Kayaking- A fun water sport.
Kayaking can be as safe as you make it. When you are heading out to do some kayaking, it is totally possible for you to stay dry all day long. Yet, as is with any sport, always spend time thinking about and preparing for any potential dangers and risks you may face.
Staying safe while kayaking is about more than just keeping your kayak safe. Of course, you want to keep your kayak safe when you are not using it, and this is why you should have a kayak lock. But, staying safe is mostly about the risks that you face while you are out on the water.
Any water sport faces the majority of its dangers out on the water, and you should always be careful whenever you are on, in, or near water.
So, let’s give you some top tips to keep you super safe while you are kayaking.
Perceived risk & real risk.
In outdoor and extreme sports, it is always said that any perceived risk is a real risk. The perceived risk is how dangerous or scary a situation may seem. Real risk is how inherently dangerous something actually is. Something may seem scary or risky because it goes against our nature- like propelling off a cliff. However, the real risk is the risk still in place when we consider safety equipment.
This means that we need to consider the real risks that relate to kayaking, and how we can lessen the risks by introducing safety measures and understanding what these risks are.
Always dress appropriately.
One of the most important risks you need to be aware of is hypothermia. Ensure that you dress appropriately in order to prevent the chance of hypothermia happening. Water is one of the quickest ways for our core temperature to lower, and prolonged contact with cold water will drain our body heat faster than ice or even snow.
Prevent this by wearing appropriate clothing, such as a dry suit, or a 4 mm+ neoprene wetsuit, boots, hood and gloves.
Stay calm when you get a cold shock.
Have you heard of cold shock? This is when the body reacts badly to a drastic change in temperature. Water that is less than 15 degree Celsius or 59 degrees Fahrenheit can have a severe effect on the body.
Much like the aforementioned problem, the best solution is to wear appropriate gear. Of course, you can acclimatize yourself with the cold water before you start paddling, yet you need to ensure that you do this with a partner at hand and a safety line, and buoyancy aid. Cold shocks can affect you even if you are aware that the water is cold.
Avoid sweepers and strainers.
Sweepers are low, overhanging obstacles and branches that jut out into the paddling zone. Strainers are submerged trees that are hard to spot under the dark surface of the water. You need to be aware of these and avoid them to the best of your ability.
Sweepers can even cover strainers in some circumstances. Should you end up coming face to face with a sweeper you could end up taking a branch to the face, lose balance and the boat may capsize. You could even end up pinned to the tree by the current.
If you end up caught in an unavoidable situation with a strainer, lean into it. Leaning upstream will cause the upstream end to tip down, and maybe even flip over. Try to learn how you can spot strainers and scout ahead of dangerous runs and look out for them. Carry a cutting tool tethered to your buoyancy aid, as this may get you out of some tricky situations on the water.
Always check your equipment.
In every situation apart from when your kayak and your equipment are brand new, you need to check all your equipment for any potential wear and tear before you head out onto the water. Ensuring that everything works like it should, will just make your kayaking outing safer.
If it is not safe, then you could end up having some severe issues out on the water, so it is just better to be safe than sorry.
If you capsize, do not panic.
Most situations where things go awry only get worse when people panic. A submerged swimmer can become trapped beneath a solid shelf under the water’s surface. Paddle with a partner and wear your buoyancy aid when you go kayaking. If you capsize and get trapped, stay calm, and feel your way out of the situation. If you go somewhere new, take someone who knows the area.
