Spring is finally here and with it comes some of the most exciting paddling of the year. WHITE WATER!!! It is hard to predict how much there will be or how long it will last, only Mother Nature knows for sure.
If you happen to live near a popular white water run you have probably seen your fair share of brightly clad, excited, crazy looking paddlers. Real diehard white water paddlers tend to be a zany crowd. Don’t be fooled. Despite their outward appearance these paddlers are actually quite serious when it comes to preparation and safety. Have you ever noticed how long it seems to take them to get geared up and on the water? Perhaps you have been stuck behind them on the road as they poke along, stopping at every set of rapids to scout it. White water is truly exhilarating, but it is also serious business that needs to be treated with respect. Moving water is tremendously powerful and in the spring, very cold. It can pin and/or wrap you and your boat around a rock or downed tree so fast it isn’t funny.
I could type pages on the subject of white water (not the infamous 1994 land deal) but that is not my intention today. What I would like to do instead is talk about paddling safety for the average spring paddler, focusing for the most part on small streams. For as far back as I can remember every year at this time I read or hear of someone drowning attempting to paddle the family canoe on the local stream at high-water. So far this year I have read several accounts of spring paddling mishaps.
Small streams at flood stage are a blast to paddle on but in my opinion are also the most dangerous, even for an experienced paddler because the obstacles you must avoid change constantly. They generally do not have large waves and people think they can simply walk to safety if they get in trouble because the streams are shallow and narrow. For this reason beginning and inexperienced paddlers alike are falsely drawn to them. They couldn’t be more wrong. Although the water may run relatively flat it is moving quickly as these streams have a steep gradient. They are filled with blind corners harboring fallen trees and a host of other obstructions. There is generally only one line to run and very little room to maneuver which allows no room for error.
Beyond the obstacles and current there is the issue of cold water. Ever been hit in the chest with a sledge hammer? This is what it feels like when you get plunged into 40 degree water. I do not care how athletic you are, the water will defeat you. The density of the water draws the heat from your body very quickly. Proper clothing is a must along with the right safety equipment and an honest evaluation of your abilities and the water you are in.
I hope I haven’t scared anyone away from running white water. It is a great sport when you have the proper skills, equipment and partners. What I did want to accomplish is to develop some respect within you for it. I certainly don’t want to be writing or reading about you next time. Until then, HAPPY PADDLING!!!
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- Hemlock Pete
- The most frequent question I get asked is, "Where did you get the name Hemlock Pete?" First of all my name is Scott Edwards. The Hemlock Pete title was given to me by my grandfather, Howard Wardner. Here is a man who was blessed with three daughters and not a single son. He was an avid outdoorsman born and raised in the Adirondack mountains of upstate New York. His father was an Adirondack Guide working for the Paul Smith's Hotel. When I was born (in Key West Florida) my grandfather drove down to see me. This was a very long trip back in 1957. As the story goes, he took one look at me and declared that I was his "Hemlock Pete". According to my grandmother he could not wait for me to accompany him on his hunting and fishing excursions. Unfortunately for both of us he passed away when I was merely two years old. My grandmother (Mildred Wardner) quite often would mention how much Howard would have enjoyed my company.