Paddling by Myself
I’m of two minds about this.
No, I’m not.
Yes, I am.
I don’t know.
I know that a large proportion of the times I have gone paddling, I have gone by myself. In my carefree younger days, lots of the times I would go paddling, I would go by myself. It was hard to find a paddling partner. And several times when I have done a “scouting” trip, to prepare for an eventual club trip, I have gone alone.
It is hard to find other paddlers who have the same times available to go paddling when you want to go paddling, so you end up going by yourself. It is why we have a paddling club!
But we know that many of the drownings every year happen to people who are paddling by themselves. I don’t know the exact percentages, but when I asked ChatGPT, it responded that:”…solo paddlers making up a good portion of those deaths.” And:”…many of these cases involving solo paddlers”
That was so helpful.
Brooks Hess, in an article in Paddling Magazine, (October 13, 2020) explained that they teach the “Never paddle alone” rule when they teach a class in paddling, but they often paddle alone, themselves. Several of the people they interviewed for the story also paddle solo, and explained that paddling by themselves allowed them to achieve a “flow” state of almost meditation with the river. Which they wouldn’t get if they were in a group.
Paddling with others, you end up changing the dynamics of your relationship with the river. Blah Blah.
We also know that several of the supposed drownings by solo paddlers have been staged, as a way for some criminal to disappear and avoid consequences.
I will continue to espouse paddling with others as the preferred method, but be less afraid to paddle by myself. I’ll just have to remember to be particularly strict at following some of the other safety rules of paddling:
Tell someone else about your expected route, and when you expect to be off the water and get home.
Pay attention to the weather, and get off the water if it goes South.
Always wear your PFD.
Drink plenty of water.
Wear sunscreen and a hat
Take a spare paddle
Take a satellite communicator in a waterproof container.
Take a dry bag with a change of clothes and a towel.
Scout rapids or falls before running them. If in doubt, line them.
Take a first aid kit.
Stay safe out there!
See you On The Water!
Harmon Everett, Author