White Water Pre-Training

River Reading

And Safety Tom Miller

2nd Orleans

Introduction

• Introduction• What is White Water?• What to expect at White Water 1• River Reading• Gear• Procedures/ Signals• Dangers• Proper “Swimming” Technique

What is White Water?

It's what ever you want it to be!

What is White Water?

Fishing Swimming

What is White Water?

Rafting Surfing

What is White Water?

Kayaking KAYAKING

What is White Water?

Canoeing CANOEING

What is White Water?

PORTAGING

What to expect at White Water 1

• White water is wet– Expect to be splashed, and to swim

• White water is fun and exiting• White water is hard work

– The more you put in the more you will get out of the weekend

• White water can be dangerous– Make sure to listen to your instructors– Some dangers outlined later

River Reading

• What is river reading?– Knowing what is below

the water

• Why is it important?– No river is the same

twice

• Arrows pointing to same rock

Basic Concepts

• Volume / flow rate– Amount of water passing a point per unit time

• Gradient / slope– How steep it is

• Velocity– Speed and direction– Varies throughout river

Why does white water happen?

• Constrictions, white water occurs when water speeds up– Caused by a narrowing of banks, rocks, shallow bottom,

increase in gradient– Called “white” because air bubbles form – less buoyant

Sample River Flow

River Features

Obstacles

• Simple eddy behind a rock

• Increased water flow, water pours over rock, becomes a “pillow”

• Smooth flowing over rock, shallow

Obstacles (continued)•Water flow increases, riffles become “curling waves”, have white foaming tops

•Further increase in volume and velocity, larger waves, continuously breaking, upstream direction

Obstacles (conclusion)• Holes: flow continues to

increase, curling waves create circulating water

• Ledges: long structure extending over part of river, drops upwards from 2-3 inches, in the extreme a water fall

• Recognized by straight line of foaming water

Eddies and Eddy Lines• Water passes around

rock and speeds up

• Water behind the rock actually flows upstream

• Line between the water flowing upstream and down stream – sharp near object

• Also occur at river edge

“GOOD” FEATURES

• Eddies – play the river by eddy hopping, pause to scout/relax

• Downstream “V”s - show deep water channel between obstacles, dark water tongue

“GOOD” FEATURES (continued)

• Haystacks – waves “bouncing” in regular pattern, deep and slow moving water, often at bottom of V’s

Smiling and Frowning Holes

• Frowning holes – tend to keep floating objects in centre

• Smiling holes – easily wash out the sides

River Features

A Hole

Gear

• What will you need?– A boat– Coast guard regulations– Scout’s Canada regulations– Additional safety gear– Comfort gear

Clothing and Equipment

The well-dressed paddler!

Signals

• Paddle Signals– Stop, come, go left/right

• Whistle Signals– One blast/three blasts

• Hand Signals– OK, stop, go left/right

Always point in the direction to go!

River etiquette

• Boat travelling downstream has right of way

• Make room for boats in the eddy

• When sitting in an eddy wait your turn

• When sitting in an eddy take your turn

• Basic low impact outdoor practises

Dangers

• There is no shame in walking around a rapid

• Don’t run a rapid you feel uncomfortable with

Dangers - Strainers

• Allows water to pass through but not objects

• Fallen trees, wire fences etc

AVOID!

Dangers – Foot Entrapment

• Foot becomes wedged between rocks

• Force of water knocks swimmer over; prevents him from getting up

DON’T WALK IN MOVING WATER THAT IS MORE THAN KNEE DEEP!

DANGERS – BIG HOLES

• Water pouring over edge re-circulates, holds objects

• Man-made objects particularly dangerous

• “Maytagging”• Try to swim out

AVOID!

Dangers – Canoe Wraps/Pins

• Canoe full of water is equivalent to a small truck

• Can be crushed by pressure of water

When swimming rapids, stay well to the side of canoe!

Any other dangers?

Proper Swimming Technique

• FEET DOWN STREAM

• BUM UP• FEET UP – fend off

rocks• SCULL with hands• DON’T STAND UP

until the water is less than knee deep

Throw Bag Swimming

• Stay in the “swimming” position

• Hold rope to your chest

• Rope over the shoulder AWAY from the shore