The Wilderness Kayak Institute

April-May 2001

This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
To download a pdf copy of the magazine click here: > DOWNLOAD

by John Dowd

We asked John Dowd to provide some details of the Wilderness Kayak Institute (WKI), which is designed to take paddlers beyond the plateau he talks about.

The Wilderness Kayak Institute offers experienced paddlers a chance to travel to the Hakai Archipelago, a remote wilderness location on the BC coast, and participate in a program beyond their normal level of experience.

The first three days is a time of intensive skills revision-you are expected to be already comfortable with assessing weather, waves and how to paddle. Chart reading and analysis are reviewed along with management of currents, surf entry and exit, and wilderness survival.

The substance of the program begins when groups of four plan and carry out a mini-expedition of a hundred miles along some of the most technically challenging waters on the West coast. This includes the West Coast of Calvert Island, Cape Caution, Barnett Bay, Slingsby Narrows and the Deserter Group before arriving at Port Hardy.

Each person takes a turn leading the group which is accompanied by an instructor whose role is confined to shadowing the group as surrogate guardian angel and participating in the evening de-briefing.

It is through actually making the daily choices that constitute the difference between a safe trip and a disaster, that judgment is learned... and it CAN be learned.

The instructors are chosen for their particular personal experience and include John Dawson, with forty years in experiential education, as program director, Chris Duff who has paddled in several countries, and myself as director.

The concept is the brainchild of Grant Thompson of Tofino Expeditions.

The Wilderness Kayak Institute program is appropriate for:

  1. Those who have been paddling for a number of years, done the available kayaking courses, perhaps worked as a guide or instructor and realize that they want to step up a level.

  2. Skilled white-water paddlers who may use the program to fast-track the cross-over to competent sea kayaking.

  3. Skilled canoeists and experienced sailors who want to move into sea kayaking at an advanced level.

Contact 877-724-1808 or www.wildernesskayak.net