About the Course
The Open Water Touring Award will progress your paddling and decision-making skills to undertake fun trips on open water with a group of your peers. This includes open water, small bays, harbours and slow moving estuaries during neap tides. You will become comfortable paddling in force 3 winds or 2 if the wind direction is off shore.
You will continue to develop your skills to make key decisions before and during your journey. This includes the weather, the water conditions and the level of those that you wish to paddle with. These will all influence where you choose to paddle. You will need to think about what methods you will use to navigate your journey and to plan the course your journey will take.
What does it involve?
You need to think about what equipment to take and how you will get it safely to the water. As well as how you would receive help should you need it. You will need to consider if the group size is suitable for both the conditions and the water you wish to paddle on. During the paddle you will need to ensure your group stays together and comfortable. Meaning you will need to consider ways to monitor your group and to communicate when someone is having difficulty or if they were to get separated.
This award will further develop your paddling skills. You will continue to work on different strokes to maintain control and the direction of your craft. This includes cross-deck strokes and the best strokes for paddling both upstream and downstream. You will further develop your journeying skills. This includes looking at “Future Water” and deciding how is best to get there. You will continue to develop your skills on moving water such as crossing eddy lines and flows. This includes how to affect the shape and speed of your track over the water.
Your rescue skills will continue to be developed. This includes how to rescue those in your group. You will consider how to set up rafting or towing systems and how to deal with a swamped raft. In addition, you will also consider the mental strategies needed to stay calm during high pressure rescue situations.
After the session you and your Coach will reflect on what went well and what you need to continue to improve. You will choose where you go next and the focus of your next trip. Each day we spend paddling further expands our skills and knowledge, creating a more enjoyable experience on the water. With no two experiences ever the same, we never stop learning. Continually evaluating the choices we make creates a natural evolution of decision making ability and skills.
Further information on the content can be found on the Paddle UK Website here.
Your Instructor
