Paddle Canada Level 1 - Halifax

July 31 - Aug 1

$295.00

A two-day, beginner-friendly course on sheltered water in Halifax, Nova Scotia. You will learn the skills to plan and enjoy safe day trips on calm water, with hands-on coaching, games, and real-world scenarios that make the learning stick.

This is a relaxed, inclusive course built around the idea that nobody should feel put on the spot. You will only demonstrate to the group if you volunteer. If that sounds good, along with the promise of some terrible dad jokes, you have found the right place to sign up.

2 Days

16 Hours

1:5 Instructor Ratio

0 Gear to Own

Your Certification

This course is the Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Level 1, the national certification for day paddling on sheltered water. Every item in the syllabus is covered across the two days, and if you meet the assessment criteria during the course, you earn it.

Where we paddle: sheltered water in the Halifax area, wind up to 11 km/h, waves under half a metre, easy frequent landings, and never more than a kilometre from shore. This is a calm-water course by design. That is the environment Level 1 calls for, and it is the right place to build the habits everything else is built on.

What You'll Learn

Two full days on the water and on the shoreline, plus access to our online dashboard and workbooks.

Paddling Skills

The strokes that make everything else possible, coached properly from the start so you build good habits instead of fighting bad ones later.

→ Lifting, carrying, launching and landing at beach and dock
→ Forward stroke: 200 metres with speed, posture and torso rotation
→ Reverse paddling, and stopping in four strokes without wandering
→ Sweep strokes: 360 degree pivots in both directions
→ Draw strokes: pulling, sculling, and moving on a diagonal
→ Stern rudder, draw and pry
→ Low brace recovery, and edge control that actually helps you turn
→ Manoeuvring accurately in a confined space

Coached without rudder or skeg

Rescue & Safety Skills

What to do when things go sideways, practiced in a supportive environment so you are ready when it matters.

→ Wet exit, calm and in control
→ Capsize, swim your kayak to shore, and empty it safely
→ Peer rescue (kayak over kayak) as both the swimmer and the rescuer
→ Solo re-entry in deep water
→ Contact tow over 25 metres, no towline needed
→ Assisted roll rescue, offered to anyone who wants to try it
→ Voice, whistle, hand and paddle signals, and how to summon help

Paddle floats and stirrups welcome

Navigation, Weather & Trip Planning

The judgement that lets you plan a safe day on the water, not just paddle around and hope for the best.

→ Chart and topographic map work: piloting, handrails, backstops, time, distance, speed
→ Where to get a forecast, and what wind does to sea state
→ How waves build: fetch, wind strength, shoreline effects
→ Risk assessment, float plans, and windy weather precautions
→ Responding to an on-water scenario as part of the group
→ Access: launch points, park rules, and Crown land

Equipment, Transport & Care

How to choose, fit, carry and look after the gear that keeps you safe and comfortable. We will also save you from buying the wrong boat.

→ Selecting a kayak, paddle, PFD and spray skirt that suit you
→ Outfitting for fit and comfort: foot pegs, backband, thigh braces
→ Hull shape, and what a rudder and a skeg actually do
→ Transport Canada requirements, and what to carry beyond them
→ Dressing for the water temperature, not the air temperature
→ Hypothermia and sun safety: cause, symptoms, prevention
→ Getting a kayak on and off a vehicle, and tying it down properly
→ Leave No Trace, wildlife, and the impact paddlers have

Day Two: You Go Somewhere

The course includes a real journey, and it is the best part of the weekend. You plan the route, read the forecast, make the call, and then paddle it. Everything from day one gets used: navigation off a map, communication in the group, judgement about wind and where to land, and the strokes you have been drilling. We pick water that is sheltered enough to be forgiving and big enough to be a real trip, which is exactly what you want the first time you are the one deciding.

Built for Lifelong Learning

Every Kayak Maritimes course includes access to your personal online learning dashboard, a hybrid system offering clear preparation before the course, structured learning on the water, and continued support afterward. Track your progress, complete short modules on preparation, gear, safety, and theory, and return any time to review lessons.

★ Online learning dashboard access is included with your course
★ Full-colour Kayak Maritimes Course Manual available as an add-on: take it to the shoreline, mark it up with notes, and keep it as a lasting reference

What to Expect

✔ Hands-on learning: practice essential skills through group activities, games, and drills in a supportive environment
✔ Most of it is on the water: at least 10 of the 16 hours, and usually more
✔ You will get wet: bring a towel and a change of clothes. Avoid cotton, it is not ideal for kayaking
✔ You need to be comfortable in deep water: wearing a PFD, in calm conditions. You do not need to be a strong swimmer
✔ Assessment is continuous: no exam at the end. Your instructor observes and coaches across both days, and you will always know where you stand
✔ Rain or shine: the course runs in all conditions, though we reschedule for prolonged thunderstorms
✔ Make friends: connect with a group of paddlers at the same stage in their development

What's Included

✔ Two full days, 16 hours, with a minimum of 10 hours of on-water instruction
✔ Coaching at a 1:5 instructor to paddler ratio
✔ A half-day kayak journey that you help plan and lead
✔ A drysuit, when the water is below 15°C
✔ Online learning dashboard access
✔ Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Level 1 assessment and certification

Available to Add

— Kayak, paddle and spray skirt rental: a sea kayak and paddle, ready to go. Own your boat? Bring it.
— Course manual: full-colour workbook with step-by-step breakdowns and diagrams
— Safety kit: pump, whistle, and 15 metre floating rope, available to rent or to buy

Good to Know

— Participants are responsible for lunch, snacks, drinking water, and sunscreen
— Wear quick-drying clothing, no cotton. You will be getting in the water.
— Bring a hat, sunglasses, and water shoes or sandals with heel straps
— The course runs rain or shine, though we reschedule for prolonged thunderstorms

Cold water: below 15°C, a drysuit is mandatory, and it is included. This course puts you in the water repeatedly, on purpose. The rule is the water temperature, not the calendar. We check the water temperature ahead of every course and will tell you before your date whether a drysuit is required. If it is, we supply one at no extra cost. Own your own? Bring it.

Equipment Needed

Don't own gear yet? No problem. Rentals and loaners are available for everything you need.

✔ Kayak: any kayak with a closed cockpit works for this course. Two bulkheads recommended.
Rentals available
✔ Paddle
Rentals available
✔ Spray skirt: required. It must be on during capsize practice.
Rentals available
✔ PFD: Transport Canada approved, worn at all times on the water
Loaners available
✔ Safety kit: pump or bailer, sound-signalling device, and a 15 metre buoyant heaving line
Rentals available
✔ Drysuit: only when water is below 15°C
Included

Prerequisite: none. This course is designed for complete beginners. If you have never been in a kayak, this is where you start. Paddle Canada Level 1 allows an instructor to admit paddlers on the basis of equivalent skill and knowledge, and as a Paddle Canada Instructor Trainer, that is a call we are qualified to make and happy to make. We would rather teach you properly from day one than send you away to collect a stamp first.

After your Level 1 → When you're ready, Level 2 is the next certification step, and we run it on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore in the 100 Wild Islands. That is where the open coast comes in.

Questions

Do I need my own kayak or gear?

No. Kayak, paddle, spray skirt and safety kit rentals are available to book with your course, PFD loaners are available, and a drysuit is included whenever the water is below 15°C. You do not need to own anything to take this course.

What certification do I get?

Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Level 1, the national certification for day paddling on sheltered water. If you meet the assessment criteria during the course, you receive your certification.

Why sheltered water, when the Atlantic is right there?

Because it is the right call. Level 1 is a calm, sheltered water course, and that is where good habits get built. Nothing you learn here is specific to the venue. The forward stroke, the rescues, the navigation and the judgement all travel with you to bigger water. Level 2 is where the open coast comes in.

I've never kayaked. Is that really okay?

Yes. We teach this course from the very beginning. Paddle Canada's Level 1 lets the instructor admit paddlers with equivalent skill and knowledge, which is a judgement we are certified to make. What you do need is to be comfortable floating in deep water while wearing a PFD. If you are not sure about that part, tell us at booking and we will work with you.

I've kayaked before but never taken a course. Is this too basic?

Probably not. Most self-taught paddlers have gaps in stroke mechanics, rescue skills, and safety knowledge. Ask yourself whether you can move your kayak sideways three metres with a sculling draw, stop it in four strokes without changing heading, or run a stern pry. If any of that is unfamiliar, there is plenty here. If you think you are beyond Level 1, get in touch and we will help you figure out the right starting point.

Will I get wet?

Yes. Wet exits, swimming your kayak to shore, and rescue practice all mean you will be in the water, and your spray skirt has to be on when you capsize. Bring a towel, a change of clothes, and wear quick-drying layers, no cotton. If the water is below 15°C on your date, a drysuit is required and we supply one, included with your course.

Do I have to roll the kayak?

No. The assisted roll rescue is offered on this course and your instructor will demonstrate it, but it is not a test item. You choose whether you want to try it, and you can pass without it. Plenty of people try it anyway, and plenty don't. Both are fine.

Can I use a paddle float for re-entries?

Yes, and you don't need permission. Paddle Canada is explicit that re-entry aids such as paddle floats and stirrups are welcome at any level, and using one does not stop you passing. What matters is that you use it competently. Bodies are different sizes and shapes, and the goal is getting back in the boat.

Do I have to demonstrate in front of the group?

Only if you volunteer. This course is built around a relaxed, inclusive approach. No pressure to perform in front of others. You learn at your own pace with coaching support, and your instructor assesses you by watching your paddling across the whole weekend rather than by putting you on the spot.

What if the weather is bad?

The course runs rain or shine. Rain is not a problem. Wind is, because Level 1 is a calm-water course, so if it blows up we adapt the plan, move to a more sheltered spot, or shift the schedule around. We only reschedule for prolonged thunderstorms or conditions that pose a genuine safety risk. Learning to make that call is part of the course.

What's the online learning dashboard?

Our online learning system with structured modules covering preparation, gear, safety, and paddling theory. Access is included with your course and it extends your learning before, during, and long after the on-water days.

What should I wear?

Quick-drying layers, no cotton. Synthetic or wool base layers work well. Bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and water shoes or sandals with heel straps. Dress for the water temperature rather than the air temperature, which is a habit we will spend some time on during the course.

We acknowledge that this course takes place in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq People. These lands and waters are governed by Peace and Friendship Treaties. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn, paddle, and share knowledge here, and we remain committed to contributing to Indigenous-led organizations that sustain and protect these waters.