If Clint Rohr could give a few tips to someone wanting to try canoeing for the first time, he would tell them to make sure they have all of their safety equipment ready, learn how to get in and out of the boat properly, and thirdly, to find a sense of balance in the boat – and fast.

“Those last two are important if you don’t want to end up in the river,” said Rohr with a laugh.

Rohr himself first pulled the paddle when he was about 16 years old – more than 40 years ago – and this month he will be sharing his love of the open water with whoever would like to join him as he leads the Canoe the Grand tour as part of Woolwich’s Healthy Communities Month.

Canoeing is in Rohr’s family, so much so that two of his grandchildren learned to steady themselves in their grandfather’s small boat when they were only one year old.

“They are starting early” Rohr chuckled. “All of my family seems to really enjoy it.”

The St. Jacobs resident is on the planning committee for Healthy Communities Month. When they began discussing potential ideas several months back, he knew that leading a canoe trip would be right up his alley.

“Canoeing and kayaking is something that just fits well this month,” explained Rohr. “It’s good for your health to get active, and it’s not harmful to the environment. Being on the water is practically as close to nature as you can get.”

The trip’s path varies each year depending on a number of factors including weather conditions and water levels. This year’s lack of precipitation throughout the winter has meant that water levels are low on both the Conestogo and Grand rivers, conditions that can prove challenging for boaters, but Rohr is confident that the group will be able to manage.

This year’s tour will start in St. Jacobs and run for about two hours, ending up at Kaufman’s Flats in Waterloo.  Transportation back to St. Jacobs has been arranged by Rohr.

Rohr lives in the heart of St. Jacobs, but spends some of his happiest times up at his family’s cottage near Muskoka. While there, he and his wife go out canoeing almost every evening.

“Those are some of my favourite times,” he recalled. “Spending time out on the water is so peaceful.”

Typically, the Canoe the Grand event hosts between eight and 10 people, from boating enthusiasts to novices. It is required however, if someone wishes to participate, that they bring their own canoe or kayak as well as safety equipment. Last year, the trip had to be cancelled due to a bout of stormy weather, conditions which Rohr said he usually doesn’t mind.

“It’s a bit different when you’re leading a group though,” he noted. “All types of people come out on these trips – anywhere from expert canoeists to complete beginners – so I didn’t want to take them out if the conditions weren’t good.”

This year, however, he hopes that many people come out to the event simply to have a good time.

“If people come out and have a good experience with other canoeists, they might be motivated to do more of it on their own,” he said. “And getting some fresh air is never a bad thing.”

To join Rohr and the group on their canoe and kayak trip, contact him at 519-664-2661 or by e-mail at clintrohr@auracom.com by Apr. 21 to register.