Advanced Coastal Canoeing Skills

The successful participant can effectively control the canoe in moderate environmental conditions including wind, waves, current and moderate surf. The course expands upon concepts in the Intermediate Coastal Canoeing Program and incorporates additional topics including current prediction, personal weather forecasting and low visibility (fog) navigation by dead reckoning. The focus of this course is good decision making that reflects the limits of the group’s ability in relation to current or forecasted environmental conditions. A leadership component is included in this program.

General Learning Outcome

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 proficiency 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.

Prerequisites

Skills Certification

Advanced Lake Tandem or comparable skills and experience at the discretion of course instructor.

Intermediate Coastal Canoeing.

Paddling Experience

At least 3, day-long, coastal canoe trips in different locations.

Recommended Other Training

Introduction to Moving Water Tandem is recommended.

Wilderness First Aid (16 hour) is recommended.

VHF Marine Radio Operator’s certificate is recommended.

Minimum Course Length

24 hours (3 days) minimum with two overnights.

Class Ratio

2 instructors:8 participants (2 instructors in 1 canoe: 4 student canoes)

Minimum 2 instructors required (one may be an Advanced Coastal Canoe Instructor candidate under mentorship).

Note: Both instructors must paddle in the same canoe at all times.

Minimum Staff and Certification

One Advanced Coastal Canoeing Instructor.

Course 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.

Environmental Conditions

Moderate wind (0-15 knots), combined sea state less than 1-meter, surf < 0.5 meter. Current up to 3 knots.

Participant Assessment

Activities in this course focus on making good judgments in coastal environments, that is, the ability to relate the ability and desires of the group in relation to the actual or forecasted coastal conditions. Participants will also be assessed on their ability to contribute to the effective management of simple but challenging rescue situations. Successful participants must be able to effectively control the canoe in moderate wind, swell, waves, current and surf such that he or she becomes an asset to the group in such conditions. The participant will successfully navigate using dead reckoning in low visibility and can recognize the signs of an approaching low pressure system. Paddlers should leave the course confident in their ability to paddle moderately exposed coastlines with others of similar ability but have an awareness of their individual limitations.

Skills and Manoeuvres

Paddling Concepts

The participant will demonstrate an expanded knowledge of paddling concepts in the context of a coastal canoe day paddle, including compound strokes, underwater recoveries, dynamic strokes and consistent use of torso rotation.

Paddling Mechanics

The participant will demonstrate control of the canoe when it is affected by environmental conditions including paddling in a head, tail and beam wind (speeds up to 15 knots) and wind waves and swell up to one metre.

Balance and edging

The participant will tilt the canoe to assist turning maneuvers while entering and exiting eddies.

Strokes

The participant will perform Advanced Lake strokes including Cross Bow Draws, Bow Pry, Canadian, Reverse J and Compound reverse strokes while paddling in Advanced Coastal Canoeing conditions (for example, not calm water). The participant will demonstrate committed bracing in “real world” coastal conditions such as current or surf.

Maneuvers

All Advanced Lake Tandem manoeuvres will be demonstrated while paddling in advanced coastal conditions in both the bow and stern positions and with the assistance of a partner. Manoeuvres including forward straight-line paddling (maintaining pace with the group), tight pivot turns, side slipping, improved stopping skills, figure 8s, left and right turns for docking and reverse straight-line will be reviewed but the focus in the Coastal Canoe Program is on application of Advanced Tandem Lake skills. Manoeuvres will be demonstrated in “real life” situations along a coastline, for example, reverse straight line out of a rock garden.

Knowledge

Personal Equipment for Overnight Coastal Paddling on Exposed Coastlines

The participants will show up for the coastal paddle portion of the course with appropriate personal gear appropriate for an overnight coastal canoe trip. This would include, where appropriate, cold water immersion gear such as a wet suit/dry suit and proper waterproofing of personal gear, protected incase of capsize or inclement weather. This also includes communication and signaling devices appropriate for the area.

The participant will also present themselves with an appropriately outfitted boat for the trip portion of the course. Items such as additional floatation and spray decks are appropriate in advanced coastal conditions.

Navigating

The participants will identify 3 out of 4 less than obvious landmarks using a nautical chart.

The participant will successfully plot and complete a dead reckoning course in low visibility conditions (fog or night). The target is to be distinctive and within one nautical mile. The participant will state the advantages and limitations of navigation with GPS.

Choosing a Safe Environment

The candidate must demonstrate good decision making, as part of a group, during the trip portion of the course (for example, recognizing the limits of the group in relation to the expected conditions, avoiding areas of significant exposure, contributing information about risks).

The candidate will identify, on a nautical chart, probable locations in their trip location of such effects as funneling, channeling, cornering, clapotis, cross seas, tide against swell, boomers and surf beaches based on different wind directions.

Trip Planning

The participant will actively participate, as a member of a group, in planning and packing for an overnight coastal canoe trip. The candidate will use resources (for example, books, internet, other paddlers familiar with the area) to identify potential hazards along an exposed coastline with frequent landing areas. The participant will participate in the filing of a float plan (for example, emergency contacts, destination, anticipated time of return, group participants and description of equipment).

Leadership

The participant will typically provide situation-appropriate leadership to the group during the trip that demonstrates the need to switch between leadership styles given the risk level being experienced and the skill of the participants.

Assist in the effective and efficient management of simple but challenging scenarios in advanced coastal conditions including multiple capsizes, multiple tows, injuries, or boat adrift.

Demonstrate good “expedition behaviour” such as frequently assisting with camp chores, cooking, cleaning, setting up tarps, looking after camp, other participants and group equipment.

While journeying in advanced coastal canoeing conditions, work to ensure the group is close enough to allow for visual and clear audio contact.

Review of Intermediate Items

• Course Limitations
• Resources
• Leave No Trace