Enrollment Information Package
Hey there! We're delighted that you have chosen to attend a SeaSchool course. A great adventure awaits you...one that will take you on a journey of action, reflection and discovery. We hope your course will prove to be one of the truly memorable experiences of your life.
We encourage you to read the information in this Enrollment Information Package and begin to prepare today. Included is information on what to expect, what to bring and NSSS policies. The details included in the enrollment pack are designed to guarantee you an awesome and satisfying wilderness adventure.
Please KEEP THIS ENROLLMENT PACK FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
Do NOTreturn this to the SeaSchool.
To help you get ready, a check list of things to do is on page 2. By following these simple steps, you can be assured of arriving for your course both mentally and physically prepared to give it your best.
We look forward to having you join us on the ocean!
Directions to the SeaSchool Lunenburg Boathouse
The civic address for our boathouse, if you are using Google Maps, is174 Bluenose Drive, Lunenburg.From Highway 103 you take Exit 11 – for more detailed directions see page 5. If coming from Halifax it takes approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Finishing Registration
To hold your place on your course, we need to receive all your forms, tuition payment(s) and your deposit no later than THREE WEEKS prior to your course. Required tuition and forms are listed below:
$120 Deposit ($20 is a non-refundable application fee)
Participant Information and Medical Form
Signed Policy and Consent Form
Tuition Balance (or arrangement for payment plan)
IMPORTANT! If you fail to meet due dates, NSSS may place you on a waiting list--your place on the course will no longer be guaranteed.
Refund/Cancellation Policy
Before each course, we invest in staff training, course planning, food and equipment. NSSS can not recover its expenses if you cancel, even if due to illness or injury. Therefore we have established the following policies:
The application fee of $20 is refundable only if we cancel your course.If you cancel for any reason, including illness or injury, the amount of tuition refund varies accordingto how much notice you give:
• 30 days or more 100 % of Tuition
• 15 - 29 days 50 % of Tuition
• Less than 15 days No Refund
• No Show No Refund
• Voluntary Withdrawal or Dismissed During Course No Refund
1
2057 Gottingen St, Halifax, NSB3K 3B2 • (902) 423-7284 • Fax: (902)423-7241
website: e-mail:
CHECKLIST: What You Need To Do Before Your Course
The following check list will help you prepare for your Nova Scotia Sea School Course. This helps us with the important work of making sure your trip is safe as well as exciting. So please return all required forms and payments by the three week deadline. Also, collect the required clothing and supplies and make your travel plans. This list of things to do is in a helpful sequence, so by the time you've reached the bottom you'll be more than ready for your adventure!
Please take the time to review your Enrollment Package. It should provide you with answer to most of your questions. If not, give us a call at our office: 902-423-7284, or email .
Complete the Application Formand pay the $120 deposit to hold your spot. Make arrangements with us for the payment of yourtuition balance.
Sign the Consent Form. Your parent/guardian must sign too if you are under 19.
Sign and complete the Health Review Form. Your parent/guardian must sign too if you are under 19.
Make your travel plans. Refer to page 1 for your course start and course end times and locations. Let us know if transportation is an issue for you.
Sign the Unexpected Return Travel Guarantee form. See the "Return Travel Insurance" section under "NovaScotia Sea School Policies" on page 10.
Collect required clothing and supplies;notify the SeaSchooloffice of any clothingitems you may need to rent, and arrange sizes and payment. Thisis very important.We supply a lot of your sailing gear,but you do need to bring your own warmclothing.Thereare some warm clothing items which we have available for rent for $10. If this cost is a barrier please let us know.
Other Important Information
Courses are generally co-ed. We will notify you if you are the only male or female enrolled. We strive whenever possible to have one female and one male instructor on your course.
Physical Demands
- Anyone in normal good health can expect to complete a SeaSchool course, and enjoy it! Wilderness living requires mental stamina as much as physical, so if you’re looking for a challenge and have prepared yourself to leave behind many of your comforts, you will have no trouble.
Course Arrival and Departure
- Please arrive on time. Courses start at 10:00 am
- Come dressed for your first day on the water. SeaSchool staff will help re-pack your gear for the boat. Luggage, unnecessary items and valuables may be left in the School’s custody.
- Bring clean street clothes to wear at the end of the course. Showers are not available.Subject to weather and other contingencies unless otherwise noted on page 1, all SeaSchool courses begin and end in Lunenburg.
- Supper is at 5:00 pm with a feast in the boathouse. Parents & guardians are invited to come for dessert, served at 5:45 pm.
- Departure is at 6:00 pm
Check out our Website!
- SeaSchool: What is it really like? (
- NSSS Leadership Program; Designed to help keen students improve their leadership and seamanship skills. (
Healthy Living Tax Incentive Registration Form
- Provides an allowable tax credit of up to $500 per child to help with the cost of registering youth in sport or recreation activities
What to Bring on Your Course
Please bring all items on the list. Because weather patterns are unpredictable it is essential to be prepared for any type of weather - it always gets cold at sea. Most items are available in backpacking stores or Army/Navy surplus stores, or can sometimes be found used at ValueVillage or Frenchy’s. For your safety, we can't let you participate with inadequate warm clothing, particularly with any clothing intended for warmth that contains any cotton in the cloth blend. So check the labels for cotton. We're going to ask you to trust us on this one; we've got generations of sailing knowledge on these topics.
1 Wool or Other Warm Hat
1 Medium Wool or Fleece Pants
1 Heavy Wool Sweater (can substitute Polartec, polar fleece, Synchilla, etc.)
1 Medium Weight Wool Sweater (can substitute Polartec, polar fleece, Synchilla, etc.
2 Synthetic Long John Tops
2 Synthetic Long John Bottoms
2 Pair Heavy Wool Socks
1 Pair Warm Gloves/Mittens
(Items below, for hot days, can be cotton. 1 is enough for short trips, 2 may be appropriate for longer trips.)
1 or 2 Shorts (quick drying is best, no jean shorts)
1 or 2 Light Weight Cotton or Cotton Blend Pants
1 or 2 Cotton or Cotton Blend T-shirts
1 or 2 Light Weight Long Sleeve Cotton or Cotton Blend Shirts
2 - 4 Cotton/Synthetic Underwear
2 Pair Cotton Socks
2 Pair Wool/Synthetic Socks
1 Sandals or Sneakers (for walking in the water; no bare feet allowed on course, preferred closed toe Sandals, NO FLIP FLOPS)
1 Swim Suit (we will be swimming)
1 Small Flashlight with Extra Batteries (no searchlight types)
1 Sunscreen (at least 24 SPF)
1 Pair of Sunglasses
1 Sun Hat (needs to have brim all the way around, not a baseball cap)
1 Toothbrush & 1 Small Toothpaste
1 Comb or Hair Brush
1 Small Skin Lotion
1 Bug Repellent
1 Chapstick
1 Journal or Notebook and Pen (put in a zip lock bag)
1 Water Bottle (sturdy, not an empty pop bottle)
1 Chamois (or small, quick-drying camping towel)
For Females:
Extra supply of sanitary napkins or tampons (menstrual cycles may get disrupted or come unexpectedly)
1 small package of "wet wipes" for feminine hygiene
Zip lock plastic bags for these items before and after their use
You may also want to bring clean clothes for the end of your course, however showers are not available.
The SeaSchool will provide:
A sleeping bagRubber bootsDuffel bag
Foul weather gearPFD
Please do not bring your own of these items.Your instructors will help sort your gear during "pack out" for the course.
Extra or unsuitable gear, luggage and valuables you don't want to take will be left behind in NSSS storage.
Please do not add or subtract anything from this list. Once again we want to emphasize the sailing experience that's gone into creating this list. In order to have a fun and exciting sailing adventure, you cannotbe cold and wet the whole time. So leave behind your favourite pair of jeans, and pack some fleece pants instead.
Warm Clothing Rental
Some of the items above are available for rent at a cost of $10, on a first come, first serve basis. These include long underwear (tops & bottoms), fleece pants and medium and heavy fleece/wool sweaters. You must contact the SeaSchool office to enquire about available sizes and to make payment arrangements – if you show up on the day of your course intending to rent gear without having notified us prior we cannot guarantee we will have appropriate gear to rent. During the course rented clothing is the responsibility of the student and in the event that a student does not return rented clothing on the last day of their course, he/she will be responsible for the replacement cost of these items.
Clothing Tips and Other Things To Bring
Clothing Materials
All clothing will be subjected to rugged use. It must be durable and roomy for free movement and layering. Clothing will get wet (you’re on the ocean!). Be sure it is quick drying – wearing wet clothes for extended periods is not a happy feeling. When choosing fabrics, consider how bulky they are (all your clothing and issued gear must fit into a single SeaSchool duffle bag) and how well they insulate when wet.
Wool- A traditional outdoor fabric, it's often less expensive than newer outdoor synthetics. Wool retains insulating properties when wet. Once wet, it dries slowly. Wool tends to be heavier and bulkier than synthetics that offer comparable warmth.
Outdoor Synthetics - Insulate well when wet and dry very quickly. They weigh less than wool and offercomparable warmth. Lightweight outdoor synthetics include Thermax, Capilene and polypropylene. Heavyweight warmer outdoor synthetics include pile fabrics such as Polartec, polar fleece, and Synchilla.
Cotton and Cotton Blends– Only items in the second part of the clothing list, for hot days, can include cotton. Do not expect anything with cotton in the material to keep you warm. Cotton absorbs moisture, provides no insulation when wet and dries slowly. This includes sweatshirts and jeans, and any clothing intended for warmth, even cotton blends. If your warm clothing says it has any cotton in the material, leave it at home.When wet cotton pulls away body heat, and once wet it stays wet. As wilderness experts like to say, “Cotton kills!” Read all labels carefully.
Down – Is not acceptable. It insulates well when dry but absorbs moisture easily, provides no insulation when wet, and dries slowly.
Other Things to Bring
Medications - If you use over-the-counter or prescription medications, please bring TWO supplies in separate waterproof containers in case one is lost or damaged. Be sure to note medications on your Information & Medical Form.
Prescription Eye Wear- Glasses and most types of contact lenses are acceptable on course. Sterile lens care on course is very difficult so their use is NOT recommended. Whether you wear contacts or glasses bring an extra pair of glasses, if you can, and a safety strap.
Cameras - Cameras should be durable and compact and should be in a waterproof storage bag. NSSS can not be responsible for damage or loss of your camera. Bring a good supply of batteries; you will not be able to buy any while on course or re-charge any.
Electronics– Please leave cell phones, iPods and all other electronic devices at home. They are not allowed on SeaSchool trips.
Equipment- Please do not bring your own outdoor equipment. The Nova ScotiaSeaSchool supplies all necessary equipment, such as sleeping bags, rain gear, PFDs and any other specialized equipment. All School equipment issued to you and your group must be returned in good condition. Its care is your responsibility. Normal wear and tear is expected, but you or your group will be charged for any lost or damaged equipment – it's important for us to be able to supply functioning equipment for everyone on trip.
If Coming From Outside Canada - you must bring the following to satisfy Canadian Immigration:
If you are a US citizen:
Proof of your citizenship (original of birth certificate or passport), as well as photo ID (driver's license, school ID).
If you are not a US citizen:
A passport. You may also need a visa depending on your home country. For passport or visa information, please call Canadian Immigration.
Consent Form - If you are under 19, you must bring a copy of your consent form.
Return airline, bus or train ticket.
Directions to the Sea School Boathouse in Lunenburg
Continued from above…
Take Exit 11 "Lunenburg, Blockhouse"
Take Route 324 toward Lunenburg
Go straight through the intersection at Blockhouse and continue to the next stop sign at the intersection of Route 332
Go straight across 332 and almost immediately bear left at the fork, following blue signs for the FisheriesMuseum
At the next stop sign continue straight into town on Dufferin St.
At the next stop sign, with an Esso station ahead of you, turn left.
Then take your first right onto Linden, still following signs for the FisheriesMuseum.
At the end of Linden turn right toward the water's edge, and pass the red FisheriesMuseum on your right.
You are now on Bluenose Drive. Follow Bluenose Drive to the end, where you will see the Dory Shop ahead of you and the Public (Railway) Wharf on your right.
Also on the right is a red building, street number 174. The SeaSchool is in this building.
Enter through the chain link gate on the left side of the building. Signs should be visible at this point.
How did you hear about us? ______
If it was a friend, can you share with us their name and contact information? ______
Information & Medical Form
This information will be confidentially reviewed by Sea School Program, Enrollment and Medical Staff, who may disclose matters they consider relevant to course instructors only.
Complete and Return Forms to:
The Nova ScotiaSeaSchool
2057 Gottingen Street
Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3K 3B2
tel: (902) 423-7284
fax: (902) 423-7241
Important:
Every item on the following pages must be completed. Please check NONE or mark N/A (not applicable) if an item does not apply to you. Keep a copy of this form for your own records.
A. Participant Information
Name Are you fluent in English?
Address City Province/State
Postal Code Home Phone Cell Phone
Email Birth Date (m/d/y) Gender
School Shoe Size, Height, & Weight
Do you have any siblings? Names & Ages
B. Parent/Guardian Information
Name Email
Address (if different from above) City Province/State
Postal Code Home Phone Cell Phone
Work Phone Occupation Employer
C. Alternative Emergency Contact (someone who does NOT reside at the participant’s address):
Name Relationship to student Address
City Province Postal Code
Home Phone Cell Phone Work Phone
D. Tuition
My $120 deposit is enclosed already sent. ($20 of this is a non-refundable application fee. Please make checks payable to The Nova Scotia Sea School, Canadian funds only. We accept payment by VISA in person or over the phone.)
Tuition will be paid by: Self Parent/Guardian Third Party
Bursary support will be needed. (The $120 deposit is still required. Someone from our office will contact you regarding bursaries.)
E. Insurance Information
Each student is responsible for all medical expenses incurred during or arising from a NSSS course and, if not a holder of a provincial health card, should be covered by his/her own sickness and accident insurance.
Health Card # Expiry Province
Private Insurance Company Name Policy #
Is pre-authorization required for treatment? Yes No Pre-authorization Phone #
Family Physician Phone
F. Medical Conditions and Symptoms
Do you have, or have you had any of the following conditions or symptoms?
Cardiovascular Disease or Heart ConditionYes / No
Asthma Yes / No
DiabetesYes / No
Seizure DisorderYes / No
Anaphylactic reaction to any allergen Yes / No
Cognitive or Physical ImpairmentsYes / No
OtherYes, Please explain:
If you answered YES to any of the conditions above, please explain below. If you require more space, feel free to attach a separate page. Include the following:
- The symptoms, how often and how long they occur
- Date of last occurrence
- How you care for symptom/condition
- How symptom/condition restricts your activity in any way, including your ability to run, lift and climb, etc.
Detailed Description (including restrictions if any)
G. Allergies(food, medication, latex, otherNone
Allergy - List Below / Reaction / Medication RequiredH. Medications (over the counter medications, puffers, etc.) None
Medication / Dosage Frequency / Current Side Effects / Condition Used ForI. Other Medical Information
Please list any other health information that you think may be important for your instructors to know about you