For twenty days in March and April, I will be participating in an Advanced Sea Kayaking Seminar for
instructors sponsored by the National Outdoor Leadership School. We travel the outer coast of Northwest
Vancouver Island. This contrasting environment of the temperate rain forest and ever changing sea will
present challenging paddling conditions. We’ll spend a time passing through both the soup and surf
zones as we launch and land on beaches along the way. As our expedition progresses, we will work on the
following skills:
1. Seamanship – analyzing wind, waves, and weather conditions, along
with the group, its skills, and its gear.
2. Paddling skills – being able to stay upright and in control if out
in deteriorating conditions.
3. Rescue skills – ways to handle capsize situations with both loaded
and unloaded boats.
4. Natural History skills – there aren't many places in the world where
the mountains, the rain forest, and the sea all come together.
5. Supervision of students – ways to handle a group of students in
varieties of paddling conditions.
I’m hoping the seminar will push my technical paddling skills, inspire my teaching, and get me ready to
circumnavigate the island of Newfoundland one day.
