ORCKA (Ontario Recreactional Canoeing & Kayaking Association) has been the voice and organization for recreational paddling in Ontario since 1975. In addition to basic canoeing skills, ORCKA offers specialized streams in Canadian Style Paddling, Moving Water, River Running, and Canoe Tripping.
ORCKA also offers kayak, Stand Up Paddling, and voyager canoe skills and instructor programs.
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WaterWays offers canoe skills courses at the basic level and all levels within the Canadian Style Paddling stream. We can also offer the safe paddling program and individual coaching.
Safe Canoeing Program
The Safe Canoeing Program is a 3hr program of instruction designed to provide first time paddlers with basic safety and performance information.
The aim is to give paddlers enough skills and information so they can safely enjoy a short paddle close to shore, on calm water with a partner.
Basic Canoe Program
The ORCKA Basic canoe program aims to teach people the foundational knowledge and skills to safely maneuver their canoe on flat water and what to do if things go wrong. It is the foundation from which discipline specific skills are built upon.
The Basic program is divided into 3 tandem courses and one solo course which can be taken individually or in a variety of combinations. Total time to complete all four levels is 24hrs (12hrs tandem and 12hrs solo).
Basic Canoeing is the prerequisite for all 4 paddling disciplines.
Canadian Style Paddling
The Canadian Style Paddling (CSP) program is the "precision paddling" stream of the ORCKA program (canoe ballet).
Delivered on calm lakes, it focuses on "grace and fluidity" allowing smaller and smaller margin of error with increasing skill progression.
If you want to be a better technical paddler, give CSP a try.