Canoe Training

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With temperatures in the mid 60’s and a damp mist in the air it may not have been an ideal day to be on the lake yesterday. But the weather didn’t dampen the spirits of students in Field Instruction class as they spent the afternoon learning a variety of canoe techniques. The lesson started with a review of canoe portaging techniques for transporting canoes over land. First students learned the two person suitcase carry and then they moved on to the one person overhead carry, thankfully our Wenonah canoes aren’t too heavy.

Suitcase Portage

Overhead Portage

T-Rescue

Next the class headed out onto and then into the water to practice performing t-rescues. A t-rescue is a procedure used to recover a swamped canoe and its canoers.  During the t-rescue, one canoe forms the top of the T and serves as a base for a second canoe (the stem of the T) that is pushed on top and flipped back over while it is up out of the water. Field Instructors Megan Krintz and Annie Bussiere first shared a short video and then demonstrated the technique in shallow water while students watched from shore. Then the student formed groups of four and headed out into deep water to try it for themselves. Without the ground to use for leverage it can be very difficult to heave a swamped canoe onto another canoe, but students showed impressive teamwork and problem-solving skills as they worked together and found new ways to give themselves a mechanical advantage.

I am pleased to report that all canoes and canoers were successfully rescued and I believe a good time was had by all. I hope you enjoy these photos that I snapped of the activity.

Stefan Anderson
Head of School

Heidi and Grace

Rowan

tipping over

Hannah

Talya and Leo balance

Walker

Heidi overhead portage

Alex

Field Instructor Megan Krintz

Demonstrating proper technique

T-Rescue

Kyra

Jacob and Jeremy

In the classroom

On the water

Heidi and Grace

Zane and Alex prepare to flip a canoe

Circle up

Matthew

Video example

Jayleen

Suitcase Portage

Heidi

Henry and Jayleen

Discussing Technique

Dance Break!

Tipping

Jacob and Jeremy tipping

Zach

Lucy

righting a canoe

tipping over

Zane

Joseph

Dryland discussion

Tipping over

Talya and Leo

righting a canoe

On the lake

Jeremy

Talya

Overhead Portage

Conserve School provides a semester-long immersion for high school students in environmental studies and outdoor activities that deepens their love of nature, reinforces their commitment to conservation, and equips them to take meaningful action as environmental stewards. Thanks to the generosity of Conserve School’s friends and its founder James Lowenstine all accepted students receive significant scholarship support.