Moving Water Safety and Rescue Clinic
June 8-9, 2019


This Moving Water Canoe Safety and Rescue Clinic provides the opportunity to practice commonly used moving water river rescue skills. Unlike moving water skill courses that emphasize paddling skills, this clinic emphasizes moving water safety and rescue skills. It focuses on the fundamental skills, knowledge, and manoeuvres of rescuing paddlers and equipment in moving water situations from a paddler’s respective. The material practiced in this clinic comes from the Paddle Canada Moving Water Canoe Program. The intent of this clinic is to provide an opportunity for recreational moving water paddlers to practice rescues. It does not seek to replace the need for Swiftwater Rescue Training (SRT) or similar training.

Minimum number of participants 6. Cost is $175 including camping and one canoe provided (main cost of course is the instructor fee).

Saturday AM:

- key elements of risk management of paddling in moving water
- Whitewater Risks
- International Scale of River Difficulty
- Components of a ‘safe’ whitewater canoe
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for WW
- Communications: Hand Signals, Voice, Whistle, other
- Rescue Priorities
- Basic Paddling Warm up
- Basic ‘T’ /Canoe over Canoe Rescue


Saturday PM:

- Rescue Types: Self, Coached, Assisted, Incapable/Incapacitated
- defensive swimming with maneuvering
- aggressive swimming
- avoiding foot entrapments
- Boat Recoveries in current
- throw bag toss & receive (introduction)


Sunday AM:

- River Features, pre-run inspection & decision making
- Strainer simulation (optional)
- River Access: wading and aggressive swimming
- Throw bag toss & receive (live)


Sunday PM:

- Trip planning for safety
- Notes on evacuations
- Other Items: coiled rope throw for multiple throws and foot entrapment, broaching, lining with single rope


For more details, please contact Dave Skinner at scouterdave1stgc@gmail.com.

To register, please click on the button below to download the registration form (then submit the form to the Council office).
Click Here to Download the Moving Water Safety and Rescue Clinic Registration Form