Maidstone Canoe Club

The Explore Award is a step up from the Beginner Course.  It replaces the old 2* award, and is suitable for anyone who's done the old 1*, Discover Award, or Beginner Course - and has had a bit of paddle time since to gain some experience.  The focus of this is to build the skills needed to paddle independently and to be a confident member of a paddling group.  It will also provide the foundations to progress in other paddle disciplines - whether that's sea kayaking, touring, white water, or anything else.  

We'll talk about:

• planning a trip, taking into account the weather, environment, and water conditions
• new skills and paddle strokes for new situations
• efficient paddling to prepare you for longer journeys
• basic rescue skills (these can be done in a pool if the river is too cold)
• and lots more!

Part of the assessment for this award is for the group to plan and paddle a short journey.  It's usually good to spend some time practicing between the training and assessment, and even if you think you're not at the level quite yet it's still worth doing the training now.  You'll learn loads, have fun, and can do the assessment journey later when you've had the opportunity for a bit more practice!

To get the most out of this award, you should:

• be confident wearing a spraydeck (and capsizing with one!)
• be able to paddle competently in a straight line
• have a chat with a PAA or river leader who has done the award

Time: This course will run on Monday  evenings (6:00pm on the water), with an assessment on Wednesday 27th September.  If you can't make one or more of the sessions then we can try to arrange another time.