There will be a great opportunity for you or a friend to learn canoeing “from the ground up” on the weekend of September 30/October 1. A sequence of two different American Canoe Association-sanctioned courses will offer instruction in the basics of canoeing safety and paddling technique.
The Flatwater Canoe Safety and Rescue workshop introduces flat water safety practices and rescue techniques that can be performed with a minimum of equipment, in the first few minutes of an emergency. It includes trip planning, potential dangers in the paddling environment, proper equipment, accident prevention, self-rescue skills, group rescue organization and techniques, management of minor in-water incidents, and supervised in-water practice of wet exits.
The Level 2: Essentials of Canoe Touring course is designed to teach beginner paddlers to safely and enjoyably canoe on quiet water. It includes personal preparation, selection and care of equipment, effective techniques for launching, boarding, and transporting canoes, physical principles of how the canoe, paddle, and paddler’s motions interact, and how to do basic canoe strokes to cause the boat to move forward, backward, to the side, spin, turn, or stop. Both solo and tandem paddling are covered.
For more information, contact Susan Eda at susaneda@mac.com or visit the website for the Spring Woods Canoe Group at http://swcgpaddlers.wikifoundry.com.