1-day Introduction to River Safety
This one-day river safety course is designed to give every paddler a minimal level of basic river rescue skills. We emphasize overall river safety and river rescue techniques that can save a life and be performed with a minimum of equipment. The river rescue portion of this course focuses on throw rope basics, swimming in moderate rapids, effective wading rescues and basic unpinning strategies.
We end the river portion of the course at about 5pm. This course is ideal for those who are just starting paddling or who want to jump start their river safety skills. Participants should have some familiarity with whitewater.
Goal of the clinic:
To broaden the pool of paddlers with basic knowledge of river rescue through introducing essential river rescue techniques and providing basic CPR training to boaters in all types of whitewater craft.
Class Size:
Instructor-to-student ratio: 1:6. Maximum clinic size: 12
Who should take the clinic:
Rafters, Canoers or Kayakers who are comfortable in at least class II whitewater. Our minimum age for this clinic is 14.
What will be covered:
This clinic takes a hands-on, in-the-water approach to teaching river rescue and safety skills. Specific skills covered include swimming, wading rescues, rescuing a foot entrapment victim, using tag lines and Red Cross Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Our emphasis is on judgment and managing river rescue situations, as well as rescue techniques that can be performed with a minimum of equipment. This course takes place at our base on land and on the river next to our base.
