The future of Squamish's whitewater community dunked and splashed its way into the new year as the recently resurrected Squamish Paddling Club (SPC) filled the Brennan Park Recreation Centre pool with young but eager beginner kayakers on Sunday (Jan. 3).
The weekly drop-in pool sessions are geared toward introducing kids to paddling in a controlled environment. Newbies learn how to initiate safe exits and gain an overall sense of how kayaks respond in the water.
The sessions are all about getting kids accustomed to kayaks before venturing on to local rivers, said SPC organizer Dave Berrisford.
"My drive is to bring kids into the sport through sessions like this where they can just come and free-play in a boat," said Berrisford, who is a certified Canoe Kayak BC (CKBC) instructor.
"The whitewater environment is not a really good place for complete beginners. You need to slowly work your way on to it either through pool sessions or some of the local lakes."
In order to feel comfortable on whitewater, beginners need to learn how to react to various situations. That's why Berrisford split his time between teaching techniques and letting the kids just go at it: testing their balance, tipping over and paddling with their boats filled with water.
There's no panicking when beginners test placid pool waters. And messing around in the pool shows the kids what to expect when they take it to the next level, said Berrisford.
"If you've already done it in a pool or another relaxed environment, it's not going to be such a shock when it happens to you going down a Class 2 river," he said.
Young kayakers like Charlie Rukus, 11, said he appreciates the freedom he gets from the sessions. He's already learned how to exit safely from a capsized kayak and is now determined to learn how to roll.
"It's really fun here," said Rukus with a big grin. "You're free and can do pretty much whatever you want. And you learn what to do when you're in danger."
Such keenness is what local whitewater enthusiasts are relying on to help preserve access to whitewater in Squamish. Mamquam River Access Society director John Harvey, who brought his two sons to Sunday's pool session, said he's excited to see more paddlers start taking advantage of the whitewater access off of Mamquam River Forest Service Road. The society spent $10,000 to improve the road to the site last year and is now planning to install a storage facility for next season.
"That's my goal: longtime preservation and access to whitewater. And the start of that growth is the pool sessions and getting families out," said Harvey. "Give it two years and we'll have a very active kayak club."
While many beginners are being introduced to kayaking, avid paddlers are also welcome to tone their skills at the drop-in sessions, which run Saturday nights from 8 to 9 p.m. Participants need to arrange their own equipment (boat/paddle/PFD), as a limited amount of equipment is available. However, the club expects to acquire three kayaks in the near future, said Berrisford.
Boats must be clean before using in the pool and a hose will be available. Those interested should meet at the west side entrance to the pool in time to setup and start at 8 p.m.
Each session costs $7 for adults and $2 for children under 16 years old. Children must be accompanied by a paddling parent and a $5 CKBC membership fee for insurance will also be available.
For more information contact Berrisford at [email protected] or 604-892-9030, or Jim Douglas at [email protected] or 604-848-4001.
The club's website is squamishkayakclub.com.
