Canoeing Safety Tips and Information

I’m 15 years old (going on 25 some people tell me) (very responsible my parents tell me and their friends) and I’m trying to convince my dad to let me buy a kayak AND GO OUT ALONE I’ve got all the supplies and stuff (rope, radio, food water life vest etc.) but my dad wont let me because he thinks that there is too much of a risk that i might get lost or hurt……….. but I’m trying to convince him that i can handle almost any possible scenario.(i weigh 110 pounds and can bench 175 lbs.im on the swim team and can swim for 2.5 hours non-stop ive gotten lost in the Rockies for 2 days and killed 3 squirrels in 2 hours found fresh water boiled it …. found my way to safety without panicking ) i tell him its a river that is straight where can i go. right im mean what could happen. but he still wont let me. ok heres my Question. what are all the possibilities that could possibly even extremely rare accidents that you can think of plain and simple nothing immpossible so that i can tell my dad and try to convince him My mom wants me to get a kayak but my dad just hates the idea of not knowing where i am every second. WHICH IS MORE DANGEROUS??? RIDING MY BIKE 7 MILES CROSSING 18 STREETS TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT OR GOING ON A 5 HOUR KAYAKING TRIP ALONE ON A RIVER THAT HAS NO TRAFFIC DO YOU SEE MY POINT??? ( I live in Florida)

Its the alligators and crocodiles: one bite and you are no more.

If it is just "where are you": then a GPS / mobile phone that sends out a signal that can be tracked on a computer might be enough.

And a waterproof GPS, that has a "what direction to get back to the start" feature might help.

Me and a few friends are trying to do a trip this summer and I was wondering if there is anything blocking our path, or any rapids and if so what stages are they. We planned on setting off right past the dam at Lake Tillery. Also is there any places I can get my hands on a nice map of the river.

Yes you can put in at Rockingham n.c or cheraw s.c and go all the way the the beach, I did it back in 2004 , I put in at cheraw s.c and it took 4 1/2 days to make the trip, from cheraw to the beach was 126 miles, and there are no dams after the one in Rockingham , the water was just right that week. I ‘m not saying there are no alligators, but I didn’t see any on my trip, lots of nice clean places to camp out also. as far as anything blocking your path, or any rapids, no not really, maybe a class 1 rapids in places.

Me and my friends are looking to go kayaking somewhere in southern CA. We have almost no experience and we are looking to kayak at a river but we don’t know where to go.

Any recommendations would be helpful

Hi there,

There is a very useful site listed below which gives you the current trend for whitewater in rivers in all USA states. On the site, either use the link ‘River Info’ or choose the ’state’ search. There is also a map search. Level 1 and 2 are considered to be beginner level whitewater.

A map of CA should show you where the river is, or perhaps try a search for the river name under ‘maps’ (if you don’t have an Atlas)

!’m 15 years old extremely responsible and i am strategical I live in Florida I’m 110 pounds but i can bench press 176 pounds i can I’m on the swim team and can swim for 2.5 hours non-stop i have been lost in the rocky mountains for 2 days and killed 3 squirrels with a spear made from a thick tree branch found fresh water boiled it made a shelter and found my way back to safety with out panicking BUT my dad will not let me go kayaking on a STRAIGHT river alone ive got all my supplies training…. but he just cant stand not knowing where i am all the time IF YOU WERE MY PARENT WHAT WOULD U DO?

I’d be concerned too, just look at your name. Crocbait,,,

I look at that rapid a lot and always wonder if anyone has ever kayaked it. Does anyone know?

I used to live on the Deschutes, near Tumalo, but don’t know Sherars Falls.

You idiot there is only one river named the Russian River. I am not talking about a river in Russia.

Ah, the Russian River in the winter. That time of year when the big storms overrun the sewage treatment plants and raw or barely treated sewage is released into the river. Have a nice paddle!

http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/river.php?wfo=iln&wfoid=18787&riverid=203773&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1&toggles=10,7,8,2,9,15,6&pt[]=all&allpoints=145211,144642,142870,143822,142891,146494&data[]=hydrograph&submit=Make+my+River+Page!

There is the stage levels, but I cannot find the speed of the river.

Can you help?

Thanks!

Your will answer is very vague since it’s based on the scant details you’ve provided. Plus, you are really asking the wrong question in some senses..

In Short or Simply put, the NOAA site shows that the Miami River and Harbor entrance to be about the same. Though if you read on, you will see that high and low tide are more important. Also the values change but I would say you are looking at about 2 knot MAX Ebb/Flood rate.

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/currents05/MIAMIHBR.shtml

The river or more aptly called an ‘estuary’ is basically in two current states, either Ebb or Flood. Depending on the pull of the moon and location on the river, these currents can carry different strengths of current. Plus heavy rains etc. can obviously effect the flow as well.

The Max Ebb or Max Flood are the times when the river is it’s strongest. You can look online and find these values and time your trip around them accordingly. Apparently NOAA has tables for the harbor entrance because that is where the Ebb and Flood currents would be the strongest. As you go up the ‘estuary’, the strength can be different. Plus, if you are going up stream, you can ride the current where heading down, eventually you will run into another Ebb or Flow, though not a concern for a Kayak’er probably.

What you should really be asking or wanting to know is the Max and Min values for Ebb and Flood and time your trips around them. For example, I Kayak on the Hudson River, so the MOST enjoyable trips are those 4 hours around the low and high tides.

On average, you can think of a + - 2 knots advantage or disadvantage with the tide changing every 6 hours and 15 mins. My Kayak with my ability (or lack there of) goes I would say at about 5knots. So either way, I can fight the tide but why fight it ?

TYPES OF TRIPS:

Best case - Basically I head with the tide or near slack in one direction and then try to ride it back when it turns around. That way I can cover a lot of distance. Plus that is when the tide is the strongest.

Time limited - If I just show up at the river and don’t have any set plan, I check the tide and go AGAINST it leaving and catch it at it’s strongest for the RETURN trip.

Doesn’t matter - Sometimes, it doesn’t matter, if the tide is in a very slack state for the next few hours.

TIDE INFORMATION:

Xtide is a great free app which can be installed via Windows download or in Fedora Linux with (yum -y install *tide* ).

-http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/5079.html

http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/river.php?wfo=iln&wfoid=18787&riverid=203773&view=1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1&toggles=10,7,8,2,9,15,6&pt[]=all&allpoints=145211,144642,142870,143822,142891,146494&data[]=hydrograph&submit=Make+my+River+Page!

There is the stage levels, but I cannot find the speed of the river.

Can you help?

Thanks!

Your will answer is very vague since it’s based on the scant details you’ve provided. Plus, you are really asking the wrong question in some senses..

In Short or Simply put, the NOAA site shows that the Miami River and Harbor entrance to be about the same. Though if you read on, you will see that high and low tide are more important. Also the values change but I would say you are looking at about 2 knot MAX Ebb/Flood rate.

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/currents05/MIAMIHBR.shtml

The river or more aptly called an ‘estuary’ is basically in two current states, either Ebb or Flood. Depending on the pull of the moon and location on the river, these currents can carry different strengths of current. Plus heavy rains etc. can obviously effect the flow as well.

The Max Ebb or Max Flood are the times when the river is it’s strongest. You can look online and find these values and time your trip around them accordingly. Apparently NOAA has tables for the harbor entrance because that is where the Ebb and Flood currents would be the strongest. As you go up the ‘estuary’, the strength can be different. Plus, if you are going up stream, you can ride the current where heading down, eventually you will run into another Ebb or Flow, though not a concern for a Kayak’er probably.

What you should really be asking or wanting to know is the Max and Min values for Ebb and Flood and time your trips around them. For example, I Kayak on the Hudson River, so the MOST enjoyable trips are those 4 hours around the low and high tides.

On average, you can think of a + - 2 knots advantage or disadvantage with the tide changing every 6 hours and 15 mins. My Kayak with my ability (or lack there of) goes I would say at about 5knots. So either way, I can fight the tide but why fight it ?

TYPES OF TRIPS:

Best case - Basically I head with the tide or near slack in one direction and then try to ride it back when it turns around. That way I can cover a lot of distance. Plus that is when the tide is the strongest.

Time limited - If I just show up at the river and don’t have any set plan, I check the tide and go AGAINST it leaving and catch it at it’s strongest for the RETURN trip.

Doesn’t matter - Sometimes, it doesn’t matter, if the tide is in a very slack state for the next few hours.

TIDE INFORMATION:

Xtide is a great free app which can be installed via Windows download or in Fedora Linux with (yum -y install *tide* ).

-http://www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/5079.html

A group of guys I work with want me to go floatin down the river with them but the only kayak i have is a perception swifty 9.5. It is a calm river and i was just wondering if itwas a good enough kayak seeing as though I have only used it to play around on

As long as you and the gear you plan to take with you are within the weight capacity for the boat, you’ll be fine. From my recollection, the Swifty doesn’t have a sealed bulkhead in the bow of the boat. You should either place additional flotation (pool noodles will work if you wedge them in there snuggly) in the bow, or possibly bag up some supplies for your float (change of clothes, food) and put them in a dry bag up in the bow. This would help you in the event of an accidental flip - it’ll keep the boat floating higher in the water.

Should have no problem at all. Perception rec boats are fine little boats. If your buddies are in longer, narrower boats, you may have a bit of a challenge to keep up with them, but on calm river floats, I’ve never been one to rush. Have fun!

I live in the Utica NY area and am wondering if anyone knows of some good local places to Kayak. I’ve been to Eaton Brook Reservoir, Leland’s Pond, Cazenovia Lake, the Moose River in Old Forge and also Nick’s Lake in Old Forge. Does anyone know of any other places that are near by? Preferably less than an hour driving time. Thanks in advance!

Search, the American Canoe Association. Find local clubs.