With lifejackets on, people tentatively crawled into a canoe or kayak and took a paddle to the water Tuesday night at Wakamow Park.

Canoes and kayaks courtesy of the Moose Jaw Canoe and Kayak Club were available Wakamow Park, as people were allowed to go for a brief spin.

Organizer Trish German said the night was geared for people who just wanted to try it before investing money into it.

“As part of June is recreation and parks month, we do various activities throughout the park, and the Moose Jaw Canoe and Kayak Club are great partners with us,” said German. “So they bring their group down and help everyone get on the water and enjoy the experience.

For some, it was their first time in a canoe. Mark Gilliland with the club said they like to see the influx of people coming out.

“From our perspective, it’s a fantastic place, this river, for people to learn basic skills, basic canoe and kayak skills that are transferable, that they can take to, say, Banff this summer,” he said. “If they want to rent a canoe at Moraine Lake, or something like that, they can feel comfortable with skills they’ve learned on this river right here.”