Paddling has been part of my world for different reasons at different times. I have been spending time on the water for as long as I can remember. For me, paddling is about more than just being on the water, it has molded who I am in ways that I didn’t expect. I have been instructing at Yukan Canoe since 2012 and my favourite part is the look on client’s faces when you say “Now it’s your turn!”. I instruct because of the people. It is that simple. Watching someone enter a course and be hesitant but keen and watching them leave stoked and determined is hard to beat!
My favourite craft to paddle is a tandem canoe (the 16ft Old Town Prospector or Dagger Caption) followed closely by the solo canoe, Black Fly Option. While many other boats are fun, nothing quite beats paddling with someone you paddle well with, or at least laugh a lot with when you don’t! The Lapie river and the coast of Ucluelet are two of my favorite spots to paddle.
Certifications that I hold include Paddle Canada Instructor for canoe, SUP and sea kayak in addition to 90-hour wilderness first aid. At this point in my introduction, I am supposed to give a “quick tip”, I could go on about paddle techniques but instead my advice is to laugh while floating next to your capsized vessel. Paddling is supposed to be fun, surround yourself with the people that do that for you