Two weekends ago, I attended a beginner’s kayaking course at the Toronto harbourfront.
I’ve been kayaking before, but only once or twice – and never have I had lessons on how to paddle properly. So this course, suggested by my friend, intrigued me. The coolest thing about it was being able to see the city of Toronto from the water – it was like being on the verge between wilderness and city.
The course was fun; it involved two full days of training and paddling on Lake Ontario. Saturday was a windier day, making the waves choppy and rather fun to bob with. We learned the basics that day, and then applied them to a day-trip out to Toronto island on Sunday, when the weather was much calmer. We learned how to get back in the boat when it flips over, and how to help others do the same, on top of paddling techniques such as turning on the spot, moving horizontally, sculling to keep balance and more.
If you feel like trying something new, it’s a safe and fun way to approach kayaking while staying within Toronto. Check out the organization, Paddle Toronto, as they have other levels of courses and also social kayaking meetups on a weekly basis.
Leave a Reply