​Trip Preparation & Planning

When getting ready to schedule your next trip, be sure to use the following safety guidelines to help ensure a safe and enjoyable excursion:

Pre-trip Planning

• Know the waters to be paddled. River and coastal guide books and topographic maps are valuable references in trip planning. Plan alternate routes
• Set-up a shuttle. Calculate the distance and time. Consider stops and a lunch break, along with put in and take out locations
• Equipment - What you take with you on a trip is all that you have to survive and rescue yourself. This includes water, food, maps and charts, rescue equipment and extra clothes
• File a Float Plan with someone who will notify others if you don't return on time
• Paddle within your, and your group's, abilities and limits on Water Behavior and Etiquette
• Be a competent swimmer with the ability to handle oneself underwater, on moving water, and in surf or current
• Have a properly fitted lifejacket (Personal Flotation Device - PFD), and WEAR IT!
• Keep the craft under control. Do not enter a rapid unless reasonably sure you can navigate it or swim the entire rapid in case you capsize
• Keep a lookout for hazards and avoid them. Watch for fog, especially on coastal waters.
• Know your emotional and physical limitations
• Group members need to constantly assess the behavior of others in their group
• Respect the rights of anglers and land owners when paddling.

Know the Conditions

For Flatwater

• Remember to watch for water and weather changes - beware of fog
• Keep an eye out for other boat traffic
• Pay attention to all safety warnings
• Be sure you are visible

For Whitewater and Rivers

• Stay on the inside of bends - Beware of strainers!
  Strainers are fallen trees, pilings, undercut rocks or anything else that allows the current to flow through it while holding you. Strainers are deadly
• Walk around low-head dams
• Watch for and avoid hydraulics (water recirculating back on itself)
• If in doubt, get out and scout!

Pre-Trip Planning For Coastal Areas

• As you travel away from shelter, make sure you have the necessary skills to travel back
• Watch conditions for winds and fog
• Understand wave height, wind speed (Beaufort Scale), fetch and how it will impact your travel
• Stay aware of all boat traffic and traffic patterns
• Learn re-entry techniques BEFORE you need them, know how to re-enter your boat and how to assist others back into their craft
• Stay apprised of tidal currents and their affects on you and your boat
• Watch for landing in surf or or passing through the surf zone to shore