Captain-to-Captain: Practical Navigation Training

The day began at Coal Harbour Marina, where the group gathered at Dock C for introductions, a look over the boat, and a briefing on what the day would hold. Under a clear sky, with the North Shore mountains standing behind the city, the captain walked everyone through the plan for the hours ahead.

From there, the group moved out into Coal Harbour to begin with low-speed handling, getting a feel for the boat and sharpening awareness of everything happening around them on the water. The pace was steady and attentive, with the captain pointing out details along the way, as shown in the photo of the day on the water with the city and bridge in view.

Approaching Lions Gate Bridge, the focus shifted to reading the water and understanding how traffic moved through the busier passage, with an emphasis on making calm, clear decisions. Out in English Bay, with more open room to work in, each participant took a turn at the helm, practicing control of the boat in open water under the captain’s guidance.

As the afternoon went on, attention turned to the return. The group practiced planning their course back, easing off speed, communicating clearly, and bringing the boat in toward the dock with control.

The day ended back at the marina, where the training came together in that final approach — a calm, confident finish to a day spent learning navigation, boat handling, and decision-making directly on the water of Burrard Inlet.