Whitewater safety classes?
Anybody take a whitewater safety class or some sort of instruction on kayaking/rafting that included lots of safety discussions?
Backstory: My girlfriend and I were floating the very mellow Sandy River just east of Portland and had a scare where our inflatable kayak hit and rolled against a down tree - the GF got stuck under the tree with her feet down river. I was in a more stable position, got her head above so we could communicate and get her air, then I pushed her through (no way was she coming up and over). Given the above situation, if we had been wearing PFDs, we'd have been tangled and had a more difficult time getting out from under the down tree. This experience and the PFD quandry has her a bit spooked and me feeling way more aware of how seemingly benign stuff can instantly turn into serious business on the water.
So, anybody have some resources they'd recommend? Books? I will probably call up the local rafting company and/or kayak shop and ask for recommendations, but I wanted to check in here for advice and discussion.
We're both former competitive swimmers, love being on the river, have an interest in advancing our whitewater time/skills/opportunities, and are careful in our dangerous outdoor pursuits (mtb, bc skiing, sailing, etc). We want to do more river stuff, and we want to be safe and smart about it.
another Handsome Boy graduate
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