We’ve been giving our passports a workout this year. Last weekend, we were guest coaches at MEC Toronto Paddlefest, a spectacularly well organized event that introduces hundreds of people to canoeing, whitewater kayaking, recreational kayaking, sea kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, voyageur canoeing and water polo. For one high-energy weekend, the beach is filled with boats and the sidewalk is lined with booths. It’s one-stop shopping for all things paddlesports. The north shore of Lake Onatrio is still pretty chilly in early June — the mid-50s at best — so we’re grateful that MEC provides loaner drysuits for participants in rescue and rolling courses. And we always enjoy taking people into the water for their first experience in a Kokatat drysuit. It’s like walking on the moon! The weekend is all about fundamentals and fun. And the two go together well. This year — Paddlefest’s 10th anniversary — we met more students who had already taken classes and participated in guided trips, many of them with the nearby Harbourfront Canoe & Kayak Centre. They came to improve their skills and learn about more opportunities to get out on the water. That’s where the booths come in; paddling schools and outfitters, along with provincial parks and environmental advocacy groups, offered information and encouragement to continue exploring the sport and local waters. Thanks to MEC for bringing us to Toronto, Erik Ogaard and Liz Burnside for taking extraordinary care of us, and the entire Paddlefest crew for a wonderful weekend. We’ll be...

Ho, ho, ho. Or is it tow, tow, tow? What do you buy for the paddler who has everything–or the paddler who only wants things that are out of your budget?For the next couple of weeks, we’ll highlight some gift ideas in the low- to mid-price range, in no particular order, including some you can make yourself.First up:  A gift certificate to a local open pool session Here in the Chicago area, several pools are open to kayakers for instruction or just for practice. Some are offered by outfitters and offer options of instruction and kayak rental as well as open pool time; others are run by clubs or schools and offer peer mentoring. Either way, pool sessions enable kayakers to work on specific skills and keep themselves sharp during the long, cold winter when the lake is frozen over.Here are some of the pool sessions we’re aware of in the Chicago area. If we’ve missed any, please post a comment letting us know. Geneva Kayak Center offers instruction and open pool sessions in West Chicago on Saturday afternoons. Buy a gift certificate here. Kayak Chicago offers instruction and open pool session at UIC in Chicago on Wednesday evenings. Buy a gift certificate here.The Northwest Passage offers four-week rolling and rescue classes in Skokie. Information here.  Naperville North High School offers open pool session on Sunday mornings.The Chicago Whitewater Association offers 10-week kayak instruction classes in Oak Park and  Des Plaines. Winter sessions begin in...