Safety Tips for Having Fun on the Red & Sheyenne Rivers
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Safety Tips for Having Fun on the Red & Sheyenne Rivers Boating/Canoeing/Kayaking/Fishing Water Safety is Your Responsibility!!! Canoeing, Kayaking and Boating • Stay sober. Never recreate on the river while Swimming/Wading under the influence of alcohol or drugs. • Swimming in the Red River is not • Children and adults should always wear a recommended. Personal Flotation Device (PFD)/life jacket that • If wading, wear a properly fitted and fastened fits properly and is fastened. Don’t assume you life jacket. have the swimming skills to keep you afloat, even the strongest swimmers can drown. Fishing • • Stay sober. Never recreate near the river while Do not paddle/boat alone. under the influence of alcohol or drugs. • Learn about your route in advance, including • Children and adults should always wear a potential hazards and current water conditions. Personal Flotation Device (PFD)/life jacket that • Portage around dams. fits properly and is fastened. Don’t assume you • Take a paddling/boating class. Learn the have the swimming skills to keep you afloat, essential canoeing/kayaking strokes to even the strongest swimmers can drown. effectively steer the vessel. • Be careful of slippery riverbanks. • Learn to swim. • Know where your fishing hooks are flying. (over) • Avoid situations that are beyond your paddling Dams and swimming ability. Seven of the eight dams on the U.S. portion of the • Have a safety plan. Red River have been retrofitted with a five percent slope rock rapid that has eliminated the undertow Carry a spare paddle. and allowed upstream fish migration. Still be Bring a whistle or sound-signaling device. cautious and use portages when available. If you fall in, point your feet downstream and towards the surface and swim to shore. Don’t go into the water to rescue somebody else, call 9-1-1, then be sure have a life jacket on, throw something to them to help them float or reach out with a pole or branch but keep a firm grip. Bring a First Aid kit. Bring a pump and sponge. Before going on the water, tell someone where you are going and when you will return. The Dam at Drayton, ND has not yet been • Be sure your vessel is in good repair. retrofitted with rock rapids and is very dangerous. • Monitor the weather. All dams are dangerous. Lowhead dams are • Do not stand up in a canoe or kayak. especially hazardous because they do not appear • Avoid weight shifts that may cause capsizing. dangerous. Water falling over the lowhead dam • Never paddle/boat over a low-head dam, fallen creates a hydraulic roller, or recirculating current. tree or other in-stream obstruction. The falling water • Keep vessels a safe distance apart. continuously takes any object to the • Dress appropriately. bottom, brings it to Wear sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. the surface and Clothing layers are a great answer to changing returns the object to temperatures. the bottom. • Bring plenty of drinking water. Watercraft should stay at least 300 feet • Watch for anglers lines in the river. away from the dams. Individuals along the banks of the river Riverfront Users should stay at least 10 feet away. • Stay sober. Never recreate near the river while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. • Always watch children in and around water. They can quickly enter the water and get in trouble when your attention is diverted for only a moment. For more information: • Be cautious near all water bodies. River Keepers • Be cautious around muddy riverbanks slippery 1120 28th Ave. N., Ste. B rocks. Fargo, ND 58102 • Enroll children in swimming lessons. [email protected] • Monitor the river and weather conditions. (701) 235-2895 • Do not fall asleep on the edge of a riverbank. www.riverkeepers.org http://www.facebook.com/RiverKeepersFM .