“Paddling is what we call the thing we do in between swims.”
We all love to go paddling! But what happens when you and your boat become separated? That seemingly easy river you were just paddling now becomes a potential drowning machine, and you must depend on your own skills and the skills of anyone nearby to stay alive and healthy.
It’s going to happen to all of us eventually. Hopefully you will have an easy swim to shore, but maybe not! So be prepared!
Swiftwater Rescue (SWR) covers a large variety of safety and rescue topics. Some of the most valuable skills taught are how to avoid incidents in the first place.
You are your own best rescuer, but only if you know what to do!
The best way to go is to make formal instruction part of your annual paddling routine. There are several excellent instructors in the area, well known to the paddling community, teaching everything from 1-day beginner to multiple-day advanced rescue classes. Whether you simply want a one-day basic class, or want to get more advanced training, or even become an instructor, you can’t go wrong with on-the-river training.
CCA will post nearby classes here as we become aware of them. These classes are not CCA-sponsored, they are taught by outside instructors, and like all formal instruction there is a fee. Please contact the instructor for more details about each class, such as what equipment is needed (if any) and what experience level is expected (if any).
Nearby Swiftwater Rescue Outfitters
https://americancanoe.org/education/take-a-paddling-class/course-calendar/ Click Safety & Rescue classes, then you can sort by state.
https://paddlesportinstitute.com.
https://calleva.org/river/
https://www.potomacpaddlesports.com
Want more information? Check out the CCA Blogs, where we discuss topical SWR issues.
Class Schedule and Registration
For information contact: safety@canoecruisers.org