Swiftwater and Whitewater
Effective Communication: The Importance of River Signals
The following river signals are internationally recognized. Paddlers and rescuers can use these hand and river signals to communicate effectively on the river. Hand and paddle signals Okay (question and answer) Signal: Hand on head, making an "O" shape with...
Reading Rivers - Hydrology 101
Introduction Text and diagrams by BRR Instructor Jamie Orfald-Clarke At first glance, whitewater can seem chaotic, dynamic, and unpredictable – but by developing an understanding of how water moves, rapids can be broken down into a series of repeating patterns....
Important safety concepts and techniques for throwing ropes Throw bags—and rope in general—can be super useful tools in river rescue. However, if you’re not very good at throwing throw bags, chances are, you’re unlikely be successful when the time comes...
This Is How You Swim Rapids — Whitewater 101
This video highlights: Foot entrapments & how to avoid them — 0:12 Default swimming position — 0:29 Aggressive swimming positions — 0:49 Swimming in shallow water — 1:54 Swimming in big waves — 2:08 Swimming over ledges, drops & waterfalls...
Carabiner & Webbing for Your Swiftwater & Whitewater Rescue Course
For any Swiftwater or whitewater rescue course with Boreal River, you'll need a locking carabiner and a 4 to 5-metre strand of tubular webbing for the first day of your course. These two pieces of gear, together known as a...
How To Throw A Throw Bag: The Handful Method
Minimal Risk for near shore rescues Author: Willa Mason, Guide and Instructor Throw bag techniques can be divided into two different categories: full bag and split bag. Using a split bag technique, rescuers throw a shorter length of rope into the...
How to Carry Your Webbing Flip Line — For Whitewater
If you do anything around whitewater—if you can carry a strand of webbing and a locking carabiner with you on your body—you'll have two very 'multi-use' pieces of gear on hand when you need them. But...anytime you carry gear on...
Key safety points for whitewater Only affix a throw bag onto your body with a quick release belt or harness, even when walking on shore. When clipping the full bag to yourself or your craft to carry it around, use...
By Jamie Orfald-Clarke, Boreal River Rescue instructor Foot entrapment is a dangerous and potentially life threatening situation that no rescuer wants to encounter. The focus should be on prevention, and effective coaching of people who are new to moving water....
Anchors on Loads: Kayaks, Rafts, Canoes
When tying rope or webbing to a boat or any other load in the river, it is best to attach to at least 2 points if there is going to be a lot of force applied. Anchors on loads start...
By Jamie Orfald-Clarke, Boreal River Rescue instructor Imagine this: while running a 4 foot ledge, you miss your boof stroke, and the bow of your kayak drops straight down, getting wedged in a crack at the bottom of the drop....
Canoe Rescues for Northern Rivers
By Jamie Orfald-Clarke, Boreal River Rescue instructor For people who, like me, grew up paddling the rivers of Ontario and Québec, the rivers of Northwestern Canada introduce new and sometimes daunting challenges. Continuous currents of northern rivers Compared to the...
8 Useful Knots for Whitewater and Swiftwater Rescue
Any knot will reduce a rope's strength by one third to one half. So while these knots aren't 'stronger' than many others, our students learn how to tie them because they are easy to identify and untie. Being able to...
By Jamie Orfald-Clarke, Boreal River Rescue instructor If you paddle whitewater, sooner or later, you are likely to end up in a situation with a pinned canoe (yours or someone else’s). Shaped like a giant scoop, and prone to floating...
When to use mechanical advantage Rope and pulley systems are rarely needed in everyday paddling, let alone river rescues. However, when you do need mechanical advantage, it is important to be able to set it up quickly, safely, and with...
Tying onto trees, rocks, and other objects In whitewater and swiftwater rescue, ropes are sometimes used to haul on pinned boats or for transportation systems. Strong anchors are important. Introduction to anchors & load-sharing Why tie a load-sharing (aka...