Safety Blog

Every season, thousands of adventurous paddlers explore Ontario’s magnificent lakes and rivers with kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards. As a seasoned canoe guide and instructor, I have seen far too many miss out on the fun and the beautiful scenery because they are busy trying to keep their vessel on course. It is probably fair to say that anyone who has paddled a canoe into a strong wind knows this frustration.

Photo by Megan Wibberley

Ontario is the land of lakes. Lakes and rivers abound in urban areas, cottage country, and in the remote wilderness. Being on the water is a way of life for many in Ontario. Conditions can change from year to year and from hour to hour, as wind and weather change quickly.

More and more Ontario paddlers are realising that learning effective on-water skills and pre-trip practices make their adventures more enjoyable and safer. Paddle Canada instructors offer dozens of skills courses across Ontario, designed to build your confidence as a paddler. Besides paddle strokes, courses teach important practices such as giving a float plan to a friend. A float plan provides information that is important for search and rescue operations (such as medical conditions and contingency routes ).

Important safety skills and knowledge that you can learn from a Paddle Canada course include:
•    self-rescue
•    brace stroke
•    wind and waves paddling
•    river scouting (whitewater/rapids)
•    kayak and canoe rolling
•    safety line use

Photo by Wayne Feindel