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Swaledale Outdoor Club |
| > Home > Newsletter > Canoeing > Canoeing Safety - Reading the River |
Canoeing Safety - Reading the RiverBy understanding how moving water behaves we can use it and avoid unnecessary effort and wear/tear on us and our boats, so for those just starting out here are three basics to remember. Currents - on straight unrestricted stretches of river the fastest flow is normally in the centre because contact with the banks slows the outer edges. On bends the current will always go towards the outside of the bend and thus can provide undercuts and tree 'strainers'. Moving to the inside edge of the bend will lessen your speed and avoid potential hazards. Upstream 'U's and Downstream 'V's - Obstructions lying in or just below the surface are usually indicated by a U shape on the surface of the water as it parts the flow either side, the curve of the U pointing upstream. Conversely the route taken by the main flow of water is indicated by the letter V pointing downstream. This tongue of clear water usually indicates the best route. Eddies - usually places of relative calm where the water lies still behind a large rock or point of the bank and you can have a rest, cup of coffee, rebuild tattered nerves or offer prayers to the river god depending upon what type of experience you're having on the day. Clive Hall |