I was surprised and delighted when Karen inquired in early May 2016 about registering her and her 14 year-old grandson Kaleb in our Map & Compass Course, as I recalled she had taken the course several years ago. Doing it again with her grandson sounded like a great way to get some extended family involvement – this being a first for a grandparent and a grandchild taking the course together! Here are their short stories about how things worked out…
Karen & Kaleb working together on the classroom mapping exercise ©canoeski.com
Because You Could Learn Something
By Kaleb
I took the Map & Compass course because it sounded fun and I knew it would help me learn something, but I would still enjoy it. The instructions were explained well and I knew what Cliff was talking about. Going outside to use these skills was a lot of fun because you got to try the skills you just learned. The course can be used if you like the outdoors like me, so you could use these skills you acquired. The instructors there are extremely nice and will answer all questions about the course. I hope everyone some time takes this course because you could learn something.
Karen and Kaleb (foreground) taking a compass bearing at Chief Whitecap Park. Cliff (left) instructing. ©canoeski.com
A Few Laughs While Orienteering and Bonding With Family
By Karen
It was over 10 years ago when I took this map and compass course for the first time with a friend. It was helpful during canoeing and hiking trips, but particularly so when I got involved in orienteering and adventure racing. During these team events, my mates were able to rely on the navigation skills I gained and practiced from this course.
In more recent years I have not practiced these skills very much, so when I noticed the CanoeSki map and compass course offering again, I thought it would be great to refresh, and decided to invite my grandson Kaleb who I thought might find this interesting given his math and natural science curiosity. When I mentioned the course to him, he was instantly excited and unsurprisingly, he caught on to the concepts easily in the morning classroom session.
Kaleb heading down to the orienteering course on the forested floodplain at Whitecap Park ©canoeski.com
Cliff’s classroom instruction was clear, and his assistants were great in clarifying any queries we had during the practice tasks. The afternoon at the park was when the real fun started as we were able to practice our new skills. When we arrived at the park, Cliff and his team reviewed the map and compass skills with everyone before sending us off for the real test – to find check points on the orienteering course.
Course participants at the start on the Whitecap orienteering trails. Karen & Kaleb at left foreground. ©canoeski.com
Kaleb and I worked hard and got off course a few times, but ultimately we had a few laughs, got to improve our navigation skills, and found all of the check points (just) within the allotted time. This is a great skill development course, and so gratifying to do with family or friends. Cliff and his team are patient, and put a lot of hard work into making this map & compass course worthwhile!
All finished! ©canoeski.com
To read other fascinating map and compass stories click here
For more info or to register for a CanoeSki map and compass course click here
