Prince Edward Island

In the first two weeks of August, Prince Edward Island's south shore has the warmest salt water north of the Carolinas. Your classroom is Murray Harbour, in the Island's southeast corner: a tidal harbour sheltering a small protected archipelago. Grey and harbour seals rest on the sandbars at low water. Great blue herons nest in the trees, terns and gannets dive for fish, and bald eagles and osprey work overhead. Beyond the harbour mouth are red sandstone cliffs, long beaches and the open Northumberland Strait. The harbour fills and empties with the tide and sandbars come and go, so navigation, tides and group decisions are important here. We run it as a basecamp: one campground, a different launch each day. When the course ends you are on Prince Edward Island in August, with Island seafood and a beach in every direction. PC L2Paddle Canada Level 2 CK1Coastal Kayaking Level 1 1:4Instructor Ratio 4Days of Coaching One course, two awards. This is a Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Level 2, and that's the standard the four days are built around. Because we deliver both the national and provincial streams, meeting it earns you an ORCKA Coastal Kayaking Level 1 as well. Two cards, one course, one price. What You'll Learn Full days of hands-on training, backed by theory in your online learning dashboard. Five skill domains across four days of coastal touring, with at least 20 of the 32 hours on the water. Navigation & Seamanship Navigate coastal waters, handle tides and currents, and build the judgment that separates touring paddlers from people in kayaks. → Chart reading and route planning → Compass navigation and bearings → Piloting: handrails, backstops, aiming off, dead reckoning → Environmental reading: wind, current, swell → Introduction to tides and currents → Crossing strategies and group management → Collision regulations as they apply to kayakers Knots, Tarps & Expedition Behaviour The camp and group management skills needed for extended kayaking trips, the stuff that separates a day paddle from an expedition. → Key knots for rigging and rescue → Tarp setups for coastal camping → Setting up an emergency overnight → Expedition behaviour and group dynamics → Loading, launching, and landing in conditions → Transport Canada requirements, and what to carry beyond them Risk Management & Weather Assess risk, predict weather patterns, and make decisions that keep the group moving safely when conditions shift. → Marine weather forecasting and interpretation → Risk assessment frameworks for trip leaders → Leading peers and decision-making under uncertainty → Emergency planning, evacuation, and contingencies → VHF, PLBs, satellite messengers, and what each is for → Hypothermia and hyperthermia: signs, treatment, prevention Boat Handling & Rescues Advanced strokes, towing techniques, and on-water rescues, refined under real coastal conditions. → Level 2 stroke refinement and power transfer → Bow rudders, brace turns, draws, and stern rudders → Towing setup and techniques → Assisted, self and all-in rescues in conditions → Getting a swimmer to shore on your bow or stern → Rescue scenarios: seasickness, injury, hypothermia, leaky boats → Introduction to rolling Kit, Craft & Heritage Sessions on the gear and the story behind it. Required for the ORCKA award, and worth knowing either way. → Hull design, outfitting, pumps, skirts, and paddle choice → Clothing for harsh conditions, and first aid kit basics → Repair kits, and improvising a fix on a beach → The kayak's history, Greenland paddling, and reconciliation as it relates to paddling Sample Instructional Progression Curriculum focus and locations may shift based on weather and conditions. That flexibility is part of the learning. Day 1, Murray Harbour Warm-water day. Safety brief, skill reviews, and Level 2 rescues in the shelter of the harbour. Day 2, Murray Islands Island to island on chart and compass, past seal sandbars and heron colonies. Navigation, seamanship, and weather forecasting in action. Day 3, Panmure Island Dunes, barrier beach, and the Island's oldest wooden lighthouse, built in 1853. Coastal touring, Level 2 strokes, and introduction to towing. Day 4, Boughton Island A crossing to a protected island in Cardigan Bay. Rescue and towing scenarios, rolling, and course wrap-up. Built for Lifelong Learning Every Kayak Ontario 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 included with your course ★ Full-colour Kayak Ontario Course Manual available as an add-on: take it to the shoreline, mark it up with notes, and keep as a lasting reference What's Included ✔ Course instruction and assessment across four full days of on-water training ✔ Expert coaching at 1:4 instructor ratio ✔ Online learning dashboard access ✔ Assessment and certification for both Paddle Canada Level 2 and ORCKA Coastal Kayaking Level 1 Available to Add — Kayak + drysuit rental: available to book with your course. Own your boat? Bring it. Rental drysuits have latex seals, so if you have a latex allergy, talk to us before you book. — Course manual: full-colour workbook with step-by-step breakdowns and diagrams — Navigation and safety kit: order from our Level 2 Gear collection at least two weeks ahead, so it reaches you before you travel Good to Know — We run from one campground in the Murray Harbour area, and you book your own site. We'll confirm which campground well before the course. — Getting here is part of the trip: the ferry from Caribou, Nova Scotia lands at Wood Islands, a short drive from Murray Harbour. Or cross the Confederation Bridge and see the Island on the way. — The islands are protected and the wildlife lives there. We give seals and nesting birds plenty of room. — Meals are your own. Island seafood is close by when time permits, and camp cooking is part of the experience. — Wilderness first aid (16 hours) with CPR is strongly recommended, though not required to book. — The course runs rain or shine, though we reschedule for prolonged thunderstorms. Equipment Needed Rent the two big items from us and bring the smaller kit yourself. It's the same kit you'll carry on every trip after this one, so it's worth having your own. ✔ Sea kayak: with two bulkheads Rentals available ✔ Dry suit: depends on water temperature, which we confirm before your course Rentals available ✔ PFD: one that fits snugly for paddling and rescue practice Yours to bring ✔ Navigation kit: Chart 4935, deck compass, square plotter, and map case Yours to bring ✔ Towline: with a one-handed quick release Yours to bring ✔ Safety kit: bilge pump and paddle float Yours to bring ✔ Camping gear: tent, sleeping bag, essentials for 4 nights Yours to bring New to this kit? Most people are. Once you book, we walk you through what each piece does and why you'll want it, and we're glad to help you choose. Our shop is in Ferndale, on the Bruce Peninsula, so order from our Level 2 Gear collection at least two weeks ahead and it will reach you in good time. The chart is the one piece we don't sell, so order that from a chart dealer. We don't keep loaner sets, so please have yours sorted before you travel. Prerequisite: Paddle Canada Sea Kayak Level 1, or ORCKA Coastal Kayaking Level 1 or Flatwater Kayaking, or equivalent experience, plus a few day trips under your belt in different locations. You should be comfortable with wet exits, basic re-entries, and a full day on the water. Not sure? Get in touch and we'll point you in the right direction. After your Level 2 → Keep building on the east coast with Level 3 preparation in the 100 Wild Islands or Coastal Mission: Cape Breton. Your coaches already know your abilities, so the progression is seamless. Questions Why Prince Edward Island for a Level 2?Warm water, mostly. Level 2 puts you in the water more than any course before it, and early August on the Island's south shore is as warm as Canadian salt water gets. Add tide, sandbars, seals, protected islands and a harbour mouth that opens onto the Northumberland Strait, and you get every Level 2 skill on real sea without the cold-water tax. Same curriculum, same certification and same coaching as our Ontario and Nova Scotia courses. It is also an easy course to build a holiday around. Do I need my own kayak or gear?Not the big items. Kayak and drysuit rentals are available to book with your course. You will need your own navigation and safety kit: a chart, compass, plotter, and map case, plus a towline, pump, and paddle float. It's a short list, it's the kit you'll use on every trip after this one, and we're glad to help you choose it. We don't keep loaner sets, and our shop is in Ferndale, so order online in good time. Once you book, we walk you through every piece. What certification do I get?Both a Paddle Canada Level 2 and an ORCKA Coastal Kayaking Level 1. The course is built and assessed to the Level 2 standard, and the Coastal Kayaking Level 1 syllabus sits inside what we cover, so meeting the standard earns you both cards. If you have outstanding items to clear, we'll work with you on a plan to complete them. Do I have to roll?No. Paddle Canada introduces rolling at Level 2 rather than testing it. You'll learn the body mechanics, try the components with an instructor beside you, and leave knowing how to go get a reliable roll. It becomes a requirement at Level 3, so it's worth starting now, and warm water is the place to start. Can I use a paddle float for re-entries?Yes, and you don't need permission. Paddle Canada is explicit that re-entry aids like paddle floats and stirrups are welcome and encouraged at any level, and using one doesn't prevent you passing. It just has to be used competently. Bodies are different sizes and shapes, and the goal is getting back in the boat. Where do participants stay?At one campground in the Murray Harbour area, where you book your own site. We'll confirm which campground well before the course, and you'll have space there to stage gear and decompress between days. What if the weather is bad?The course runs rain or shine, and paddling in varied conditions is part of the learning. Level 2 is a class 2 certification, so a bit of wind is the assessment rather than a problem. We move locations to find the right water. We only reschedule for prolonged thunderstorms or conditions that pose a genuine safety risk. I did my Level 1 a while ago. Am I ready?If you're comfortable with wet exits, basic re-entries, and a full day on the water, you're ready. Not sure? Email us and we'll help you assess. Can I take my Level 2 somewhere else instead?If you mean at one of our other locations, yes, we run this course in multiple environments with different challenges. If you mean at another school, sure, you can, but then you won't get the dad jokes 🫠👈 your loss. What's the online learning dashboard?Our online learning system with structured modules covering preparation, gear, safety, navigation theory, and more. Access is included with your course, and it extends your learning before, during, and long after the on-water days. We acknowledge that this course takes place in Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island), part of Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people, who have lived on and cared for these lands and waters since time immemorial. This territory is covered by the Peace and Friendship Treaties, which did not surrender land or resources. We are grateful for the enduring stewardship of the Mi'kmaq. This acknowledgement, accompanied by action, includes contributions to Indigenous-led organizations that make a lasting impact.