Learn Basic Whitewater Kayaking Tips

Series Summary

Who can say when kayaking officially emerged? It has existed, in some degree, since the beginning of human history. However, while ancient kayaking focused fundamentally on necessity, today's kayakers enjoy the recreational enjoyment that the sport provides. People from all over the world participate in kayaking, and the popularity has only increased. Among the many types of kayaking, whitewater kayaking has taken the experience to a whole other level. While some individuals choose the gentle coast of calm water, others enjoy the rush of fast-paced, dangerous water. Regardless of your own level of bravery, kayaking is a sport that can adapt to everyone's needs. You have the ability to control how much or how little adventure you want to take on.

Even though kayaking is a sport that almost everyone can do, you should not jump into the water right away. It is important to know some basic safety tips and procedures. By learning some basic safety moves, you will be better able to help yourself if the situation arises. Let Janet Burnett Cowie show you how you can prepare for your whitewater adventure in this free video series. She will show you how to roll and broach your kayak. Janet offers tips for understanding river signals and classifications. Janet also illustrates the safety equipment you should have when whitewater kayaking. So, start learning about river safety, and start your own kayaking adventure today!

Video Transcript

"Before you go on the river, you want to get some information. There's some great places on the web to look for information. American Whitewater has information on rivers al over the country and the world, so you want to get information about what's going on in your area. You also want to know about some things about the people you're paddling with. You also want to know about weather and what's happening out there. Now, a river can change or the weather can change really quickly, so you want to keep an eye on that. If you've had really big rain falls, you want to know what the river level is and if it's changing, so it's good information to have. How does a river change when it gets higher? Well, it can be more difficult or even easier. It depends on the water level and the river itself so you want to know that information. A couple other things to know before you get in the river is how long a day is it going to be. Is going to be just a one hour paddle or is it going to be six hour paddle? You want to have the gear to accommodate that type of paddle. So get your information before you go out, check with your boating buddies, and have some fun out there."