Aim
This Coastal Canoeing course provides the skills and theory necessary for safe coastal canoeing in moderately exposed locations. The program develops the participant’s ability to make good judgments about conditions and routes in coastal environments. Strokes and maneuvers are to be performed at a higher degree of proficiently than in the intermediate program and in conditions with greater exposure to wind, waves, swell, current and surf. The skills and knowledge gained at this level enable the successful participant to travel with others of similar ability along moderately exposed coastlines for periods longer than a day. Rescue techniques at this level revisit assisted rescues taught in the Advanced Lake Tandem course but the true focus is on the effective management of challenging rescue situations in a coastal environment.

Upon Successful Completion
The Coastal Canoeing Skills Advanced is certified to:

Teach the following courses:
Not Applicable

Assist and/or Apprentice (Mentorship) on the following courses:
Not Applicable

Prerequisites
Lake Canoe Skills Advanced Tandem
Coastal Canoe Skills Intermediate
At least 3, day-long, coastal canoe trips in different locations
Whitwater Canoe Skills Introduction Tandem is highly recommended
Wilderness First Aid (16 hour) is strongly recommended
VHF Marine Radio Operator’s certificate is recommended

Course Length
Minimum 3 days with two overnights

Class Ratio
2 Instructor : 8 Participants

Location
Moderately exposed coastline with frequent landing opportunities, limited open crossings (in good conditions) not exceeding 2.5 Nautical Miles between landings.
An example would be an island archipelago with both exposed and sheltered areas.

Conditions
Moderate wind (0-15 knots)
Combined sea state less than 1-meter
Surf < 0.5 meter.
Current up to 3 knots.

Note:
This program is a recreational coastal canoeing program and therefore reflects typical locations for recreational paddling on the ocean in a canoe. It does not deal with the rounding of significant headlands or paddling long stretches of exposed coastline with no landing opportunities. The program does not consider those locations as 'typical' recreational coastal canoeing locations.

Program Overview
Safety & Rescue

Theory:

• Review Advanced Lake Tandem
• Review intermediate Coastal Canoeing
• Water/Wind/Waves/Weather (How to use marine and land forecasts in partnership with personal weather observations and local topography to plan safe paddling)
• Dead reckoning navigation (following courses in low visibility)
• Tides & Currents (determining times of high and low water, ebb and flood tides, times of maximum current and slack tide)
• Boat outfitting for safe and efficient paddling in moderately exposed coastlines
• Communication and signaling (arm, hand and paddle signals, communication devices, etc.)

Practical:

• Management of multiple incidents or single incidents that escalate in severity
• Facilitation of group decision making
• Flexible leadership styles depending on situation and skill level of group

Paddling Skills
General:

• Compound strokes along shorelines
• Compensating for environmental effects on the canoe including surf, current, wind waves and swell

Strokes:

• Review strokes with an emphasis on combinations and blending of strokes to assist maneuvering in dynamic environments.

Maneuvers:

• Close maneuvering around rocks (rock hopping)
• Entering and exiting eddies
• Forward ferries
• Bracing in conditions where required
• Maintaining control of the canoe in a head, tail and beam winds reaching speeds of 15 knots

Knowledge

• Review Intermediate Coastal Canoeing
• Navigating by dead reckoning in low visibility conditions (fog or night)
• Predicting weather systems through personal observation and recording of conditions
• Expanded understanding of land-wind interactions and sea state
• Determining times, direction and speeds of tidal currents
• Trip Planning
• Leadership

Recap:

• Course Limitations
• Leave No Trace (in relationship to overnight coastal paddling)
• Overnight Coastal Canoe Tour of minimum 2 overnights