Welcome all Adventurefriks! If you don’t know, my name is Nelson and I am enrolled in the Outdoor Adventure Program at Algonquin College in Pembroke, Ontario, Canada, heart of the Ottawa Valley.

Algonquin College - Wilderness Tours Training FacilityMy first week at school was spent at the Wilderness Tours off-campus Training Facility learning the very basics of canoeing and whitewater raft guiding, surfing and flipping. We spent our time learning and challenging the river and ourselves as we stretched our comfort zone and learned many new skills. The week was an awesome time to bond with fellow students and have a wild time on the Ottawa River’s famous rapids.

 

 

Whitewaterrafting on the Ottawa RiverWhat I can tell you about Whitewater Rafting so far is if you want to learn how to guide a raft, just like any new acquired skill, you need to take multiple trips down the same river to get yourself comfortable with the twists, turns and currents of the river – build the knowledge and your confidence. Experience the ride as a rower and then advance to the drivers seat. Once you feel the control of the boat and the pull of the river, the adrenaline pumps into high gear. Learn it, feel it, master it!

Each week I will add some new topics we are studying that you can use as a basic resource as we take this journey together … stay tuned next time for a talk on basic clothing qualities.

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