Water trips - this is the type of outdoor activities that we are becoming more and more popular. It is not surprising: in our country there are many stormy mountain rivers, amazing beauty of lakes, seas. Sailing on a yacht, rowing on boats, canoeing, kayaking, catamarans, rafts, kayaking and rafting - the world of water tourism is very diverse. Recently, a new type of extreme relaxation has appeared: overcoming obstacles (cascades and waterfalls) without any watercraft at all, in heat-saving suits alone. This article is about organizing water trips. How to foresee all the dangerous factors and avoid them? How to achieve that delicate balance, so that all participants in the trip will experience strong emotions from a riot of wildlife, and at the same time know that they are protected as much as possible?
Route development and schedule
Preparing for a water trip requires not only knowledge of the area, but also taking into account climatic and weather conditions, the composition of tourists, their experience and endurance, and the choice of boats. Not all rivers are suitable for travel: shallows, thickets, low bridges, dams are often found on small ones. In large areas, large vessels pose a danger. Mountain rivers suitable for alloys qualify in their complexity for points: from one (the lightest) to six (the most extreme). This should be considered when choosing a team for the campaign. Climatic and especially weather conditions can make adjustments to the level of difficulty of the planned route. If there are beginners in the group, you should not choose rivers whose slope exceeds 1.5 m per kilometer. When you plan to go against the current, then in areas with an elevation angle of 1-1.2 m, you need to make wiring in advance, pull the rope or put poles. It is also necessary to provide places for rests and overnight stays.
Organization of a water trip
The person responsible for the trip should conduct a thorough inspection of the watercraft. Unlike hiking, on the water, all participants should feel like a single team, ready to face life-threatening conditions. And therefore, discipline must be strict, as in the army. Preliminary briefing should be conducted, during which the participants should be familiarized with the management of the craft, their actions should be spoken out in case of emergency, and responsibilities should be distributed among the team members.
The safety of water trips largely depends on the coordinated actions of the entire group. If the team has newcomers, put them in a kayak or kayak with an experienced tourist. In whatever excellent condition your watercraft may be, take the repairman of the group with you on a hike. Things like spare oars, thin rubber for patches, glue and a pump are a must.
During the hike
The organizer and the captains of individual kayaks, catamarans or rafts should be able to read the navigation signs installed along the coast and along the water area, know the basic rules of behavior on the water. On large rivers, you need to stay close to the shore, since the movement of barges and steamboats, motor vessels creates a wave that is dangerous for light punts. When staying for the night, it is necessary to pull all the boats ashore and turn them upside down. Equipment for tourists going on water trips should be more diverse. Among other things, he should stock up on gauntlets for rowing, a waterproof hermetic bag, where to put a complete set of clothes and shoes. Products that may be damaged by contact with water are wrapped in plastic wrap. Heavier loads are placed in the aft compartment, and light ones in the bow compartment. Personal belongings of tourists are tied to cylinders. On catamarans, it is important to distribute luggage so that the load on the starboard and left sides is the same.
Route
Water trips should take place so that the organizer can see and give orders to the captains of individual kayaks or catamarans. The speed of the oars is set by the front rower. At the same time, the captain or his assistant steers the vessel. In calm water kayaks or kayaks can move in a "flock", but with a fast current they need to line up in one line. In a shallow place where sharp stones and an erratic wave can be dangerous for a kayak, the leader (on the first boat) gives the command: "Level up in the wake column." All vessels line up with a distance of one or two hulls, and follow the leader of the voyage. If the catamaran is aground, it is unloaded, carried on a rope (or carried on hands) and again filled with luggage. In extreme areas, the team leaves the ship, bypassing it along the shore. The boat is transported by drag or on a lace. The assistant organizer closes the column of boats. He should have a bag with a repair tool.
Personal protective equipment
Water trips have their own specifics. In addition to a spare set of clothes, each participant must have a life jacket or cork / foam belt. If the trip takes place on a stormy mountain stream, then a motorcycle helmet is required, which protects the head from hitting stones. A hike upstream is associated with active rowing, and therefore mittens with cropped fingers are needed. It should also be remembered that, unlike hiking, in water the load falls not on the legs, but on the muscle groups of the shoulders, chest, arms and back. In the first-aid kit, you need to have anesthetic and warming cream.
Water Trip Emergencies
Traveling by water, and especially rafting on mountain rivers, is to some extent an extreme form of recreation. Therefore, all participants in the campaign should be psychologically prepared for the fact that their boat will turn over, and they themselves will find themselves in cold and stormy water. Perplexity and passiveness to danger harm as well as an overestimation of their capabilities. Even before the start of the trip, it is necessary to “lose” with all participants all possible emergency situations in the water trip. It is necessary to bring to automatism the algorithm of actions of the whole team and the victim himself in one or another danger. It is even advisable to practice in the water, developing the skill of throwing and receiving the life-saving end, riding a kayak on horseback, swimming in a life-jacket along a rough current, etc.