Adventure Therapy

Activity Title: Basic Canoe Skills: Entering/exiting a canoe and how to control a canoe.
Source: D'urfe, B. (2004, August 23). Canoe Skills. Retrieved September 7, 2016, from
https://www.cornellcollege.edu/politics/courses/allin/371/canoeskills.pdf
Equipment:

Canoes
Paddles are used in this activity to steer the canoe.
Personal Flotation Device, also known as a lifejacket, are needed for the participants in
case the individual does not know how to swim.
All participants need a helmet. The helmet must have holes in it to allow the water to
drain freely in case of a capsized canoe.

Activity Description: This activity is a leisure activity designed for individuals to experience
nature. The purpose of this activity is to teach the participants on how to enter or exit a canoe and
how to steer the canoe. This activity helps the participant with their communication skills with
their partners, their motor skills, enhance their overall fitness, and ability to relax. Adventure
therapy is used to help apply real life experiences in nature to help individuals in their current
life at home. In order to enter or exit a canoe safely, you should place the canoe parallel to the
shore (Durfe, 2004). If not, the canoe could become vulnerable and unstable and could lead to
the canoe being capsized. To enter into a canoe, place one hand on the near gunwale, meaning
the edge of the canoe, and one foot in the center of the canoe (Durfe, 2004). Stay low while
using your other hand to grab the other side of the canoe while you transfer your weight to the
foot that is inside of the canoe. When you place your other foot into the canoe, stay on your
knees while youre other partners board. Depending on the size of your canoe, you could have up

to three people in one canoe. After everyone has boarded into the canoe, then you could go into
your paddle position.
There are only two actions possible with the canoe paddle: you can place the paddle in the
water and pull the canoe towards the paddle, or you can place the paddle in the water and push
the canoe away from it, (Durfe, 2004). To paddle, always keep your paddle as near vertical as
you can. Your upper hand should be at eye level while your lower hand is as fully extended.
Place the blade into the water and push with your upper hand. When you are stroking, keep the
paddle in front of you. Do not allow the strokes to pass beyond your body because this will cause
you to waste more effort. When placing the paddle into the water, always move the canoe to the
paddle. Slide the blade out of the water by dropping the top hand and feather the blade during
the recovery, (Durfe, 2004). After every five to six strokes, you could switch sides to keep the
canoe going straight. When paddling with two individuals, it becomes a team effort to help steer
the canoe. The individual in the front, known as the bow, is the one with the power strokes to
keep the canoe moving. The individual in the back, known as the stern, adds power as well but is
usually the one who steers the canoe in the right direction. Both the bow and stern individuals
paddle on different sides. If one overpowers the other, it will cause the canoe to go out of course.
Each individual needs to paddle the same force and maintain the same pace. Communication is
key in this activity.
Leadership Consideration: It is recommended that they have a proper instructor that should
lead this activity. CTRS could go in this activity and he or she gets to go canoeing with the
participants. Depending on the size of the canoe, you could have up to three people in a canoe.
Each group field trip consist of five canoes and has up to three guide leaders. Before going on
any canoe trip, it is recommended for the guides to be properly trained in certain topics such as:
water regulations, rescue techniques, paddling techniques, water rescue and water safety, trip
planning, weather knowledge, environmental practices, hypothermia and first aid, equipment
handling and packing, and leadership skills (Durfe, 2004). Before going canoeing, the
participants should be briefed on what you should do when you have been capsized and how to
get back on the canoe. They should also go over the swimming techniques as well in case they
are in the water. The leader should also explain the importances of safety gear and that they
should wear it at all times when canoeing.
Participants Adaptation: For individuals with amputations/ limb loss: Many individuals
today have either experienced a limb loss or an amputation. Some individuals were born with
limb loss while others have amputations from either a battle wound in war, a disease, or a
traumatic accident. Looking at the website of Disabled Sports USA, they have many adaptations
that could help people with either lower limb loss or upper limb loss. According to disabled
sports USA their program helps all individuals with different types of limb loss. Individuals
with at least one lower limb can learn how to control a kayak with foot-operated rubber controls,
individuals with bilateral lower limb amputation/impairment can learn how to use paddle strokes
to control direction of a kayak or vaa, (Disabled Sports USA). To help prevent a canoe from
capsizing, their adaptive program has two different ways to help. One way is their canoe are
rigged with a double hull catamaran configuration. A second choice is to use a single hull that are

rigged with the addition of a safety ama, which is attached to the right side of the canoe. Spray
skirt is a device used for individuals with quadriplegia to help hold them upright in the boat.
Adaptations for individuals with special needs:
Jan Whitaker, President of Paralympic Sport Club, said, Outrigger canoeing is safe and fun and
the equipment used is adaptable to accommodate people with disabilities from all five major
disability groups- amputations, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, intellectual
disability, and other, (Disabled Sports USA). Cape Ability Outrigger Ohana (CAOO) is another
organization in which helps provide adaptive canoeing to individuals with special needs. Not
only do they provide outrigger canoe but also offer more adaptive equipment. They offer a
variety of seats that enable individuals who need more support to enjoy an outing on the water.
This organization has been working with other organizations such as Developmental Disabilities
Services Office.
Adaptation References:
(n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2016, from http://www.disabledsportsusa.org/sport/canoeing/
(n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2016, from http://archive.disabledsportsusa.org/canoe/
(2016). Retrieved September 7, 2016, from
http://www.adaptivecanoeing.org/programs/recreational-paddling/