Indiana Open Country

Canoe Safety - canoe In Indiana

Canoeing is a ton of fun, and a hobby that the whole family can enjoy. Here are a few pointers that will allow you to enjoy the sport without having to worry about you or your families safety.

• Inspect Your Canoe- Make sure that the canoe that you are getting ready to ride in is in stable condition. Whether or not it is your canoe or one that you rented from an Indiana Outfitter, check for problems before you take off.
• Know your route- Regardless if you are going on a one hour trip or a 3 day expedition make sure that you know exactly where you are headed.
• Share Your Route- Anytime that you set out on any time of outdoor excursion, canoeing, fishing, hiking or biking make sure that someone knows when you are leaving, where you are going and when you are to be expected back.
• Life Preservers- This one is a biggie. It does not matter if you are an Olympic swimmer; never do any type of boating without life preservers on. This is especially important when there are kids in the boat with you.
• Be Aware of The Current- Most canoe outfitters will not allow you to canoe when the conditions of the water are not in a safe zone, but if you own your canoe, the discretion is up to you. DO NOT CANOE IN FLOOD LEVEL WATERS. (You can check the local water levels here: Bookmark it)
• Know the weather- There is nothing worse than canoeing in a thunderstorm or forty mile an hours winds. A quick downpour can quickly raise the level of the water and leave you battling extremely hard currents.
• Dress properly- Make sure that you are dressing according to the weather and bring spare clothes in case you get wet.
• Learn Basic First Aid- Remember that anything can happen at anytime and you need to be prepared. Understand basic first aid and CPR, you never know when you may need it.
• Learn to Swim- Every year people drown in basic water situations, if you are going canoeing in Indiana or anywhere else, learn to swim.
• Basic Survival Knowledge-This is more geared toward the longer canoe trips in the backcountry, but anything can happen and knowing how to survive may save your life.
• Food and Water- Canoeing can be a physically demanding experience, especially if you are in a great deal of whitewater. Make sure that you pack enough fuel and hydration to keep your body in good working order.

Those 10 pieces of information will definately give you the ability to have a great canoeing trip.  Make sure that you take as many pictures and as much video and really enjoy every single trip that you are on.