How to: Read Whitewater

The Sun shines not on us but in us. The Rivers flow not past, But through us. - John Muir Why should you learn to read whitewater? Welp, you don't have to. You may be about as interested in whitewater as I am in World of Warcraft. [Which is 0% interested] However, if you are a boater, an aspiring boater, or just plain curious, then understanding whitewater is a great skill to have. In this course, I am going to go over whitewater classifications, important whitewater features, river hazards, and gear suggestions. While this course contains lots of information that may make you feel like the Nicholas Cage of whitewater boating, you should keep in mind that whitewater is very unpredictable and sometimes dangerous no matter how much you know. You should always start small, exercise the utmost caution, and above all, respect the river

And the river was there --Fascinating -- deadly-- Like a snake. -Joseph Conrad Whitewater rapids are rated on a scale of I - VI. One is basically a swimming pool with a current, while VI is considered to be deadly. The scale is subjective. What once might have been considered a larger, more dangerous rapid, may now just be a cruisy II- III. This is mostly due to advancements in gear and technique over time. Rapids can earn their difficulty in a variety of different ways. A rapid could have a class III move, however, run the rapid incorrectly and this could result in class IV consequences. That rapid will receive a class IV rating. You could have a rapid with a very hard move but if the results are not as severe it may receive a lower rating. Classification Description Skill level Class I Very small rough areas, and requires no maneuvering None Class II Some rough water, maybe some rocks, small drops, might require maneuvering Basic Paddling Class III Medium waves, maybe a 3–5 ft drop, but not much considerable danger may require significant maneuvering experienced paddling Class IV Whitewater, large waves, long rapids, rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed advanced whitewater experience Class V Whitewater, large waves, continuous rapids, large rocks, and hazards, maybe a large drop, precise maneuvering, often characterized by "must make" moves, i.e. failure to execute a specific maneuver at a specific point may result in serious injury or death, Class 5 sometimes expanded to Class 5+ that describes the most extreme, runnable rapids; Class 5+ is sometimes assigned to a rapid for commercial purposes since insurance companies often will not cover losses sustained in Class 6 rapid. expert Class VI While some debate exists over the term "class 6", in practice it refers to rapids that are not passable and any attempt to do so would result in serious injury, near drowning, or death. If a rapid is run that was once thought to be impassible, it is typically reclassified as class 5. - Table info above from Wikipedia

The current is the main flow of water in the river. It is possible to have multiple unique currents in the same section of the river. They are determined by what obstacles are in and around the river/riverbed, and each obstacle will have an effect on the current and main river flow. If a river is wide and does not have many obstacles in it you may have difficulty detecting the direction of the current. You can determine the direction of a current by throwing some leaves in the water and watching which way they go.

The rocks that we see above the surface are only a fraction of the rocks that actually shape our whitewater environment. Rocks that are on the surface tend to shape the top layer of water by splitting it up into different currents and channels - creating multiple routes through the riverbed. Rocks that are under the water can slow down the lower layers of water, shape waves, or in some cases create hazards. Be aware that all rivers have rocks underneath them, keep your helmet on at all times, and remember that rocks hurt. To find out more about specific rock hazards check out the ‘River Hazards, rocks’ section.