimated time, distance and speed.
2.) Use a chart or map to determine magnetic compass bearings for legs of a journey.
3.) Identify potential ranges on a chart or map.
4.) Identify hazards on the chart or map (in conjunction with weather-related sea conditions)
and plan a safe passage around them.
5.) Identify potential campsites on a chart or map.

Charts Exercise and Tides
1.) Identify charted features using Chart 1.
2.) Differentiate between aids to navigation and navigational aids (with examples).
3.) Able to determine tide height using the Rule of Twelfths and apply.
4.) Able to determine current speed using the Rule of Sixths and apply.
5.) Plot a route in tidal waters on a chart.

Group Awareness and Communication
1.) Maintains position within the group and works to keep peers within safe range.
2.) Able to use verbal and visual signals to maintain group control.
3.) Able to differentiate between types of aerial and handheld flares.
4.) Familiar with the use of a VHF radio.
5.) Conducts a simulated mayday call on the marine radio.

Navigation en Route
1.) Fix a position using ranges (natural lines of position).
2.) Fix a position using magnetic ranges.
3.) Able to apply dead reckoning techniques to estimate position and time of arrival.

Safety
1.) Familiar with the prevention and treatment of hypothermia.
2.) Safe and responsible behaviour on the water and in camp.

Camping Skills
1.) Create a gear list of minimum gear for an overnight trip.
2.) Describe the features of a good campsite (in a freshwater and marine environment).
3.) Prepare a safe and comfortable campsite with minimal impact on the natural environment.