“Oh shoot!” came the voice of Dean.
I picked up my head to catch the commotion and watched him splash into the 60-degree water. To his credit, he moved quickly to right his canoe, and the contents within, as the craft began taking on water.
His son Daniel bailed out of the other side, but he too assisted, ferrying things back to shore.
Dean and Daniel’s names were changed to protect their identities, but the rest of the story is true. My most recent trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness produced the first canoe capsizing event in 15 years of taking trips.
Thankfully, the accident occurred at an opportune moment in time. The father-son duo had just loaded their canoe and pushed offshore and was shifting weight as our camp entourage prepared to leave our campsite and exit the BWCA.
In a moment of unfortunate timing, both father and son leaned excessively in the same direction to move something, putting the canoe out of balance, and sending each man overboard. Everything that tumbled into the drink floated except a pair of broken sunglasses that came off the top of Daniel’s ballcap and plunged into a permanent home in deeper waters.
Beyond bruised pride and wet clothes, Dean and Daniel didn’t suffer much misfortune for their mistake. They didn’t panic, they stayed with their canoe, and they pushed everything to shore to drain the water and begin again.
They know they got lucky with location, conditions and timing, since the rest of our group was there to help. The weather was fair, and so was the location.
In other situations, the results could have been much worse.
Canoe and kayak safety is important each time you take a trip on the water. The smaller watercraft don’t have as much forgiveness as a wide and stable power boat, so one small miscalculation, as Dean and Daniel found out, can be enough to capsize the whole works.
With a little practice and some forethought, you can avoid putting yourself into dangerous situations.
First and foremost, bring and wear your lifejacket. A United States Coast Guard approved personal flotation device is tremendous insurance if you ever tip over. While lifejacket use may be lax in a boat (e.g. in the boat, but not worn), it’s much more important in a canoe where the risk of capsizing is much greater.
In windy conditions, in cold temperatures, and honestly, all the time, you should wear your life jacket. If you fall in the water, a cold shock response is going to involuntarily force you to take a giant gasp of air. Once in the water, that gasp is going to result in a mouthful of water, which can incite panic, struggle, and begin a potential fight for your life.
Without a life jacket on, you could sink and drown. That personal flotation device just may save your life and buy you some time.
Load your canoe carefully. Dean and Daniel knew this and were making adjustments for their long paddle out.
Try to balance the contents of your canoe or kayak, both from bow to stern, and from starboard to port. You don’t want to be front or rear heavy, nor do you want to be left to right heavy.
Being out of balance means a paddler or team of paddlers will have to compensate and that’s when mistakes can be made.
Don’t reach wildly for things. Keep a low center of gravity and pivot about the hip to make turns.
If you reach or lunge for things, your movements may put the watercraft out of balance; same too if you rip off too powerful a stroke and you or your paddle mate aren’t ready for it.
If you are paddling with a partner, communicate. Let your partner know when you need to take a break, or switch sides to ease muscle groups. You should communicate if you need to move or adjust your body position or that of something in the canoe or kayak.
“Balance up,” I usually tell my paddle partner, shorthand for hold on while I scooch my weight around to get us balanced or when I am first entering the watercraft and we need to establish weight equilibrium to start a paddling leg.
Always board a canoe or kayak by grabbing the sides, keeping low, and staying to the center. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to help steady the canoe or kayak as you enter. Never stand up as you’re asking to tip things over.
Paddling comfort is very important. Travel at a reasonable speed for the conditions, planned length, and paddling experience of the group. Fatigue can lead to errors and lapses in judgement.
Take water breaks for that reason, too. Put on sunblock to avoid sun burns. Wear paddling gloves so you can avoid blisters. If you are comfortable paddling, you can keep at it much longer.
Watch the weather carefully as it can change by the hour. Calm waters can become rolling with waves when the winds pick up. A storm can march in unexpectedly.
Try to monitor the weather with a weather radio and be observant. If you hear thunder or see lightning, get off the water and take cover.
When it comes to weather, use good judgement.
Do not operate any watercraft in conditions that are beyond your boat’s capabilities and your experience levels. In canoes loaded down with packs and little freeboard (the distance between the top of your canoe or kayak and the water’s edge), the margin for error is miniscule.
When in doubt, wait it out.
That could be minutes, hours, or even days, but coming home safely is the top priority in any trip. Dropping a canoe or kayak in a lake or river can threaten your life, make you vulnerable to hypothermia, or cause you to lose survival gear that will put you at risk to the elements.
If you do take on adverse travel conditions, do so with care. Cut a 45-degree angle into waves and lean the canoe or kayak away from the impact to avoid taking on water.
Keep your momentum to cut into waves and hold your position. Operate carefully through river currents; only experienced paddlers should travel rivers with moderate or strong flows.
If you hit a current wrong, it can send you into snags, boulders, or shorelines that can turn you around or capsize you, putting you in grave danger.
One of my worst paddling experiences occurred a few years ago on a family trip. An intense storm bubbled up many hours after we’d started and followed our family down the river.
My wife and I raced to the exit. As a downpour of rain began and lightning cracked frighteningly close, we overshot our exit as I was unfamiliar with the terrain in the low visibility of heavy rain.
The result was a particularly frightening ordeal for our kids that included my wife capsizing on a snag, losing some of the kids’ footwear in the current, and riding things out on a sandbar under a bridge as the rain fell and booming thunder crackled.
My error in judgement, unfamiliarity with the takeout, and a nasty storm all collided into an unfortunate situation that mentally scarred my wife against future kayak trips. Thankfully the kids handled it well and have gotten back on the figurative horse.
One important lesson learned the hard way for me was to know your put in and take out. Travel with a map and know where you get in and get out. You should also let someone know where you are going, when you plan to be there, and when you plan to get back.
Discuss your float plan with a family member or friend.
While canoe and kayak safety are a very serious topic that deserves attention and respect in practice, don’t be intimidated by the risks. Whether brand new or highly seasoned, everyone must travel with care.
If you travel watchfully and with a plan, you can enjoy incredible days on amazing rivers and lakes.
Scott Mackenthun has been writing about hunting and fishing since 2005. Email him at scott.mackenthun@gmail.com.