Out on the open oceanPaddle Canada has established a series of levels of paddling proficiency for certification purposes. Students can take courses and be certified up to level IV.
Level I certification means the paddler has demonstrated an ability to paddle in enclosed, sheltered places where there are plenty of easy landing sites in winds less than 8 knots on a calm to rippled sea. That's pretty basic and I think anyone with any athletic ability at all can jump in at that level.
Level IV certification means the paddler has demonstrated an ability to paddle along an open coast where there are infrequent and difficult landing sites in 20 knot winds, in a moderate to rough 1 metre sea state, a surf height of more than 1 meter and a 3 knot current.
I'm totally uncertified, never having taken a Paddle Canada course. I've learned by watching and doing. That raises a question for me: who certified the first paddler? And, if the first paddler wasn't certified, who trained the next paddlers?
See where I'm going with this?
> And, if the first paddler wasn't certified, who
ReplyDelete> trained the next >paddlers?
QMA problem :-D
cheerio
The Paddle Canada sea kayaking program was originally based on the British Canoe Union (BCU) instructional program. The BCU has existed since the 1930's. What we would recognize as sea kayaking has been taking place in the UK since the late 1800's. As well, the knowledge built up by British paddlers over the years was augmented by several British paddlers who went to Greenland and learned to paddle from the Inuit. One such paddler was Gino Watkins in the early 1930's. Another was Ken Taylor in the late 1950's. Another was Chris Hare in 1966. On his return he inspired other paddlers (including Derek Hutchison) to take sea kayaking to a far more advanced level. For example, in 1970 Geoff Hunter almost completed a circumnavigation of the British Isles in a wooden replica of an East Greenland kayak. We learned from the Brits, who learned from long experience and from the Greenlanders.
ReplyDeleteHi Tony, I don't have any certificates or stars either. I need certificates to work and I sea kayak to get away from all that.
ReplyDelete:o)
Malcolm, you are a storehouse of kayak information! I guess I have to acknowledge that what I see in action and in video clips or read in articles is based on the collective experience of paddlers past. So, Gio, we're not reinventing the wheel, just jumping on the bandwagon.
ReplyDeleteDouglas, as far as work goes, I was in that same boat (pardon the pun)because I had to have that piece of paper.
I just want to conclude that Paddle Canada courses (or any course for that matter) will shorten the learning curve but it sure is fun to discover some of these things for myself.
Tony :-)
If I may put forth a slice of personal experience:
ReplyDeleteI started paddling in July, 2009. Less than three months (Sept) I decided that I should do the Paddle Canada Level I course. It was suggested that I do it and I thought it would be "neat" to have a certification level. After completeing the course, my instructor assessed me at a 1.5 Level and said that if I learned to roll, my skills would grow exponentially. Two months later I was rolling.
In retrospect, I would not have done the course. At this Level it did not teach me anything that I did not already know. I like to research things ad nauseam and kayaking is no different. While reading up on how to do somthing does not equate to hands on, it certainly prepares you for when you actually DO things. Plus there is also a wealth of paddling knowledge in our area and it's never hard to avail of it.
Today there is a plethora of materials available about kayaking that was not readily available prior to the dawn of the "information age". Newsgroups and forums are frequented by world renowned paddlers willing to provide near-instant responses to any/all paddling questions, instructional DVDs abound and Youtube even carries a wealth of info on paddling techniques. The astute paddler can take this "book knowledge" and, with the aid of an experienced paddler, turn it into very valuable instruction. That seems to be the route I will take. I seriously doubt that I will advance beyond Level I in certification. As for my paddling skills otherwise - the sea's the limit!!
I continue to advocate Paddle Canada instruction. Boat control and rescues are foundational skills. I am a more efficient paddler and have more maneuvers in my bag of tricks because of Paddle Canada. Beyond that, Paddle Canada teaches other important skills including: seamanship (navigation, meteorolgy, sea states, route planning) and group leadership. The highest skill is good judgment. That cannot be taught directly. It must be developed through experience. However, judgment is always better when it is informed by a knowledge of seamanship and group leadership skills. We are fortunate in Newfoundland to have some outstanding Paddle Canada instructors, including Jim Price, Richard Alexander and Ian Fong. I learned from them all, as well as from another one of Paddle Canada's best, Doug Alderson from BC. It's each paddler's decision how they wish to develop their skills. The Thursday Evening St. Phillips Group has progressed greatly without formal instruction. As for me, I'm thinking of doing "post-graduate studies" in the UK next year. I know for sure that guys like Nigel Dennis or Gordon Brown or Jeff Allen can help me become a better paddler.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Sean and Malcolm, to a degree. I think that if an individual has a modicum of athleticism then they may be better served by being assessed and steered directly into a level II course.
ReplyDeleteFor those who are not athletically inclined, they should be advised to start at the introductory level.
Either way, everything learned either in a course or through other sources needs to be practiced.
Malcolm, I think its awesome that you're persuing "post-graduate studies" in the UK. Wish I that option.
Tony ;-)