Safety
Please Note: This page houses resources to assist paddlers in being safe on the river, but all paddlers should take an accredited swift water rescue course before progressing to Class III+ rivers.
Wet Exits and Swimming
Sometimes, you must “wet exit” your kayak by pulling your skirt. Once you do, you must swim. When in still or slow-moving water, the swimming technique is fairly instinctual. When in swift water, there are two common methods of swimming. Defensive swimming involves floating downstream in a protected position: lying on your back, feet downstream, arms out to the side and with your whole body floating as close to the surface as possible. This is the safest swimming position to assume when trying to ride out a rapid.
In the event you need to get to shore quickly, you'll adopt an offensive technique. Offensive swimming involves getting on your stomach and swimming aggressively with the front crawl technique.
The Hand of God
The Hand of God is a rescue technique for experienced leaders assisting novice paddlers. In the event an upside paddler is struggling to roll, another paddler can pull up alongside and reach completely overtop their kayak, grab the cockpit rim, and roll the kayak upright with the paddler still in it. As a victim, either lie back or tuck forward as the rescuer is rolling you upwards to lower your center of gravity and make the job easier for them.
The Eskimo Rescue
An Eskimo rescue, bow rescue or T-rescue is a technique used to recover an upsidedown kayaker without them having to wet exit. Like the Hand of God rescue, this method requires another paddler to be close by. When a paddler is upsidedown, he/she can signal for an Eskimo rescue by tapping the hull of the boat. A nearby paddler can approach perpendicularly, offering the bow of his/her boat to the paddler in distress, allowing them to upright their boat.
A word of warning, the distressed paddler must use their hips to right the boat. An attempt to pull yourself up with your arms above your head can result in a shoulder dislocation.
Cold Weather Paddling Attire
When paddling in cold weather, it is important to be aware of the risks. A good rule of thumb to follow is the "120° rule." This means you should wear a wetsuit or drysuit whenever the sum of the air temperature and water temperature is equal to or less than 120°F. Warm weather does not cancel out the danger of cold water, especially in the Midwest. Inappropriate attire increases the risk of heart attack and death significantly.
Throw Bag
The Throw Bag, or Rescue Bag, is a piece of safety equipment most often used to rescue a swimmer or unpin a boat. Throwing the bag to a swimmer can be done from shore or on the water from a stable platform like a raft. A throw bag can also be used for climbing during portages. All paddlers should carry an appropriate throw bag at all times.
Whitewater Safety Kits
Safety kits (often referred to as “pin kits”) contain equipment that can be used to unpin boats, rescue trapped swimmers, and/or transport people and gear around dangerous rapids. These kits will contain a combination of carabiners, pulleys, prusik loops, tubular webbing, and a river knife. The complexity of the kit will vary based on river conditions.