Safety
Running whitewater rivers is a popular recreational sport but is not without danger. In fast moving water there is always the potential for injury or death by drowning or hitting objects. Fatalities do occur; some 50 people die in whitewater accidents in the United States each year.
Strainers and sieves can pose a particular hazard. If the sieve is visible above water, a boater can be pinned against it and may eventually be forced underwater as the current passes through. If the sieve is completely submerged, it is especially insidious because it may not be discernible at all. In shallow water, bows of boats can get caught in submerged sieves, as the current pulls the nose down below the rocks where it can lodge. If this happens, it is likely that the whole boat will get pulled under water. Sieves pose a particular hazard to swimmers because even the smallest sieves can trap a person's foot if they stand up in the current. The force of the current then pushes the whole body underwater, becoming a deadly situation in a matter of seconds. It is for this reason that one of the first things whitewater boaters learn is never to stand up in more than ankle deep water where there is a current.
The dangers can be mitigated (but not eliminated) by training, experience, scouting, the use of safety equipment (such as personal flotation device, helmet, throw ropes), and using other persons as "spotters".
Scouting or examining the rapids before running them is crucial to familiarize oneself with the stream and anticipate the challenges. This is especially important during flood conditions when the highly increased flow have altered the normal conditions drastically.
Read more about this topic: Scouting Rapids
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