Experience Canoe Camping
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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:
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RACCC Website
Please visit www.raccc.ca for detailed information on the RA Canoe Camping Club's activities and programs.
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.
RACCC Annual Membership
Twelve (12) months from date of purchase
Fees: $59 + $4.43 FRF* = $63.43 (plus tax)
*A 7.5% Facility Renewal Fee is applied.
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.
RACCC Annual Membership
Twelve (12) months from date of purchase
Fees: $59 + $4.43 FRF* = $63.43 (plus tax)
*A 7.5% Facility Renewal Fee is applied.
Winter 2026 Seminar SeriesOnce again, the RA Canoe Camping Club (RACCC) will be hosting its popular winter seminar series. The seminars will cover a wide range of topics related to paddling and the outdoors. Some of the club’s previous seminars are available on the RACCC YouTube channel.
All of our seminars are open to club members as well as non-club members. Four of our seminars will be held in person at the RA Centre (2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa). They will be on Wednesdays at 7:00pm. No registration is required for these seminars. These seminars will not be available online. One of the seminars will be held online using Zoom. The current list of seminars is below. The club anticipates adding more seminars in the coming months. The list of seminars is available on the RACCC website at www.raccc.ca. The RACCC is preparing documents and information sessions about the club. If non-club members would like to receive more information about the club, they can send a message to [email protected] and we will add them to our email list. They can be removed from the email list whenever they like. Be sure to visit the RACCC YouTube channel at for all past seasons' seminars. Tuesday February 17
How to be a happy camper NOTE: This seminar is being held virtually using Zoom. Author, Kevin Callan (a.k.a. The Happy Camper) shares the importance of spending time in nature and why it helps heal us mentally and physically. This is an informative and very entertaining presentation that shouldn't be missed. Kevin (aka The Happy Camper) is the author of 20 books, his latest being a children's book A Spark Of Courage. He is an award-winning writer and a keynote speaker at outdoor events across North America. Kevin is also a regular guest on several television morning shows and CBC Radio. He has won several film awards, writes a column for Paddling Magazine and Explore Magazine. Kevin was listed one of the top 100 modern day explorers by the Canadian Geographical Society. He was also made Patron Paddler for Paddle Canada. Check out his web site at www.kevincallan.com and YouTube channel KCHappyCamper. Wednesday March 4
The Yukon River Quest: From Whitehorse to Dawson and Back Again. And Again. And Again. NOTE: This seminar is being held in person at the RA Centre (2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa). Discover the wonders of the Yukon River Quest, a grueling yet surprisingly accessible—not to mention addictive! —paddling race that takes you from Whitehorse to Dawson City through 700 kilometres of fast-moving water and spectacular views under the midnight sun. How do you prepare? What should you eat? How do you stay awake? What if you have to pee—or worse? How do you navigate? And what should you do once you finally reach the finish line? Come get a taste of this amazing event and place, enjoy the views and hear all about sleep deprivation, wild hallucinations, and epic butt blisters! It's type 2 fun at its best! Sophie Coupal spends most of her summers running and paddling in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. She discovered marathon paddling in 2014 and has been racing canoes ever since. She has competed in numerous races in Canada and the United States, including the Yukon River Quest three times, earning second place overall in 2023 with her C2 partner. She has a soft spot for ultra-long-distance canoe races but loves even more the incredible friends and community she has found along the way. Wednesday March 11
Short STories about 4 different northern rivers NOTE: This seminar is being held in person at the RA Centre (2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa). This presentation recounts Emily’s experiences on the Quoich, Mountain, Nahanni, and Yukon rivers.The presentation is also about being a about being a client on a guided trip, paddling just with friends, and guiding trips. Emily was fortunate enough to grow up directly on the shores of the Ottawa river. She has had a deep and enduring love of both paddling and wild places for longer than she can remember. After endlessly begging her parents for a canoe they eventually gave in, and she was given a used Grumman on her seventh birthday; it was the start of a lifelong love affair with being on the water. Knowing she wanted to spend as much time outside as possible Emily started her professional career as an exploration geologist looking for gold in the Canadian Shield, but she switched to teaching high school during her child-rearing years with a few breaks along the way to do stints as a drill-rig supervisor. Since retiring in 2021 she has spent as much time as possible with oars or paddles in her hands, going on trips with friends but also working as a whitewater raft guide, a canoe instructor, and as a guide on canoe trips in the high arctic. Wednesday March 25
paddle for resilience NOTE: This seminar is being held in person at the RA Centre (2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa). The "Paddle for Resilience 2025" presentation outlines the 32-day, 1,000+ kilometre canoeing journey along the entire length of the Ottawa River, from its Headwaters (Lac des Outaouais in NW Quebec) to Ottawa. This expedition was a fundraising effort for Wounded Warriors Canada. The presentation is organized into five main parts: The Mission & The River: Why we did this and how the river's characteristics shaped our plan.
Link to video: https://youtu.be/1x_uvHi0Qig — a trailer that outlines the expedition. Shawn spent over 30 years in the army, commissioning as an officer from the ranks. He completed numerous overseas and domestic deployments. A former combat engineer (sapper) once laughed mid-gunfight. This exemplifies his core worldview: enthusiastically embrace challenges, maintain forward momentum, and clear the way. At Gasparotto Group, he applies this by helping leaders navigate personal minefields and bridge knowledge gaps, ensuring they move forward and "struggle well." Shawn asserts that leadership is a combination of instinct and purposeful work. Shawn co-led the 2025 Paddle for Resilience, a 33-day, 1,000-km Ottawa River canoe expedition with Mark Gasparotto. The trip supported Wounded Warriors Canada, raising $100,000, and featured exceptional Canadians challenging their resilience. wednesday April 1
great Bear Rainforest NOTE: This seminar is being held in person at the RA Centre (2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa). Tucked away in the coastal mountains and island archipelago of British Columbia's northern coast lies one of the most breathtakingly beautiful and biologically productive places on earth. This region, known as the Great Bear Rainforest, is also home to 26 different First Nations, whose cultures are as rich as the lands and waters they call home. Drawing on 20 years of experience as a Great Bear Rainforest guide, Tim Irvin will take us on a virtual tour of this magnificent place, sharing stories and images from his years of exploring the Rainforest with his guests. Tim Irvin's big plan was to become a wildlife biologist. After two degrees in ecology and numerous research jobs studying everything from lynx, songbirds, marten, squirrels, amphibians, and more, he was offered a job guiding grizzly bear tours in a fjord in British Columbia. That’s when the original plan began to fall apart. Tim got distracted by the toothy wildlife and the breathtaking beauty of the Great Bear Rainforest. Quite simply, the allure of the guiding life was too much to ignore. Now, instead of collecting and crunching data as a biologist, Tim communicates science and shares his passion for wildlife as a guide. |
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.
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Summer 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.
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 Guest Services desk or by phone with RA Guest 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 Guest Services at 613-733-5100 (360) or [email protected].
Thank you for your interest in summer training & courses. All 2025 courses have concluded. Please stay tuned for future sessions!
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 Guest Services at 613-733-5100 (360) or [email protected].
Thank you for your interest in summer training & courses. All 2025 courses have concluded. Please stay tuned for future sessions!
Stay in shape with a Club LifeFIT Membership!
Members of the RA Canoe Camping Club can purchase an Annual LifeFIT Membership and save over 22%!
Canoe Camping Club Member Rate: $391.68 + $29.38 FRF* = $421.06 (+HST)
Buy or renew your membership through Guest Services at the East Entrance! Learn about membership benefits here!
*A 7.5% Facility Renewal Fee is applied.
Canoe Camping Club Member Rate: $391.68 + $29.38 FRF* = $421.06 (+HST)
Buy or renew your membership through Guest Services at the East Entrance! Learn about membership benefits here!
*A 7.5% Facility Renewal Fee is applied.
