Kayak Ontario - Navigation Level 2
Coming Fall 2026
Online self-paced course with optional live sessions.
Course Overview
Nav L2: Tides, Currents & Weather takes your navigation skills beyond the chart table and into the real world — where conditions change, wind pushes you sideways, and timing matters. You'll learn to read marine weather forecasts, understand how tides and currents affect your route, and plan trips that work with the environment instead of against it.
This course is built for Ontario and Great Lakes paddlers, but the principles apply anywhere water moves and weather changes. If you've ever wondered "is it safe to go today?" — this course gives you the tools to answer that question confidently.
Who Is This Course For?
- Paddlers who have completed Nav L1 or have equivalent chart and compass skills
- Kayakers planning trips in areas with current, fetch, or variable weather
- Anyone preparing for Paddle Canada Level 3 certification
- Paddlers who want to make better go/no-go decisions
What You'll Learn
Tides & Currents
- How tides work — springs, neaps, and the rule of twelfths
- Reading tide tables and current atlases
- Finding slack water windows and tidal gates
- Planning around current — not fighting it
Marine Weather
- Decoding Environment Canada marine forecasts
- Pressure systems, fronts, and what they mean for paddlers
- Local effects: sea breezes, land breezes, wind funnels, fog
- Reading the sky — practical forecasting on the water
Set, Drift & Course to Steer
- How wind and current push you off course
- Calculating drift and compensating with CTS
- The vector triangle — made simple
- When to paddle harder vs. when to aim off
Risk & Decision-Making
- Wind against current — why it matters
- Recognizing weather windows and closing doors
- Building contingency plans into every route
- The go/no-go decision framework
Integrated Trip Planning
- Multi-leg routes with tidal timing
- Weather-dependent alternatives
- Case studies from Georgian Bay, Lake Superior, and coastal BC
Course Format
- Interactive online lessons — work at your own pace
- Planning exercises using real tide tables and weather forecasts
- Webinar Scenario-based workshops — what would you do?
- Final route plan with personalized feedback
Prerequisites
Completion of Nav L1: Coastal Navigation Fundamentals or equivalent chart and compass skills. You should be comfortable with:
- Reading chart symbols and measuring distances
- Taking a bearing from a chart and converting True to Magnetic
- Basic piloting techniques (handrailing, aiming off, backstops)
- The 60 D=ST formula
Equipment Required
Same tools as Nav L1, plus:
- CHS Tide and Current Tables (provided digitally)
- Sample weather forecasts (provided in course)
- Internet access for Environment Canada marine forecast practice
What's Next?
After Nav L2, you'll be ready for:
- Nav L3: Dead Reckoning & Position Fixing — navigate when you can't see
- Nav L4: Expedition Planning — multi-day trip logistics
- On-water navigation practice during skills courses and guided trips
Availability
Nav L2 launches Fall 2026. Join the waitlist to be notified when registration opens — and get early-bird pricing.