Level 3 Tandem
Moving Water

Course Overview

In addition to polishing up paddle strokes, carving turns, and communication with your partner, we’ll also take the time to study currents and features more carefully so that we’re really working with the river.  We’ll be running more complex rapids, but also exploring the many different ways to run them, so that even an easy rapid can become an advanced challenge.  We’ll also work on more dynamic rescue skills and setting safety for the other paddlers in your group.  Small class sizes and a high instructor to student ratio allows each paddler to really hone in on the precision of their technique and solidify skills. Getting video feedback in the evenings is an added bonus to this course.

These 2-day whitewater canoeing courses held in southern BC are an exciting way to increase your confidence in grade 3 whitewater or if you intend to lead others on extended river canoeing trips.

• Strokes: blending strokes, bracing, timing, modifying stroke cadence and pitch.
• Manoeuvers (in class 2 and 3): jet ferry, surfing (front, side, back), arcing turns, front ferry, back ferry, eddy turns (C-turns, S-turns), executing a chosen line through a rapid, paddling a swamped canoe.
• Safety skills: setting safety for a rapid, self and companion rescue in class 2-3, assessing risk.
• Theory: leadership considerations, assessing a new paddling group, ‘reading the river’, communication, building literacy with the international river classification system.

By the end of this course you will:

• know how to turn a canoe without making paddle strokes – or Jedi mind control!
• be able to navigate class 2 water confidently with your paddle partner
• be able to scout a river section and recognize when your group ought to portage (vs. run) a rapid.
• know how to spot river features and how to use them to your advantage.
• understand how rivers shape the landscape.