Techniques & Safety

As I noted last month, paddling and swimming are natural complements. What could be more refreshing than…

From the bow of the charter boat it appeared to be a clump of dirt motoring across the head of the bay -…

"Eager to catch up and excited to begin the river journey, I pushed off into the river - and then was…

Only once have I suffered the ill effects of hypothermia. Once was enough, however, for me to quickly…

My wife and I were portaging in the far north when our dog, Bailey, disturbed a nest of wasps and…

Have you looked through an outdoor gear catalog recently? We are a highly specialized society – even…

A good first-aid kit perhaps falls into the same category as a rain jacket, an automobile spare tire,…

I feel it’s very important that kayakers who tend to paddle in groups have at least one person who is…

It's late on Sunday, and you've been out on the water for nearly four days, paddling through country…

My dad was a quality control engineer. A sign in his office read: "Accidents don't just happen; they…

Creekboating is as much a game of strategy as it is a sport. Half of your time on creeks is spent…

I was recently asked via e-mail, "when is it recommended that you wear your helmet?" I was asked…

A month before paddling on the surreal clarity of the Caribbean Sea just off the island of Roatan, I had…

I am a firm believer in the multiple utility of gear – getting the most out of each piece of equipment,…

Kayakers need to know how to treat blisters and, more importantly, how to prevent them. Blisters are…

When I began teaching, I taught my students to get to the capsized boater quickly to affect a speedy…

Any paddler who has suffered the green-gilled demon of seasickness, with the dizziness, nausea,…

Holes provide your most formidable challenge when running a rapid. More often than not, the line you…

Lateral momentum refers to the speed we generate perpendicular to the main current. For most river…

In 1992, my paddling improved more dramatically than in any other year. The reason was simple. My buddy,…

The first river running skills that any paddler will learn are how to carve in and out of eddies and how…

Ferrying is the act of moving from one side of the river to the other with minimal downstream drift and…

Eddy turn refers to the action of moving from the main current into an eddy, or vice-versa, and is also…

Rolling in moving water can be more difficult in some instances, but current can also help your roll out…