2010 Intermediate & Advanced Courses

Fine tune your skills and strengthen your confidence!

• Maneuvering & Agility
• Tidal Currents
• Rolling
• NEW! Greenland Style Rolling & Bracing
• Improve Your Forward Stroke
• Gray Zone
• Surf & Surge

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Maneuvering & Agility

(6 hours) Make your kayak dance!

While a level, flat kayak is stable in calm conditions, you’ll need new paddling techniques to paddle safely and with confidence in currents or rough waters. In this course, you’ll learn to control your kayak in difficult conditions by employing some neat tricks – like edging your kayak, spinning on a dime and moving sideways while under motion. When all is said and done, you’ll have the skills and theory necessary for proficient sea kayaking in more challenging conditions – and you’ll look good doing it!

Before taking this course, we recommend that you have basic kayaking strokes and rescue skills.

2010 Dates: Mar 28, Apr 18, May 30, Jun 12, Jul 10, Aug 22

Time: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm

Cost: $120        Kayak & Paddling Gear Rental: $30

Ages: 16 and up

Maneuvering & Agility Itinerary
Printable Waiver Form

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Tidal Currents

(6 hours) Ferry glides and upstream rides!

Tidal currents occur in many locations and present a unique environment for kayakers. For paddlers with the right strokes, tidal currents provide an interesting fun location to "play." At the same time, "playing" in tidal currents greatly improves your paddling skills and provides you with improved confidence the next time you encounter moving water on your kayaking trips. In this course, you'll learn how to use ferry glides to effortlessly cross current without "losing ground," and you'll practice catching upstream rides by "surfing" current-formed waves - certainly one of the most enjoyable feelings a kayaker will experience! Before taking this course, we recommend that you have basic rescue skills and kayaking strokes.

2010 Dates:  May 15, Jun 13, Jul 11

Location: Oak Bay Marina, 1327 Beach Drive (15 minutes east of downtown Victoria, BC)

Cost: $120       Kayak & Paddling Gear Rental: $30

Ages: 16 and up

Tidal Currents Itinerary
Printable Waiver Form

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Improve Your Forward Stroke

(4 hours) Make every stroke count!

We use the forward stroke more than any other stroke. That’s why it is important to learn how to get the most from each stroke. A finely-tuned forward stroke will enable you to paddle further, faster and with less effort, making your paddling more enjoyable. The forward stroke is actually one of the more difficult strokes to master because its mechanics are not intuitive; rather, good technique requires expert guidance. This course is helpful for those fine they are having a difficulty keeping up with their paddling companion(s). It is also useful for preventing or reducing overuse injury caused by improper technique. you'll learn aspects of paddle design to help you understand how to make the most of your equipment. Videos analysis will be used to give individualized feedback. This is also a popular course for Adventure Racers looking for a competitive edge.

Before taking this course, we recommend that you have basic kayaking strokes or equivalent skills and experience. Specifically, you should be able to paddle forward in a straight line, control the direction of your kayak without the aid of a rudder, and perform a low brace. If you are uncertain about your level of experience, please give us a call.

2010 Dates: Jun 6, Jul 18

Location: Ocean River Sports

Time: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Cost: $80    Kayak & Paddling Gear Rental: $15

Ages: 16 and up

Improve Your Forward Stroke
Printable Waiver Form

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Rolling

(3 hours) Sit, roll over - roll up!

Who says you can’t teach an old kayaker new tricks? This course will teach you the ultimate self-rescue technique, as well as give you renewed confidence in your braces and less concern for unanticipated capsizes. Rolling a kayak is like learning a new dance step: you need to do the right movement at the right time, then practice until it becomes fluid. Our instructors will teach you the building blocks to a successful roll and lead you through incremental steps.You will learn how to "spot" your practice partner, enabling you to continue practicing your technique on your own. As different people take different lengths of time to learn to roll, this course can be repeated if you would like further practice in a class setting.

Before taking this course, we recommend that you have basic kayaking and rescue skills.

2010 Dates: Feb 13, Mar 13, Apr 24, May 29, Oct 2, Oct 23, Nov 20

Time: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Location: Crystal Pool, 2275 Quadra Street (south of Bay Street)

Cost: $80    Kayak Rental: $15

Ages: 16 and up

Rolling Itinerary
Printable Waiver Form

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Greenland Style Rolling & Bracing

(3 hrs) The tradition continues!

Whether youʼre curious about this alternative paddling technique or are already paddling with a Greenland-style paddle, this course will interest you! In the comfort of a heated pool, you will learn how to use the Greenland-style paddle for support strokes and Greenland-style rolling techniques. You will learn how to perform a static brace, how to scull for support, and how to perform different kinds of Greenland-style rolls. The Greenland-style paddle is considered easier to roll with, so if youʼre at a level where you are learning to roll, you may find using this paddle can boost your ability.

Before taking this course, we recommend that you have basic kayaking and rescue skills.

2010 Dates: Jan 23, Mar 27

Times: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Location: Crystal Pool, 2275 Quadra Street, Victoria, BC

Cost: $80    Kayak & Paddling Gear Rental: $15

Ages: 16 and up

Greenland Rolling & Bracing Itinerary
Printable Waiver Form

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Gray Zone

(3 hours) Brace yourself, this is going to be fun!

This practical course is designed to give you confidence and comfort in the gray zone: the area between being right-side up and upside- down. In the warmth of an indoor pool, you will practice techniques to balance your kayak on edge and use the low brace and high brace to prevent possible capsize. As well, you will learn to scull for support and prevent immersion during a partial capsize. Finally you will learn the balance brace, a method to lay on the surface of the water while remaining seated in your kayak. This technique was used by traditional Inuit kayakers for resting while at sea. You will feel empowered after gaining these skills.

2010 Dates: Feb 27, Apr 17, Nov 13, Nov 27

Time: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Location: Crystal Pool, 2275 Quadra Street (south of Bay Street)

Cost: $80    Kayak & Paddling Gear Rental: $15

Ages: 16 and up

Gray Zone Itinerary

Printable Waiver Form

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Surf & Surge

(2 days) Launch yourself on the open coast!

Paddling on the open coast is the dream of sea kayakers, yet paddling in these conditions requires you to confidently and safely launch and land in surf conditions and negotiate rocky areas (“rock gardens”) and surge channels. We’ll teach you how to launch and land safely at a surf beach and how to brace in surf to prevent a capsize. You’ll also learn how to use timing and finesse to make your kayak respond quickly and accurately to changing situations, such as rock gardens and surge channels. You’ll learn to select the most appropriate strokes and blend strokes together into new and practical combinations. A must for anyone planning on paddling the open coast or for anyone interested in improving their overall kayaking skills. Before taking this course, we recommend that you have confident rescue skills and intermediate-level kayaking strokes, such as those learned in "Maneuvering & Agility." Knowing how to roll is an added bonus, but is not required.

2010 Dates: Apr 10-11, Oct 16-17

Location: Port Renfrew, British Columbia

Cost: $285   Kayak & Paddling Gear Rental: $55
Shared Accommodation (2 nights): $85

Ages: 16 and up

Surf & Surge Itinerary
Printable Waiver Form
Printable Medical Form