Overview Courses 2025
The courses are based on Paddle Canada's National Sea Kayak Program and includes three of the five nationally recognized certifications:
- Sea Kayak Level-1 Skills, 2 day course, Nanaimo, May 10+11.
- Sea Kayak Level-2 Skills, 4 day course, Nanaimo, May 16 - 20.
- Sea Kayak Level-1 Skills, 2 day course, Lund, May 31+June 1.
- Sea Kayak Level-1 Skills, 2 day course, Nanaimo, June 7+8.
- Sea Kayak Basic Skills, 1 day course, Nanaimo, June 14.
- Kayak Clinic, 5 day course, Lund, Desolation Sound, focused on skills and overnight camping, June 29 - July 3.
Paddle Canada's Basic Kayak Skills Course
We offer this 1-day course (8 hr) in Nanaimo. The course is setup according to Paddle Canada’s standards and guidelines and once successfully completed you may receive a certificate. The group size will be limited to a maximum of 12 people and a Paddle Canada Instructor will be present during both days. The course is offered for $219 not including GST. We provide a kayak and equipment without additional costs or you can bring your own sea kayak including paddle and equipment.
This is the primary starting point of the Paddle Canada Sea Kayak skills progression. With a focus on foundation skills and knowledge, Basic Kayak Skills inspires students to go out on short paddling excursions in class-0 or calm and sheltered waters.
Skills and knowledge instructed are: Re-entry skills; wet exit, assisted re-entry. Paddling skills: launching and landing, emptying a kayak, forward and reverse strokes, stopping, sweep stroke, draw stroke, low brace, stern rudder, edge control. Knowledge: equipment and equipment care, paddling and safety equipment, navigation, risk assessment and mitigation, impact of kayakers on the environment.
This is the primary starting point of the Paddle Canada Sea Kayak skills progression. With a focus on foundation skills and knowledge, Basic Kayak Skills inspires students to go out on short paddling excursions in class-0 or calm and sheltered waters.
Skills and knowledge instructed are: Re-entry skills; wet exit, assisted re-entry. Paddling skills: launching and landing, emptying a kayak, forward and reverse strokes, stopping, sweep stroke, draw stroke, low brace, stern rudder, edge control. Knowledge: equipment and equipment care, paddling and safety equipment, navigation, risk assessment and mitigation, impact of kayakers on the environment.
Paddle Canada's Sea Kayak Level-1 Skills Course
We offer this 2-day course (16 hr) in Nanaimo and Lund. The course is setup according to Paddle Canada’s standards and guidelines and once successfully completed you may receive a certificate. The group size will be limited to a maximum of 12 people and a Paddle Canada Instructor will be present during both days. The course is offered for $359 not including GST. We provide a kayak and equipment without additional costs or you can bring your own sea kayak including paddle and equipment.
This comprehensive course is aiming to develop the paddler’s comfort. There is a strong focus on re-entry techniques as well as the skills required to safely plan and execute a day trip with friends (for example, navigation & route planning, weather interpretation, proper clothing/gear.). Upon successful completion of the course, the paddler will be able to confidently paddle in class-1 conditions in the company of one or more paddlers with similar skills or knowledge. The paddler should be self-reliant yet an asset to the group and an active participant, willing and able to assist others if they need assistance.
Skills and knowledge instructed are: Re-entry skills; unassisted re-entry, assisted re-entry, towing. Paddling skills: launching and landing, forward and reverse strokes, stopping, sweep stroke, draw stroke, low brace, stern rudder, edge control. Knowledge: equipment and equipment care, communication, route planning and basic navigation techniques, half day kayak journey, weather, sea state, risk assessment and mitigation, cold issues and sun safety, impact of kayakers on the environment, history and heritage, vehicle boat tie down, kayaking community and resources.
This comprehensive course is aiming to develop the paddler’s comfort. There is a strong focus on re-entry techniques as well as the skills required to safely plan and execute a day trip with friends (for example, navigation & route planning, weather interpretation, proper clothing/gear.). Upon successful completion of the course, the paddler will be able to confidently paddle in class-1 conditions in the company of one or more paddlers with similar skills or knowledge. The paddler should be self-reliant yet an asset to the group and an active participant, willing and able to assist others if they need assistance.
Skills and knowledge instructed are: Re-entry skills; unassisted re-entry, assisted re-entry, towing. Paddling skills: launching and landing, forward and reverse strokes, stopping, sweep stroke, draw stroke, low brace, stern rudder, edge control. Knowledge: equipment and equipment care, communication, route planning and basic navigation techniques, half day kayak journey, weather, sea state, risk assessment and mitigation, cold issues and sun safety, impact of kayakers on the environment, history and heritage, vehicle boat tie down, kayaking community and resources.
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Paddle Canada's Sea Kayak Level-2 Skills Course
We offer this 4-day course (32 hr) in Nanaimo. The course is setup according to Paddle Canada’s standards and guidelines and once successfully completed you may receive a certificate. The group size will be limited to a maximum of 8 people and a Paddle Canada Instructor will be present during both days. The course is offered for $799 not including GST. We provide a kayak and equipment without additional costs or you can bring your own sea kayak including paddle and equipment.
This course builds on skills learned in the Level-1 course and focuses on kayaking in moderately exposed coastline including short crossings and planning and execution of kayak trips. There is a strong focus on un-assisted and assisted re-entry techniques as well as the skills required to safely plan and execute a multi-day tour with friends. Wilderness navigation techniques and chart/map work, weather interpretation and forecasting, tides and currents and decision-making are some of the many topics covered in this course. The successful completion of this course provides you with the intermediate skills you need to go sea kayaking in class-2 conditions along semi-exposed shoreline with short crossings and short delays in access to land-based assistance with a possible overnight emergency shelter.
Skills and knowledge instructed are: Re-entry skills; unassisted and assisted re-entry techniques including all-in re-entry and bow rescue, introduction to rolling, towing. Paddling skills: launching and landing, forward and reverse strokes, turning strokes, stopping, sweep strokes, draw strokes, high and low brace, stern draw and pry, paddling in rough water. Knowledge: equipment and equipment care, tides and currents, wilderness navigation techniques and chart/map work, other weather prediction and basic forecasting, heat/cold issues, emergency overnight, leadership and decision making, risk assessment, incident management and evacuation options.
This course builds on skills learned in the Level-1 course and focuses on kayaking in moderately exposed coastline including short crossings and planning and execution of kayak trips. There is a strong focus on un-assisted and assisted re-entry techniques as well as the skills required to safely plan and execute a multi-day tour with friends. Wilderness navigation techniques and chart/map work, weather interpretation and forecasting, tides and currents and decision-making are some of the many topics covered in this course. The successful completion of this course provides you with the intermediate skills you need to go sea kayaking in class-2 conditions along semi-exposed shoreline with short crossings and short delays in access to land-based assistance with a possible overnight emergency shelter.
Skills and knowledge instructed are: Re-entry skills; unassisted and assisted re-entry techniques including all-in re-entry and bow rescue, introduction to rolling, towing. Paddling skills: launching and landing, forward and reverse strokes, turning strokes, stopping, sweep strokes, draw strokes, high and low brace, stern draw and pry, paddling in rough water. Knowledge: equipment and equipment care, tides and currents, wilderness navigation techniques and chart/map work, other weather prediction and basic forecasting, heat/cold issues, emergency overnight, leadership and decision making, risk assessment, incident management and evacuation options.
