Paddle%20Sports%20Awareness%20Canoe%20Camping

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Paddle Sports AwarenessCanoe Camping

• June 16, 2004

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Topics

• Where to go
• When to go
• Equipment/shuttles
• Permits
• Qualifications of leaders
• Training of participants
• Food opportunity for serious cooking
• Leave no trace
• Float plans
• Packing personal gear
• Loading your canoes
• Guide to Safe Scouting requirements
• Low Head Dams
• Resources

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Where to Go?

• Do you want a long trip or a short trip?
• How experienced is your crew?
• Do you want flat water or moving water?
• What kind of rapids can your crew handle?
• Flat water is probably safer, but more work.
• Flat water is more susceptible to wind.
• Moving water reduces the amount of work you have
  to do.
• How far do you want to travel to get to the
  river?
• Few rivers in California are long enough to offer
  a multi day trip.
• Keep in mind that you can cover a lot more
  mileage in a given day in a canoe than you can
  backpacking.

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When to Go?

• Rivers in California, unless regulated by sizable
  upstream reservoirs, are highly seasonal.
• You are effectively limited to spring or early
  summer at the latest except for the Sacramento,
  Middle Klamath, and Lower Colorado.
• There just isnt enough water to float a canoe on
  most California rivers after spring time flows.
• You do not want to set a date too early in the
  spring because you may be prohibited from going
  by flood conditions.
• Research the river. Try to talk to knowledgeable
  locals. Outfitters are very knowledgeable.

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Equipment/Shuttles

• Unless you are relying on an outfitter, you will
  have to arrange your own shuttles.
• Be sure you understand the characteristics and
  capacity of the equipment you are using
• A touring canoe should be able to safely carry no
  less than 900 pounds (my rule). Some touring
  canoes can carry up 1600 pounds.
• Canoes that are made of material heavier than
  water and that require flotation tanks have much
  less load capacity.
• Aluminum canoes are uncomfortable and can get
  hot.
• The best touring canoes are made of Royalex or
  similar materials.
• Every canoe should carry an extra paddle.
• Everybody wears proper PFDs.
• Make sure every canoe is equipped with a painter.
• Every paddler should have a bailer.
• This is a regulatory requirement in some places.

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Permits

• Some places may require a launch permit and/or
  fee.
• Secure reservations for private campgrounds where
  necessary.
• Obtain permission from private landowners where
  necessary.
• Get necessary governmental permits.
• File a copy of your float plan with the local
  authorities, even if it is not required.
• Get a BSA tour permit.

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Qualifications of Leaders

• In addition to normal volunteer leaders, you may
  rely on a commercial guide.
• Ask about his or her qualifications and
  experience
• Preferably some adult in your group has done this
  sort of thing before.
• Preferably at least one adult and some of the
  scouts are experienced paddlers.
• The recommended ratio is one adult per 10 youth.
• The minimum requirement is for two adults
  regardless of size of group.
• At least one adult must be 21 or older.
• All adults must complete BSA Safety Afloat and
  Safe Swim Defense training.
• At least one adult must be currently certified in
  CPR.
• At least one adult or older youth is recommended
  to be currently trained as a BSA Lifeguard or
  similar qualification.
• Note that conventional lifeguard training does
  not cover moving water rescue.

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Training of Participants

• Just as we do training hikes before major
  backpack expeditions, you should plan to do some
  training before your expedition.
• This may be limited to basic familiarization on
  flat water with rental equipment (Lake Del
  Valle).
• At a minimum you want to be sure that nobody is
  going to panic on the water if they have never
  been in a canoe before.
• BSA requires a minimum of three hours of training
  for float trips.
• Make sure your participants understand
• Basic paddling principles
• Care of the equipment
• What to do if they get into trouble

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Food Planning

• Depending on the conditions under which you will
  be paddling, you can consider serious cooking
  with fresh ingredients for at least some of your
  trip, unless you have to portage.
• Take ice chests
• Take charcoal (pack in plastic bags)
• Take dutch ovens
• Make this a real experience
• If you are using canoes of adequate capacity, you
  really can take this kind of stuff along.
• If you are going to use charcoal or wood fires,
  you may need to carry a fire pan.
• Oil collection pans sold in auto parts shops are
  just dandy for this purpose.
• You may have opportunities to resupply enroute if
  you go through towns or past marinas

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Leave No Trace

• The same rules apply
• Some special rules may apply
• On the Lower Colorado, they prefer that you
  urinate in the river rather than on the ground.
• In some primitive areas, the government may
  require you to carry and use a self composting
  portable toilet of some kind.
• Remember, this is your drinking water you are
  corrupting.
• A lot of this is common sense.

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Float Plans

• A float plan is like a plan for any other outing
• Starting point
• Ending point
• Duration
• Number of people
• Number of boats
• Emergency contact information
• Travel plan to and from the activity
• This should be provided to all parents of
  participants and local authorities

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Personal Gear

• Personal gear for canoe camping is pretty much
  the same as for backpacking.
• Do not use backpacks unless portaging is involved
• Use duffel bags and dry bags.
• Be prepared for foul weather.
• Prohibit the use of ponchos. You do not want
  people paddling and wearing a poncho. If some
  one goes into the water wearing a poncho they
  could be in serious trouble.
• Footwear is different.
• While paddling wear a sandal or specialized shoe.
• Old sneakers will do, but cut some holes in the
  sides to let the water drain out.
• You have to have footwear you use for wading.
• Do not use flip flops.
• Pack everything in the expedition that it is
  going to get wet.
• Pack individual items in zip locks inside the
  duffels.
• Duffels should be lined with large trash bags.
  This will not work for possible submersion, but
  will protect your gear from ordinary splashing.

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Personal Gear (continued)

• People with eyeglasses should use a strap or
  other eyewear retainer
• Everybody should have sunglasses.
• Polarized sunglasses will do a better job with
  light reflected off of the water.
• Use lots of sun block.
• Dont forget the tops of your feet.
• Use lip balm with sun screen.
• Normal attire while paddling is a swim suit.
• If you are in conditions where a wet suit is
  required, this may exceed the conditions for
  younger scouts.
• Take along comfort gear such as chairs and
  stools.
• Do not take large tents.
• Use two man tents because some camp grounds may
  not accommodate larger tents.
• Everybody should have a broad brimmed cloth hat
  that will stand getting wet.
• Dark color under brim is preferred.
• Chin strap is necessary.
• If you need a helmet for safety, this is not a
  normal scouting expedition.

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Loading Canoes

• If you are going downstream try to load the canoe
  so that the bow is riding lower in the water than
  the stern. This can be difficult.
• If you are paddling into a steady predictable
  wind, try to load the canoe so that the bow is
  riding lower in the water than the stern.
• Everything should be secured to the canoe.
• Reduce wind resistance by keeping cargo from
  projecting above the gunwales.
• Eight inches of freeboard fully loaded is deemed
  the minimum requirement for safety.
• Anything less than this increases the risk of
  swamping.
• Canoes should be loaded while floating, or
  minimally beached.
• You cannot carry a loaded canoe. You risk damage
  to the canoe if you put too much stress on the
  canoe.

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Guide to Safe Scouting Requirements

• Qualified supervision (already discussed)
• Physical fitness
• Serious canoe expeditions should be considered to
  be strenuous requiring a Class III medical
  form.
• Persons with handicaps can do this, but you need
  to know and plan how to deal with it.
• Swimming ability
• Everybody needs to meet the BSA swimmer test.
• A person not meeting this requirement is
  permitted to ride as a passenger in a canoe with
  a lifeguard.
• Coast Guard Type II and III are recommended.
• These must be worn on the water.
• Buddy system
• In large groups, assign buddy boats.
• Attach a copy of your float plan to your tour
  permit application.

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Low Head Dams

• A special hazard to canoeing in general of which
  you need to be aware is low head dams. There
  are few of these in California compared to other
  parts of the US, but they are very dangerous for
  small craft and swimmers. Always inquire about
  these. Find out where they are, and how they are
  marked. Do not attempt to run them like a rapid.
  That is an invitation for disaster.
• These are generally old private dams designed to
  allow the water to flow over the top. They were
  created to allow diversion to a grist mill or
  factory of some kind. Most of these will create
  a hydraulic along their entire length just like
  in a major rapid. People die in these somewhere
  in the US every year.

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Resources

• On line
• http//www.calkayak.com/index.cfm
• California Canoe Kayak (store in Oakland),
  offers sales, rentals, and training
• http//www.snowcrest.net/canoewest/canoecon.html
• Canoe West (outfitter in Redding) serves Middle
  Klamath and Sacramento Rivers, offers training
• http//members.aol.com/Mmcbs/index.html
• This is a private web site created and maintained
  by a canoe camping enthusiast. A lot of good
  information on rivers outside of California
• http//www.acanet.org/
• American Canoe Association

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Resources (publications)

• Canoe Camping Designed for Venture Crews and
  Varsity Teams
• This is a pamphlet published by BSA. My copy is
  a revised 1997 edition.
• Canoeing
• Merit Badge pamphlet.
• BSA Fieldbook
• Chapter 17 of this BSA publication has much of
  the same information as in the first two BSA
  publications listed above.
• California Recreational Lakes and Rivers (2nd
  edition)
• The author of this book is Tom Stienstra. ISBN
  1-57354-065-X. This is a very comprehensive
  resource for every river and pond in California.
  It has very limited information on coastal
  waters.
• Paddling Northern California
• The author of this book is Charlie Pike. My
  version was published fairly recently in 2001.
  Publisher is The Globe Pequot Press in Guilford,
  Connecticut. ISBN 1-56044-968-3. This book
  covers fewer sites than the book by Stienstra,
  but covers them in greater detail with useful
  narrative. It also covers some coastal areas and
  parts of San Francisco Bay.
• The Canoers Guide to the Wild and Scenic Middle
  Klamath River
• This book by Neil Rucker is highly detailed and
  entertaining in its own right. It is only
  available through Canoe West.