Training will be available next month in Hay River on becoming a kayaking day guide.
Dale Loutit, the recreation programmer with the Town of Hay River, has arranged for a Vancouver-based kayaking instructor with Skills Canada to offer a six-day course from June 19 to June 24.
"It's going to cover everything in the six days," she said, listing such things as rollovers, safely pulling a person out of the water when a kayak capsizes, wilderness First Aid, reading the weather, and more.
The training is part of Loutit's goal to see more kayaking on the Hay River and Great Slave Lake.
"It's a wonderful water system that I'd like to utilize more," she said.
In the past two years, Loutit offered a kayaking activity called Social Paddle on the Hay River.
She noted that, in the first year, no one showed up for the activity, but last year up to 18 kayakers participated.
However, that success created a problem in that safety guidelines require that there be one kayaking day guide for every five other kayakers.
There was only one trained kayaking day guide in the community – Craig Edwards, an employee of NWT Centennial Library who has since moved south.
That meant the numbers for the Social Paddle had to be capped at five when Edwards was available to be the guide.
Currently, there is no trained kayaking day guide in Hay River and the Social Paddle can't take place until there is one.
"My program is on hold until I find the right person," said Loutit.
She is hoping a kayaking day guide will become available as a result of next month's training.
"My goal is to hopefully get one person that represents the town into the program so that we could have a staff member that can work for me afterwards that's certified," she said.
The training will be limited to five participants because of the safety guideline.
Loutit has received interest in the training, and she is aiming offer it for local people in Hay River, the Hay River Reserve and Enterprise.
In that way, she hopes some trained kayaking day guides might be interested afterwards in volunteering for programs.
Loutit noted kayaking is becoming more popular, and it offers great socializing and physical activity.
"I just want to bring kayaking to the community," she said, noting it would also be good for tourism.