Navigators
Age:11-13
Length: 5 days
Location: Algonquin Park Region, Ontario
Designed as a stepping stone from the Young Adventurers trips to more challenging programs like River Trek, Navigators is an opportunity for children from 11 to 13 to enjoy the “thrills” of whitewater canoeing. This trip provides an appropriate challenge for “older” elevens or “younger” thirteen’s. The same relaxed pace as the Young Adventurers program allows our staff to help foster a sense of confidence in moving water through instruction, practice and games.
Most participants arrive to Navigators with little or no canoeing or camping experience, so instruction in basic canoe-tripping and whitewater paddling skills are provided on a daily basis. Participants are taught and nurtured by mature guides who understand the difficulties young teenagers can face in a challenging environment. With a staff to tripper ratio of 1:4, each participant receives the attention they need.
The trip consists of beginner level whitewater, that keeps it exciting but doesn’t look daunting. The rive is in the Algonquin Park area, so there is lots of scenery and wildlife to take in as well as the beauty of the river. Our relaxed schedule allows us to enjoy most sites for 2 days and 2 nights. At each set of rapids, the participants are given the opportunity to challenge themselves to their own level. They can run the rapid or they can choose to walk around while encouraging their tripmates from the river’s shores. All Navigators portage around any rapids deemed by the Guides to be beyond the skill level of the group.
As with other canoe trip programs, each participant is counted on to help with daily activities such as cooking and campsite setup and takedown, but the fun is equally shared as well. Warm summer nights around the campfire are filled with stories and song. The triumphs of the day retold, the triumphs of tomorrow eagerly anticipated.