Paddling
Paddling is a great way to experience nature and the outdoors – a totally different perspective from the water.
A variety of options exist in the Scout program to try out some new skills – canoeing, kayaking, sea kayaking and stand up paddle boarding to name a few.
How to make it happen
Come and Try Paddling Session
Youth Members can experience some paddling at the Centre for Adventurous Activities, Glenelg North on weeknights
Where possible groups need to provide their own endorsed kayak and/or canoe leaders (for ratios refer to SS&P).
What to bring:
- a drink and snack
- dry clothes
- towel
- long sleeved shirt
- bathers
- shorts (no jeans or track pants in the canoe)
- a hat
- enclosed shoes that can get wet (no “crocs”)
- sunglasses.
Suitable for: All youth members
Location: Center for Adventurous Activities, Anderson Ave, Glenelg North
Costs: $8 per person
Contact: bc.paddling@sa.scouts.com.au
Scouts SA Watercraft Hire
The following are some options for youth members, noting that Safety Standards and Procedures apply to all paddling activities
Centre for Adventurous Activities
Located at Glenelg North. Refer to Come and Try Paddling.
Costs: $8 per person.
Contact: bc.paddling@sa.scouts.com.au
Roonka Water Activities Centre
Located at the Roonka Scout Property (10Kms North of Blanchetown on the Murray River), Weanie Waves (sit-on kayaks suitable for Joeys), Canoes and Kayaks are available for hire
Costs: $7 for sit-on craft used on the billabong, $14 for Canoes and Kayaks.
Contact: roonkabookings@sa.scouts.com.au
Scout Groups in Your Area
Plenty of Scout Groups in South Australia have watercraft to support our Youth Program, so ask around. If you are unsure, please use the contact details below.
Costs: vary depending upon local Group procedures.
Contact: oas.support@sa.scouts.com.au
Suggested Locations
Please Note: Safety Standards and Procedures apply to all paddling activities. Endorsement to undertake paddling at a specific location is subject to endorsement for the relevant Scouts SA Paddling Zone 
Patawalonga, Glenelg North
Accessed from the Centre for Adventurous Activities, the Patawalonga is a great location for beginners.
Please Note: Rainfall and stormwater can affect water quality of the Patawalonga – Please refer to Page 4 of the EPA Patawalonga Water Quality Guidelines
Garden Island, Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.
With a resident pod of dolphins, a 10,000-year-old mangrove forest, and the Ships Graveyard Maritime Heritage Trail, the Port River around Garden Island and North Arm is one of the most interesting places to go kayaking close to Adelaide.
Roonka Water Activities Center
Located 10Kms North of Blanchetown on the Murray River, Roonka has both a safe enclosed Billabong suitable for all ages, together with easy access to the Murray River for short or longer trips.
SA Water Reservoirs
Some South Australian reservoirs are open for free kayaking and canoeing, with more opening for access across the year. The Warren and South Para Reservoirs are worth a look – see Reservoirs SA for further information.
Further Reading
For further ideas, check out the following resources:
Paddling Trails South Australia – Paddle SA
7 Parks in South Australia to go Kayaking – National Parks
Trails and Locations for Canoeing and Kayaking on the Murray – Discover Murray River
Scout Rowing Regatta
The Scouts SA Boating Team are running the 2021 Regatta
There will be many water and land based activities available throughout the day.
Suitable for: Scout section and linking cubs of all OAS stages
Dates: 5 – 8 Mar 2021
Contact: marg.mcc.scouts@gmail.com
Paddle Venture
A 3 day / 2 night paddling trip at the beginning of Term 3 school holiday, exploring River Murray creek system near Renmark, including Ral Ral Creek and Nelbuck Island.
This is a bush camping and self-catering trip, a difference for this longer trip is we’ll need to know you’ve had some experience.
NOTE: Only 30 youth participant places are available, 16 with supplied double canoes and 14 for those with access to their own Scouts SA registered kayaks or canoes. Individuals and teams of 2 welcome are to apply, and participants will receive their registration confirmation and future communications including a questionaire via their current MyScout email address.
Suitable for: Venturers and Linking Scouts, participants will need a referral from an Endorsed Paddling Leader and/or preferably completed Outdoor Adventure Skills (OAS) Paddling Stage 3. A logbook of your paddling experiences will be of benefit here.
Dates: tbc
Costs:
- Adult Leader: tbc (Adult Leader places are primarily for supporting Endorsed Paddling Leaders)
- Youth Participant: tbc
- Youth Participant (with own Scouts SA registered boat): tbc
- Adult Leader (with own Scouts SA registered boat): tbc
Further Information and Registration: tbc
Contact: paddleventure@sa.scouts.com.au
Mini-Splash
An easy-going SA Branch activity held at the Roonka Water Activity Centre with plenty of water and land activities on offer.
Suitable for: Scouts and linking cubs of all OAS Stages
Dates: tbc
Further Information: will be made available closer to the date
Contact: program@sarovers.com.au
Supersplash
An end of year event ran by the Scouts SA Venturer section featuring a vast arrange of activities, including paddling trips along the Murray River
Suitable for: Venturers and linking Scouts, or other youth members working on OAS Stage 5+ core areas
Dates: tbc
Further Information: http://www.venturers.sa.scouts.com.au/supersplash
Contact: supersplashforms@sa.scouts.com.au
Scouts SA Paddling Team
The Scouts SA Paddling Team exists to provide adventurous and diverse opportunities to Scouts and Leaders of all backgrounds. We achieve this through a commitment to providing extensive training to recognised standards. The team comprises of adult leaders with a passion for paddling. The paddling team supports paddling at larger branch events, together with providing support to groups through the provision of training and advice, watercraft advice and surveys.
Completing a Canoe / Kayak Training course and becoming an endorsed paddling leader is a great way to support youth members to experience SAs great paddling destinations, network with other paddling enthusiasts, and develop more advanced skills.
Contact Branch Commissioner (Paddling)
Amanda Lee bc.paddling@sa.scouts.com.au
Training and Skill Development
Information about the Adult Leader Canoe and Kayak endorsement pathway can be found in the Scouts SA Training Flowchart for Canoe and Kayak
Canoe / Kayak Training Course - 3 part course
These courses provide skills across canoe or kayaking together with required core skills in camping, bushcraft and outdoor leadership to prepare for paddling adventures. For further information please refer to the Training FAQ
2020 Term 4 Training Dates
| Date | Location | |
| Part 1 | 7 – 8 Nov | Glenelg (Stay Overnight) |
| Part 2 | 15 Nov 2020 | Garden Island |
| Part 3 | 28 – 29 Nov 2020 | Blanchetown (to be confirmed) |
| Application closing date 12 Oct 2020 | ||
2021 Term 1 Training Dates
Suitable for: Adult Leaders, Rovers and Venturers
Contact bc.paddling@sa.scouts.com.au
Skills / Endorsement Day
Dates and Location:To be confirmed
We are offering a day for leaders to update their kayak and/or canoe endorsement on Sunday the 15th of November
Suitable for: Leaders who have obtained Flatwater Canoe or Kayak Level 2
Contact bc.paddling@sa.scouts.com.au
Leaders Trip
Dates: tbc
This will be a fun, relaxing weekend with time to unwind as well as paddle. Meet up with other endorsed leaders and share ideas and stories. (Refer to the May 2020 Newsletter for information on the Trip held in March 2020)
Suitable for: Leaders who are endorsed in Canoe or Kayak
Contact bc.paddling@sa.scouts.com.au
Watercraft Registration and Survey Information
Scouts SA require the registration and annual survey of all watercraft used on scouting activities. Craft are to be surveyed by district surveyors as listed below
- Individual Canoe Registration form
(to be used for craft not already on the scout register, e.g. new purchases)
Contact details for Scouts SA Canoe Surveyor
| District | Canoe Surveyor | Email Address |
| Adelaide Foothills | Jim Bond | canoe.foothills@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Beadell | Ref BC Canoeing | canoe.beadell@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Heysen | Jeanie Fazakerley | canoe.heysen@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Hills to Coast | Trevor Rogers | canoe.hillstocoast@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Karkana | Ref BC Canoeing | canoe.karkana@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Limestone Coast | Lyndsay Dreckow | canoe.limestonecoast@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Lones District | Ref BC Canoeing | canoe.lones@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Mawson | Darryl Johns | canoe.mawson@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Ridley | Paul Leicester | canoe.ridley@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Three Rivers | Roy Stevens | canoe.threerivers@sa.scouts.com.au |
| Torrens | Ian Vayne | canoe.torrens@sa.scouts.com.au |
Paddling References
Need a hand getting Paddling happening?
