Things You'll Need:
- Canoe
- Paddle
- Life jacket
- Helmet
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Step 1
Have all your equipment with you. This means not only a canoe and paddle, but also a life jacket and helmet as well. If you are canoing through whitewater, you should be wearing a lifejacket and helmet at all times, except when you are on land.
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Step 2
Go canoing in groups. You may have a partner in the same boat as you, but it's generally a good idea to have a few boats out on the river at once. That way if something happens to you (or your boat), other people will be there to help.
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Step 3
Avoid obstacles. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but you can do a lot of damage to yourself or your equipment by ramming into a large rock, fallen tree, or anything else that's lying in the middle of the river. Remember that your canoe is meant to stay on water, not to run into anything solid.
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Step 4
Know what you can handle. If it's your first time Whitewater canoing, be sure to stick to lower class rapids. Faster waters may be perfectly safe for experts, but quite dangerous to you. Just because another person feels safe doing something doesn't mean that you should.
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Step 5
Designate a captain or caretaker. If you're on a guided trip, the guide will likely serve this role. The captain should have a medical kit, and some way to contact land in case of an emergency.
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Step 6
Remember incidentals depending on your particular trip's circumstances. Although not as important as a life jacket and helmet, you may get burned if you forget to wear sunscreen. If you plan on stepping out of the canoe any place other than flat land, wear footwear as well -- a pair of old sneakers should serve this role perfectly.
