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What a 180! 2020 was looking like it would be the best year ever! So much so that Canpaddle became no more and Green Tongue Adventures was established. Every spring I had been working at capacity. Almost turning away clients, then finding the time or capacity to run the requested service. Well in truth I have been having to turn certain clients away because I was unable to provide that one thing. Finally, after last season, I thought I had the critical mass to commit to something more. For anyone who has worked with me, taken a canoe, Swift Water course or done staff training with they may have an idea what Canpaddle was, or wasn't.
For the last 13 years I have had the good fortune to provide canoe instructor and swift water rescue courses, and consulting to local schools, guides, outfitters, agencies etc. All of which I was able to fit into my full time working schedule as a shift worker. I am a full time Advanced Care Paramedic in Canmore, Alberta. We have four days off at a time. The perfect amount of time for a SRT or Paddle Canada instructors course. What a blessing! So many of my co workers either have to work extra shifts or have second job. Id have to say that apart from the one guy who owns his own gold mine my side gig is the coolest. So Canpaddle was basically me myself and I running courses to the standard returning customers every spring an summer. The smaller side of it would be skills courses, spin off from guides and outfitters and friends looking to improve their comfort on the water. All along my clients have ben asking for me to teach Wilderness First Aid and some folks asking for an expedition outfitted. It was only a couple years ago that I played with the use of a web site and therefore a name, thus Canpaddle
While I began booking up for this season, sometime before christmas, I was happy to be securing new contracts requiring outfitting. Also I was invited to go to a Wilderness First Aid Instructors course this last march and so committed in the anticipation of running Wilderness First Aid courses. Already I was stressing about managing the volume. Will I have to hire another instructor? Will I have to rent trailers, boats, and equipment? Ultimately the answer was yes, yes and yes. So why rent anything when I could buy it and charge for the rental for each course? Why try to teach everything when I have access to some of the best instructors and guides in the Bow Valley? I think the answers are all obvious when your a glass half full type of person who gets inspired where there are opportunities to get
people on the water. And that might be me.
So here we are, entering what would be my busiest time of year with a trailer full of new gear and no contracts. I have nothing to complain about though considering the state of things and the uncertainty many people are facing. I have a full time position working at an essential job. I live and work in an amazing town and I now have the opportunity to offer so much more with all the new gear!