Log Limbo by Maddie Kimmel | Sep 25, 2018 | Family Zone, Whitewater | 1 comment Today we took the afternoon to do some safety drills with logs. When creeking logs can be a major safety hazard and it’s important to be able to be able to dodge them. Branches, leaves can create strainers and you could get caught on. Here’s what they look like: Strainers and Logs aren’t always avoidable in narrow creeks.There are two strategies for dodging logs: Going Under- There is more than just playing limbo with logs. First you need to judge if you can fit underneath the log based on your size. You should slow down before you come to the log. When your bow starts to go under the log you should tuck back into a back deck/airscrew position with your head pointed down. It is important to point your head down so it doesn’t snag on anything sticking out underneath the log. Going Over- If you cannot fit underneath the log you could boof over it. If the log is 3-4 inches out of the water you can book over it. You need to charge at the log and pull over the lip of the log and then immediately tuck forward and take a strong forward stroke. If you don’t take a good forward stroke then you will fall over backwards, and get stuck on the log. Raising the log by only by a few inches can make it super challenging. It took me 3 attempts to go under the log without flipping over and I failed everytime trying to boof the log. It is important to practice so you know what to do when you do run into logs on the river. 1 Comment Kevin Hill on October 7, 2018 at 4:38 pm Nice write up Maddie! Sounds like a really cool opportunity to practice dealing with strainers – one of the scariest things on the river IMO. I used to explore tiny, slow-moving and remote rivers in WI before moving to OR. As a result, I got lots of practice getting over downed logs, and really dialed my technique. I take a strong stroke right as I approach the log, lean back a bit, and thrust my bow as high up onto the log as possible. Then I immediately throw my body forward in an explosive maneuver, transferring my weight to the bow of the boat to try and get the stern out of the water, and teeter the boat onto, and hopefully over, the log. This practice actually got me out of a very sticky situation here in OR while paddling a seldom run river that requires near flood stage flow to be runnable. A group of us did the run, and when we rounded a corner and saw a large log all the way across we had no option but to try and go over. I was the only one to make it, and I had some sleepless nights after that with the memory of watching one of my paddling partners not make it right in front of me, tipping back and getting sucked under with me not knowing if he could get through underneath because of clearance with the bottom and potentially branches sticking down too. In the end, he washed through, but his paddle didn’t (we retrieved it days later after the waters receded). So cool that you got to practice this in a controlled environment. Great pics, and thanks again for sharing! Reply Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ
Kevin Hill on October 7, 2018 at 4:38 pm Nice write up Maddie! Sounds like a really cool opportunity to practice dealing with strainers – one of the scariest things on the river IMO. I used to explore tiny, slow-moving and remote rivers in WI before moving to OR. As a result, I got lots of practice getting over downed logs, and really dialed my technique. I take a strong stroke right as I approach the log, lean back a bit, and thrust my bow as high up onto the log as possible. Then I immediately throw my body forward in an explosive maneuver, transferring my weight to the bow of the boat to try and get the stern out of the water, and teeter the boat onto, and hopefully over, the log. This practice actually got me out of a very sticky situation here in OR while paddling a seldom run river that requires near flood stage flow to be runnable. A group of us did the run, and when we rounded a corner and saw a large log all the way across we had no option but to try and go over. I was the only one to make it, and I had some sleepless nights after that with the memory of watching one of my paddling partners not make it right in front of me, tipping back and getting sucked under with me not knowing if he could get through underneath because of clearance with the bottom and potentially branches sticking down too. In the end, he washed through, but his paddle didn’t (we retrieved it days later after the waters receded). So cool that you got to practice this in a controlled environment. Great pics, and thanks again for sharing! Reply
