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July 12, 2002
Inner peace through paddling
You don't need to go very far to learn the fundamentals of kayaking.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
A couple of hours and a kayak are all you need to gain a completely
new perspective on life. Vancouver looks even more beautiful from
the water and most of your worries will seem like distant memories
once you've paddled out from the shadows of the boats moored at
Granville Island, under the Burrard Bridge, past Vanier Park and
into open water.
This particular journey started at Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre
on Duranleau Street. The company offers rentals, lessons, evening
seminars, weekend getaway packages and even trips to exotic places
like Fiji. Based in two locations – on Granville Island and
at Jericho Beach – Ecomarine has been in operation since 1980
and now has some 20 instructors and 30 in-store staff, including
part-timers.
According to head instructor Clarke Hanna, about 2,500 students
a season (May to September) take lessons from Ecomarine. Private
lessons range from $148/three-hour lesson for one person to $59
per person if there are six or more in the class. There are also
courses on the fundamentals of navigation, kayak rolling, wilderness
first aid and other aspects of the sport. And there are youth programs
over the summer for kids from eight to 16.
In addition, there are weekly kayak clubs and, of course, rentals,
which start at $28 per two hours for a single kayak and $39 for
a double; a single goes for $48/day, a double at $69/day. As well,
there are annual passes available that encompass unlimited two-hour
single kayak rentals. For those wanting more adventure, there are
trips to the Gulf Islands ($285 for two days), Orca expeditions
($1,095 for six days), Fiji ($1,110 US for nine days) and several
other destinations.
Hanna recommends that anyone looking to buy a kayak should rent
until they find the boat that's right for them. Ecomarine has literally
hundreds of different boats for potential purchasers to try out,
he said.
Not only does Ecomarine have hundreds of kayaks, but they have almost
as many different programs for paddlers of all ages and abilities.
For more information, call Ecomarine at 604-689-7575 (Granville
Island), 604-222-3565 (Jericho) or the school at 604-689-7520. Or,
visit www.ecomarine.com.
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