Paddle Canada Level 2 Sea Kayak Skills Course

The Paddle Canada Level 2 skills is one of our most popular courses and will transform day paddlers into kayak trippers by increasing personal paddling skills and knowledge of navigation on the water. Along the beautiful and rugged Shores of Georgian Bay, paddlers gain the skills and experience to head out on overnight trips with friends and paddling clubs.

Immersed in the fresh air and beauty of a wilderness classroom and the crystal clear waters of Georgian Bay, Paddle Canada Level 2 participants will learn and work together, taking turns to lead the group to plan routes and play the victim who needs rescuing! This is a fun course that lets you learn by actually getting out and paddling in a number of stunning locations in our UNESCO Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve. Our incredibly highly trained and experienced instructors have been teaching the Paddle Canada system for as long as Paddle Canada has existed. We have the patience and know-how to help you improve your skills dramatically.

New this year! OSKC is well known in Canada as one of the best Sea Kayak schools to learn rolling from. This five-day skills course starts with a day of rolling instruction with our senior Instructors and founders of OSKC James Roberts and Dympna Hayes. We feel like this day will best equip you with the skills to head into the course and do well. While a successful roll is not required to meet the course standards, we feel that just by learning the fundamentals and mechanics, skills like blade and body awareness will be greatly refined.

Paddle Canada Level 2 skills certification may be achieved during this course upon meeting the required standards.  We are passionate about helping paddlers pursue their goals. Assessment is ongoing during the trip, with one-on-one assistance provided for skills that aren’t clicking.

During the course, we recommend staying at Ontario Sea Kayak Centre’s home base in Parry Sound. Add accommodation in one of our glamping tents or on a tent platform at checkout. We love the vibe when we have a group of paddlers staying at the centre and we think you will too. There is so much to learn from peers on a course sitting around our waterfront firepit in the evenings.

Your Instructors

Our certified instructors are some of Canada's best!

James Roberts

James started kayaking at 18. Since then his paddling career has taken him all over the world as an expedition leader and senior kayak instructor.

Dympna Hayes

Dympna is co-owner and operator, of Ontario Sea Kayak Centre along with her partner and husband James. She loves sharing her craft with others through her coaching on skills courses and through her guiding while on kayaking trips.

Jeff Phaneuf

Jeff has been a teacher/coach (volleyball & rugby) at Ursuline College in Chatham for almost a quarter of a century. He is now combining his passion for teaching/coaching and the outdoors.

Jeff Arbing

Jeff is the primary instructor/mentor for all new recruits with a large southern Ontario Police Service. He also instructs senior level adult education, mental resiliency/leadership and supervisory courses.

Greg Mason

Greg has been paddling and teaching kayaking on Georgian Bay for around 25 yrs… since he was not but a wee grasshopper.

David Johnston

David Johnston has been introducing people to the sport of sea kayaking for the past 20 years. He is a senior instructor trainer with Paddle Canada.

Mark Gibeault

As an avid marathon paddler, Mark is always looking to refine the forward stroke and loves the efficiency of the Greenland Paddle, a shout-out to Traditional Indigenous Knowledge! A teacher by trade and lifelong learner, he also collects paddling certifications. Amongst his collection, PC Level 3 Sea Kayak Skills and is a PC Level 2 Instructor and Kayak Rolling Instructor.

Ray Boucher

Ray Boucher lives in Wawa Ontario with his wife Patty. Ray has been a school teacher and an x-ray technologist, and enjoys spending his time working and recreating in the outdoors.

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