Swimmer
Swimming in rapids is the last thing a paddler
wants to do, but sometimes staying in your boat is not
an option.
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| If your your kayak becomes trapped in a hydraulic of you flip and are unable to roll back up, getting our of your kayak and swimming to the shore can save you life, but it could also cost it. Aerated water, like that of a hole, does not provide the same flotation as laminar or non-turbulent water. This means you can find yourself swimming under the water in a hydraulic with your life jacket on. Swimming is also dangerous because of the risk of foot entrapment. |
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| Foot entrapment is when a
swimmers foot gets caught or wedged in the bottom of
the river. The constant force from the river flow
locks in the foot from one side. The swimmer then is
drug down under the surface of the water from the
current. This is shown in the above photograph. |