Canoe Camping

Experience Canoe Camping

Ottawa is in the middle of a canoeing paradise! Beautiful lakes and rivers are within a short drive. Enjoy a range of relaxed evening paddles, day trips and weekends, to extended wilderness expeditions. Come and explore these and other wonderful wilderness areas with us!

Everyone is welcome!
Individuals wishing to experience Canoe Camping may:

Join the RA Canoe Camping Club.
Club Members enjoy a number of benefits including friends to paddle with, organized, volunteer led day-trips, camping trips and year-round social events, preferred member pricing on training and clinics, discounts at retailers and outfitters, plus access (while on club trips) to the RACCC fleet of whitewater and flatwater canoes, touring kayaks and camping equipment.

- OR -

Register for Training & Courses – Open to everyone – No membership required.
For skills, fun, safety and friends to paddle with! Amazing training programs and courses for beginners to accomplished paddlers and campers/trippers. Whether you have little or a lot of experience, there are affordable courses to help you learn new or to refine and update your skills. And, it is a great way to meet other paddlers! Open to Club Members and non-members.

RACCC Website

Please visit www.raccc.ca for detailed information on the RA Canoe Camping Club's activities and programs.

RACC Website

RACCC website is maintained by Club volunteers.

Join the RA Canoe Camping Club

The RA Canoe Camping Club (RACCC) is all about friendship, paddling and exploring our amazing Canadian lakes and rivers. We have over 270 members including adults and families of all ages and abilities. Their skills range from novices to advanced paddlers, from beginner campers to expedition leaders. The Club offers both flatwater and whitewater programs, with tandem and solo boats.

Club members enjoy evening outings, day trips, weekend trips or extended wilderness expeditions. RACCC offers a wide variety of recreational trips organized under flatwater, whitewater programs, complemented by a well-rounded training program. Club members collaboratively host hundreds of trips, training and social events during the paddling season and throughout the year, offering an opportunity to participate in recreational canoeing and canoe tripping in a safe, well organized environment. The co-operative trips involve everyone which keeps costs down. RACCC trips and training are for beginners through advanced paddlers interested in both flatwater (lake) and whitewater (river) paddling.

We look forward to welcoming you to our family.

Club Membership Fees & Options

When you join an RA Club you are joining our not-for-profit Association. Active Club Members enjoy the benefits and privileges of an Association Membership for the duration of their Club membership.

Season: One year from date of purchase
Fee: $59 (+HST)
Adult may add their children (17 years or younger) to their membership at no additional cost.*
*Family Participation: No programming specific to children or teens is planned in 2024. Families that wish to participate together on a club trip can ask the trip leader if children or teens are permitted. A parent or guardian must be present throughout the trip.

RACCC Registration Form required -
Download the Registration Form (below) or complete one at RA Centre when you purchase your Canoe Camping Club Membership. If you are registering over the phone please complete the registration form and scan/email it to Member Services at [email protected]. Member Services have been instructed not to register any new members without first receiving the RA Canoe Camping Club Application Form.

Download in PDF - print & complete
Adult Registration Form | Adult with Children Registration Form

For more information on fees and how to join the RA Canoe Camping Club, please call RA Member Services at 613-733-5100 (360) or drop-by the RA Centre's East Wing Desk.

Register for Training & Courses – No membership required - Open to everyone.

RACCC offers Paddle Canada Certification Courses and non-certification Skills Coaching Sessions.
All our Paddle Canada Certification Courses are taught by our nationally certified Instructor Team. We are fortunate to have assistance from other club members with extensive knowledge and experience allowing a low instructor-student ratio and maximizing instruction and learning.

Registration may be done on-line through PlayRA, the RA's on-line registration system (please follow the directions on the site to activate your account), in person at the RA's East Member Services desk or by phone with RA Member Services at 613-733-5100 (360).

Please note: When registering on-line through PlayRA, the non-member price will initially appear in your basket. If you are eligible for the RA Canoe Camping Club member discount, the price will be automatically adjusted at check out. If the fee does not discount as expected, please contact RA Member Services at 613-733-5100 (360) or [email protected].

Whitewater Courses

Canoe Rolling Clinic

Ages 13 and up.
Minors require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the clinic.

Rolling is one of the more useful, and more difficult to learn whitewater skills. Knowing how to roll will make you more confident in big water and will increase your enjoyment of surfing. This clinic will provide three 90 minute pool sessions with coaching to help you develop or improve your roll. Sessions will take place at the Pinecrest Recreation Complex. Canoes will be provided.

Stay tuned for future sessions!

Whitewater Introduction to Solo or Tandem canoeing

Ages 13 and up.
Minors require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the course.

The tandem beginner training program is designed to bring paddlers with some flatwater paddling experience up to the level required for admission to the Whitewater List and participation in club trips. The course consists of one half-day in town segment to practise basic skills to move the boat, to learn about particular whitewater gear requirements and to plan the logistics for the weekend segment of the course. This half day will be followed by a full weekend at Palmers Rapids.

The solo beginners course is generally taken by paddlers with some tandem whitewater experience, but the club permits those who wish to begin with whitewater solo to do so. Paddlers who wish to start in a solo boat need to be aware that the learning curve is much steeper as there are additional skills for solo boating that must be learned at the same time.

Each of the following weekend sessions consists of one half-day in town preparatory segment as well as an out-of-town, 2-night camping weekend and course at Jessup’s Campground at Palmer Rapids. The course includes canoes and gear for the lessons, (including PFD and paddle if participants don't have their own).

Summer 2024 SESSIONS
Half-day preparatory segment
Location: RA Centre boathouse
AND
2-night camping weekend and course
Location: Jessup’s Campground at Palmer Rapids

Friday (no later than 4pm) - leave the RA Centre for campground*
Saturday course runs from 8:00am to 4:00pm, AND
Sunday course runs from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

* Participants will be responsible for travel, camping gear (and campground fees) and meals as coordinated by the course instructor. Carpooling will be arranged.

Stay tuned for future sessions

Intermediate Whitewater Canoeing

Ages 13 and up.
Minors require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the course.

The club will offer two intermediate skills courses this year: Paddle Canada Intermediate Tandem and Paddle Canada Intermediate Solo.

Paddle Canada Intermediate Tandem will review basic skills and then quickly move to more complex ones like back ferrying, jet ferrying, using holes, surfing and attainments. The use of river features and linking moves will be worked on during the course. Mastering intermediate tandem skills will make participants into confident river trippers.
Paddle Canada Intermediate Solo builds on the Introduction course by teaching familiar moves such as pealing out and eddying in in bigger water. It also introduces boofing, surfing, jet ferries and refining strokes and making linking moves. At least one season solo paddling is a prerequisite for this course.

Each of the following weekend courses consists of an out-of-town, 2-night camping weekend and course at Jessup’s Campground at Palmer Rapids. The course includes canoes and gear for the lessons, (including PFD and paddle if participants don't have their own).

Summer 2024 SESSIONS
2-night camping weekend and course
Location: Jessup’s Campground at Palmer Rapids

Friday (no later than 4pm) - leave the RA Centre for campground*
Saturday course runs from 8:00am to 4:00pm, AND
Sunday course runs from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

* Participants will be responsible for travel, campground fees and meals as coordinated by the course instructor. Carpooling will be arranged.

Stay tuned for future sessions

Advanced Whitewater Canoeing

Ages 13 and up.
Minors require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the course.

The club will also offer Paddle Canada Advanced Solo and Tandem courses this year.

These courses are aimed at producing paddlers who are confident in Class III water and can read and use river features to navigate on water where there are big waves and significant drops and obstacles. Some self-rescue ability is expected and will be developed on the course.

Each of the following weekend sessions consists of an out-of-town camping weekend and course. The venue will depend on water levels, but Palmer Rapids, the Ottawa River, the Petit Nation, the Rouge, and the Gatineau are all possible locations for this course.

Summer 2024 SESSIONS
Camping weekend and course
Location: TBD

Saturday course runs from 8:00am to 4:00pm, AND
Sunday course runs from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

* Participants will be responsible for their own boat, personal gear, transportation, camping gear (and campground fees) and meals as coordinated by the course instructor. Carpooling will be arranged.

Stay tuned for future sessions

Whitewater Instructor Training

Intermediate Tandem Instructor Course

For candidates seeking to upgrade their Paddle Canada Moving Water certification from Introduction Tandem instructors to Intermediate Tandem Instructors. It requires a Paddle Canada Tandem Advanced Skills certification as a prerequisite or by the instructor's permission.

Stay tuned for future sessions!

Sea Kayaking Course

Sea Kayak Level 1

Ages 16 and up.
Minors require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the course.

This course is aimed at new kayakers who are looking to plan and take day trips in mild conditions. Mild conditions have light winds, little or no current, easy landings. People who successfully complete the course can confidently paddle in class-1 conditions in the company of one or more paddlers with similar skills or knowledge.

Participants will meet at the RA Centre boathouse at 8:30am on Saturday and Sunday and return around 5:00pm each day. Carpooling to the training site at Shirleys Bay Boat Launch will be arranged.

Stay tuned for future sessions

Flatwater Courses

Lake (Flatwater) Introduction to Tandem Canoeing

Ages 12 and up.
Minors require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the course.

This course is for paddlers new to canoeing or those who have not taken any training and/or would like to update their skills. At the end of the course participants will have the confidence and basic skills to venture out on short paddling adventures in calm water conditions. To the extent possible, RACCC instructors tailor the course to the skill levels of the course participants. This helps to ensure that everyone gets value out the course. Read more...

Prerequisites:

Participants should be comfortable swimming while wearing a PFD.

The course includes canoes and gear for the lessons, (including PFD and paddle if participants don't have their own) and a "what to bring checklist". Participants will meet at the RA Centre boathouse at 8:45am on Saturday and Sunday and return around 5:00pm each day. Carpooling to the training site will be arranged.

Stay tuned for future sessions

Lake (Flatwater) Introduction to Solo Canoeing

Ages 14 and up.
Minors require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the course.

This Paddle Canada certification course introduces paddlers to solo canoeing in calm water. It assumes the participant has learned to paddle a tandem canoe previously (can control and steer from the stern). Read more...

Prerequisites:

Paddle Canada Lake Canoe Skills Introduction Tandem or equivalent skills (familiar with draw, pry, forwards, backwards, stop, J stroke and canoe transportation).
Participants must be able to carry and transport a canoe and your own equipment.

Intermediate Lake (flatwater) Canoeing

Ages 16 and up.
Minors require a parent or guardian to be present throughout the course.

The Intermediate Tandem Lake Canoeing certification expands of the paddlers canoe experience through skill refinement, additional skill development and awareness of environmental hazards. Participants will learn how to avoid and react to those hazards. At this level manoeuvres require expanded levels of teamwork and greater precision. The progression of activities will focus on safety, refinement of skills, introduction of new strokes and manoeuvers, environmental challenges and perform assisted rescue techniques. Read more....

Prerequisites:

Paddle Canada Lake Canoe Skills Introduction Tandem or equivalent skills (familiar with draw, pry, forwards, backwards, stop, J stroke and canoe transportation).

Participants will meet at the RA Centre Boathouse at 8:45am on Saturday and Sunday and return to the boathouse at 5:00pm each day. Carpooling to the training site will be arranged.

Stay tuned for future sessions

Tandem Thursdays

Ages 16 & up
Minors need to have parent/guardian on site during the training.

This skills coaching session is for paddlers of any skill level (beginner to advanced) to learn new skills and/or to refine existing skills. Instruction is based on participant's skills and interest. The instructor for this course has an extensive skill set and knowledge bank to draw from. Read more...

Prerequisites:

Must be comfortable swimming in deep water while wearing a PFD

Agenda:
9:15am: Meet at the RACCC Boathouse to organize canoes/gear
9:30am: Leave for the put-in location (TBD)
9:45am to 2:30pm: Canoeing Instruction (lunch and bio breaks)
2:30pm: Leave for the RACCC Boathouse to return canoes/gear

Please use this Checklist re: What to Bring

Stay tuned for future sessions

Private Flatwater lessons

Ages 16 & up
Minors need to have parent/guardian on site during the training.

Three hours of private lake canoeing skills coaching at any level. Learn the basics of paddling a canoe or improve your paddling techniques or learn more advanced canoe strokes, maneuvers and boat control (find out what a canoe can do). Read more...

Prerequisites:

Comfortable swimming in deep water while wearing a PFD.

The course includes canoes and gear for the lessons, (including PFD and paddle if participants don't have their own). The training location will be determined based on the weather conditions. The instructor will confirm location with the participants well prior to the lesson.

Summer 2024 Sessions
Solo or Tandem Options
You need to organize your tandem lesson partner.

Stay tuned for future sessions!

FEE (plus HST)
RACC Member: $100/per session/per person
Non-RACC Member: $200/per session/per person

Canoe Tripping & Camping Course

Introduction to Canoe Tripping & Camping

Ages 18 and up.

This course is intended to provide an introduction to canoe tripping for those who have no previous camping experience or who have “car camped” but done little or no backcountry camping. The course will focus on skills and gear suitable to canoe tripping. While there is a considerable knowledge and theory component to the course, the course is very “hands on” and centres on the planning and conduct of a weekend trip in Algonquin Park.

Prerequisites

No tripping or camping experience is required. Participants should have had experience day tripping on sheltered water, but only basic paddling skills will be required to paddle from the put-in to the camp site.

This course will be in two parts, one delivered on two consecutive weekday evenings beginning at 7:00pm at the boathouse at the RA Centre, and the second a camping weekend at Rock Lake in Algonquin Park leaving town Friday at noon and returning Sunday evening. The first evening session will be a discussion and demonstration of gear. This will include personal gear such as clothes and packs and group gear such as stoves, water filters, tarps and cooking equipment. The second evening will be devoted to actually planning the trip: tents, food and cooking, transportation, selection of boats and reserving and sign out any club gear required. The actual trip itself will be from the Rock Lake boat launch to sites about 2-3 km away on Rock Lake. Camp set-up, camp sanitation, cooking, knots and tarps, portaging, risk management and expedition behaviour will all be discussed. Read more...

Stay tuned for future sessions!

* Course fee covers Paddle Canada registration, boat rental and use of any club gear required. The club has pfds and paddles for all, a good assortment of canoe tripping packs, cooking gear and stoves and a limited number of tents. Transportation will be with participants’ vehicles with shared expenses, including park parking fees (not included in course fee). Food expenses are also not covered by the course fee. The group will decide as to whether they wish to share meals or all pack individual food.

Winter Seminar Series

Once again, the RA Canoe Camping Club (RACCC) is hosting its popular winter seminar series.
The seminars cover a wide range of topics related to paddling and the outdoors.
Seminars are open to club members as well as non-club members.

Seminars on YouTube

Check out this season's seminars

Feb 7 - Maps & Paddling
Click to view on YouTube.

Feb 14 - Canoeing Ontario's Rivers
Click to view on YouTube.

Mar 6 - Paddling The Madre De Dios River in Peru
Click to view on YouTube.

Mar 13 - Tatshensheni and Alsek Rivers
Click to view on YouTube

Seminars will be posted as they become available.

Be sure to visit the RACCC YouTube channel at for all past seasons' seminars.

Upcoming 2025 Winter Seminars

There are currently no seminars scheduled. Stay tuned for more information.

How to participate:
RACCC Club members can get the joining instructions from the calendar on the club website. For security reasons and to help ensure that we do not exceed the capacity of our Zoom account, we ask club members not to share the zoom details with non-club members.

Non-club members can get the joining instructions by contacting Mark at [email protected]. The details will be sent starting about 2 weeks before the seminar up until the day before the seminar.

The "Canoeing Across Canada" video (above) is part of the Club's Winter Seminar Series. The complete series from this year as well as past seasons are available to view on the RACC YouTube channel by clicking here.