Beautiful day in Lower Prospect to get out on the water and learn how to paddle 🌊☀️
Today we’re running a @paddlecanada Basic Kayak Skills course here at ECO — where Halifax learns how to paddle. 😉
Perfect timing too, because this week marks Safe Boating Awareness Week across Canada. One of the 5 key boating safety messages is simple: take a boating course. Learning proper paddling skills, rescue techniques, trip planning, and cold-water awareness helps make your entire paddling season safer and more enjoyable.
The 5 key Safe Boating Awareness Week reminders:
🛟 Wear your lifejacket
🚫 Boat sober
🌊 Be cold water safe
📚 Take a boating course
⚓ Be prepared — you and your vessel
There’s no better time to build confidence on the water and get ready for a full season of paddling around Nova Scotia.
@csbc_boatingtips@canoekayakns@cbc_eastcoast
#paddleNS #PaddleCanada #SafeBoating #NovaScotia #seakayaking
A lifejacket can only save your life if you’re wearing it.
Today’s lifejackets and PFDs are designed for comfort, movement, and every type of boating activity — from paddling and fishing to sailing and powerboating.
Before heading out:
✔ Make sure your lifejacket fits snugly and securely
✔ Check that it’s approved and in good condition
✔ Ensure every passenger has one that fits properly
Cold water, unexpected waves, or sudden falls overboard can happen fast. Wearing your lifejacket gives you the best chance to stay afloat and survive.
Don’t just carry it — wear it.
Learn more about lifejackets at the CSBC website by clicking on the link in our bio
#SBAW2026 #SafeBoatingAwarenessWeek #CSBC #BetterBoater #BoatingTips #BoatingSafety #SafeBoating #KnowBeforeYouGo #BoatSober #Lifejackets #WearIt #ColdWaterAwareness #1-10-1 #ColdWaterSurvival #BoatCourse #BePrepared #BoatingLife #WishIWasBoating #BetterBoaterApp
Safe Boating Awareness Week is here! From May 16–22, the Canadian Safe Boating Council and its partners are sharing important reminders to help keep everyone safe on the water this season.
Whether you’re paddling, fishing, sailing, or cruising, boating safety starts before you leave the dock.
This year’s five key boating safety messages are:
1. Wear Your Lifejacket
2. Boat Sober
3. Take a Boating Course
4. Be Prepared – You and Your Vessel
5. Be Cold Water Safe
A little preparation can make every boating trip a safe and memorable one.
Learn more and find boating safety resources at the CSBC website by clicking on the link in our bio.
#SBAW2026 #SafeBoatingAwarenessWeek #CSBC #BetterBoater #BoatingTips #BoatingSafety #SafeBoating #KnowBeforeYouGo #BoatSober #Lifejackets #WearIt #ColdWaterAwareness #1-10-1 #ColdWaterSurvival #BoatCourse #BePrepared #BoatingLife #WishIWasBoating #BetterBoaterApp
Toronto Police Marine Unit. - Safe Boating Awareness Week
Ensure your saftey equipment is appropriate and accessible, and you are wearing your life jacket when out on the water. ^ks
🛟 Safe Boating Awareness Week is almost HERE! May 16–22, 2026
.
Tip #1: Learn More, Cruise Better, Explore Farther by upskilling with: CanBoat.ca
.
Confidence on the water starts with knowing what you’re doing.
.
If you operate a power-driven boat, you’re required to have a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) - but that’s just the beginning. CanBoat courses can help you build skills in navigation, safety, and handling different situations on the water.
.
Whether you’re new or experienced, Take a CanBoat Course and make every outing safer - and more fun. Find a course at: CanBoat.ca and visit: csbc.ca for more information about Safe Boating Week.
.
#SBAW2026 #SafeBoatingAwarenessWeek #SafeBoating #KnowBeforeYouGo #cottagelife #boatlife #sailinglife #boating #sailing #fishing #outdoors #adventure #seadoo #jetski #padding #victoriaday #longweekend
National Emergency Preparedness Week is an important reminder that preparation saves lives.
This year’s theme is: Be Prepared. Know Your Risks.
While this week encourages Canadians to prepare for natural disasters and emergencies at home, the same core principles apply on the water, especially cold water. Cold water conditions can change quickly, and even experienced boaters can find themselves in dangerous situations without warning.
Being prepared means:
✔️ Wearing a lifejacket or PFD
✔️ Checking weather and water conditions before heading out
✔️ Having the right safety equipment onboard
✔️ Filing a trip plan and letting someone know where you’re going
✔️ Understanding the risks of cold water immersion and hypothermia
✔️ Knowing what to do in an emergency
Preparation isn’t just about reacting when something goes wrong — it’s about making smart decisions before you leave the dock.
Take time this week to review your emergency plans at home, at work, and on the water. The more prepared you are, the safer you and your family.
Visit the CSBC website by clicking on the link in our bio to learn more about Cold Water Awareness, access resources to help you stay safe, prepared, and protected every time you head out on the water or sign up for one of our Cold Water Awareness courses.
#CSBC #BetterBoater #BoatLikeABoss #BossBoater #BoatingTips #BoatingSafety #SafeBoating #KnowBeforeYouGo #BoatSober #Lifejackets #WearIt #ColdWaterAwareness #1-10-1 #ColdWaterSurvival #BoatCourse #BePrepared #BoatingLife #WishIWasBoating #WithinReach
Even when the water looks calm, a spring boating adventure can turn dangerous in seconds — and not all dangers are labelled.
You could slip on a wet deck, lean too far over the side, lose balance while landing a fish, or be caught off guard by waves or boat wake. If you unexpectedly fall overboard, your first reaction may be a sudden gasp — and in cold spring water, that gasp can be deadly if you are not wearing a lifejacket.
Boaters often prepare for mechanical problems with tools, spare parts, and extra fuel. But are you prepared for an unexpected fall into the water?
Before you head out this spring, ask yourself: if I fell in, would I gasp in surprise?
And would I be wearing my lifejacket when it happened?
Visit the CSBC website by clicking on the link in our bio to learn more about Cold Water Awareness, including how your body reacts to sudden immersion — like the involuntary gasp response — and access resources to help you stay safe, prepared, and protected every time you head out on the water.
#CSBC #BetterBoater #BoatLikeABoss #BossBoater #BoatingTips #BoatingSafety #SafeBoating #KnowBeforeYouGo #BoatSober #Lifejackets #WearIt #ColdWaterAwareness #1-10-1 #ColdWaterSurvival #BoatCourse #BePrepared #BoatingLife #WishIWasBoating #WithinReach
DO YOU KNOW THE RISKS? If you are heading out paddling at this time of year, you need to be aware of the danger. On Saturday, April 25, only 1 to 2 feet into the water, the temperature was 4.4°C. Please note, it is much colder deeper down, which is where you will end up if you capsize. As I experienced in 2024, after over 20 years of paddling, I suddenly ended up in the water. It can happen in an instant. Whenever you go out on the water, you should plan for accidental immersion. ALWAYS wear your PFD. During cold water season you should be wearing a drysuit and take a multitude of safety precautions. If you do not own a drysuit and you have to paddle, bring a ditch kit, stay close to shore, and take every precaution possible. Dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature.
My only goal is that everyone arrives home alive, this paddling season. Too many deaths occur because people are not properly prepared. I don’t want that to happen to you. Please know the risks, or wait a few weeks until the water warms up and offers you more time to recover. 🙏❤️
#CamperChristina #ColdWaterSafety #ColdWaterPaddling
It’s National Volunteer Week in Canada!
At the Canadian Safe Boating Council, everything we do is powered by people—our incredible volunteers, partners, ambassadors and supporters who help bring our mission to life: promoting safe and responsible boating across the country.
Your time, energy, and passion make a real difference. Because of you, recreational boating in Canada is safer for everyone.
Thank you for all that you do—we couldn’t do it without you.
Boat Safe, eh?
#IVY26
Cold water doesn’t wait—and neither should your training.
Build the skills and confidence to respond when it matters most. This hands-on workshop covers cold water immersion, hypothermia response, and real-world rescue techniques to help you stay prepared on and around the water.
🌊 Learn how your body reacts in cold water
🧊 Understand hypothermia and how to respond
🚨 Practice real-world rescue strategies
📅 May 14, 2026
📍 Toronto Harbour Nautical Centre
💲 $185/person
Spots are limited—secure yours today.
Registration closes April 30
Link in bio to register!
#ColdWaterSafety #WaterSafety #RescueSkills #OutdoorEducation #PaddlingSafety #BePrepared
The April Newsletter is now available.
Stay informed and up to date with the latest from the CSBC and our boating community, including:
• NEW In-Person Cold Water Workshop (May 14 in Toronto)
• Cold Water Safety & Operational Readiness
• Global Strategy for Drowning Prevention
• CSBC Membership Reminder
Save the Date for:
• AGM, Wed May 20, 2026 – this year it will be a virtual meeting
• CSBC Symposium 2026 – Sept 22-24, 2026 in Quebec City
See the latest Newsletters on the CSBC website by clicking on the link in our bio and going to the Newsletter page.
#csbc #boatingsafety #boatingtips #wearit #hol #lifejackets #safeboating #knowbeforeyougo #boatnotesapp #1-10-1 #SARawareness #operationdrywater #ODW #stretchingtheseason #boatsober #coldwaterawareness #CASBA
**Photo credit: Jeff Frenette
Early-season boating can come with hidden risks. While the sun may feel warm, the water is still dangerously cold, especially on lakes where the ice just finished melting — and there are fewer people around if something goes wrong.
If you’re heading out, remember 1-10-1 — three simple numbers that can save your life:
1 minute – Your body reacts with cold shock. You’ll gasp and breathe rapidly. Stay calm — it passes in about a minute.
10 minutes – You have approximately 10 minutes of meaningful movement. Use this time to get back in your boat, reach shore, or float in the HELP position to conserve heat.
1 hour – You have a minimum of 1 hour before hypothermia can make you unconscious — if you’re wearing a lifejacket, you’ll stay afloat and keep breathing.
Cold water survival is possible — but only if you’re prepared. Always wear your lifejacket
Visit the CSBC website by clicking on the link in our bio to explore our Cold Water Awareness courses and access valuable resources to help you stay safe, build your knowledge, and respond effectively in cold water situations.
#CSBC #BetterBoater #BoatLikeABoss #BossBoater #BoatingTips #BoatingSafety #SafeBoating #KnowBeforeYouGo #BoatSober #Lifejackets #WearIt #ColdWaterAwareness #1-10-1 #ColdWaterSurvival #BoatCourse #BePrepared #BoatingLife #WishIWasBoating #WithinReach
