Why Take a Course?

Whether you are just starting out or have been paddling for years, Mistaya has a course or clinic for you.  Mistaya has been in Edmonton since 1997,  with most of this time spent teaching courses and developing new teaching methods to make this sport easier to learn and more enjoyable for all levels of paddlers.

Our courses are run by club members and volunteers from the paddling community, who come from a variety of backgrounds.  This allows is to run a wide range of courses and clinics to help kayakers build paddling techniques, river safety skills and even the latest rodeo and play boating tricks.

“All of our introductory courses are run in the fall/winter in the pool because once the ice on the rivers melt, all our instructors are busy paddling and all equipment is being used for the outdoor season!

KAYAK BASICS – LEVEL I (October, February, March 2012)

Whether you are interested in white water, sea kayaking or just lily dipping at the cottage, this course is for you. This course will begin each class with an hour-long dry land session to introduce you to the different equipment and resources available to paddlers. This will be followed by a pool session where you will learn basic kayaking strokes and play games, both of which will teach you boat control and cause laughter. All equipment is provided except for your swimsuit, towel and nose plugs, which are strongly recommended to prevent a nose full of chlorine.

Course duration:  Weekend course 4 hours, 2 days

Weeknight course 2.5 hours, 4 evenings

KAYAK BASICS – LEVEL II (April, May 2012)

So you have the basics of moving your boat around-and-about down and are looking for more of a challenge. This course will do that for you. During the dry land talks you will learn about safety gear and river features. In the water you will work on rolling, advanced strokes, play boating and more. This course requires introductory course 1 or equivalent as a prerequisite.

Again all equipment except towel, swimsuits and nose plugs are provided.

Course duration:  Weekend course 4 hours, 2 days

Weeknight course 2.5 hours, 4 evenings

ROLL CLINICS

Didn’t quite get the roll during kayak basics 2 or found out on the river that it needs some tweaking? There are two one night roll clinics in which our instructors will give you tips and/or one-on-one assistance depending on where you are at. The drop-in fee/season pass covers the cost of this clinic.

See the 2011/2012 Indoor Pool Schedule for Dates/Times

To register for any of our courses, or for more information, contact our membership coordinator at membership@mistayapaddlingclub.com

KAYAK BASICS: INTRO TO MOVING WATER COURSE …

……Coming in Spring 2012…… Welcome to the river!  This course will teach you safety aspects of river running and how to maneuver around in this new and exciting environment.  We will introduce you to a wide range of skills such as eddy turns, ferries, reading the river, recognizing features and even some basic surfing!  You will go home with a new sense of balance and confidence that will ready you for future trips.

You must have previous paddling experience, such as the Intro courses taught in the pool, in order to register for this course. A bomb-proof kayak roll is not mandatory, however you should be able to execute basic kayak strokes such as forward, reverse, sweep, draw strokes, and braces before taking this course. For detailed information about the course, fees and registration please follow the links below.

SAFETY AND RESCUE

Safety is the most important thing on the river.  We offer at least one river safety course a season. This year’s dates are TBA.

(November-Mid April)

KAYAK BASICS – LEVEL I

Whether you are interested in white water, sea kayaking or just lily dipping at the cottage, this course is for you. This course will begin each class with an hour-long dry land session to introduce you to the different equipment and resources available to paddlers. This will be followed by a pool session where you will learn basic kayaking strokes and play games, both of which will teach you boat control and cause laughter. All equipment is provided except for your swimsuit, towel and nose plugs, which are strongly recommended to prevent a nose full of chlorine.

Course duration:  Weekend course 4 hours, 2 days

Weeknight course 2.5 hours, 4 evenings

KAYAK BASICS – LEVEL II

So you have the basics of moving your boat around-and-about down and are looking for more of a challenge. This course will do that for you. During the dry land talks you will learn about safety gear and river features. In the water you will work on rolling, advanced strokes, play boating and more. This course requires introductory course 1 or equivalent as a prerequisite.

Again all equipment except towel, swimsuits and nose plugs are provided.

Course duration:  2.5 hours, 4 evenings (weeknight)

ROLL CLINICS

Didn’t quite get the roll during kayak basics 2 or found out on the river that it needs some tweaking? There are two one night roll clinics in which our instructors will give you tips and/or one-on-one assistance depending on where you are at. The drop-in fee/season pass covers the cost of this clinic.