I started out fishing like most of us do… from the shore. There was lots of fishing in my grandfather’s farm ponds for bass. We also took my cane pole down to the bridge and caught sunfish from the creek. As I got older, I started to see the advantages of being in a boat. We often floated the Eleven Point River in canoes and caught trout and smallmouth along the way. We also took my uncle’s flat bottom boat out to cover more water and get to the good spots faster. Boats allowed us to get to fishing spots we never would have accessed on foot.
We are not the type of family that goes fishing shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of other anglers. We pride ourselves on getting out into the wilderness where no other fishermen will be. This kind of wilderness fishing can be dangerous even from the shore. We typically have no cell reception to call for help, so any emergency could be life-threatening. I fell from a rope swing on the river about 10 years ago and landed on the rocks below. Luckily my injuries were minor, but we were all shaken by the fact that nobody could call for help.
When you are working around water in the wilderness, there will always be risks. A few years back I was trout fishing in Arkansas with my brother-in-law. We were wading out into the river to get to the best spots, but I wasn’t having much luck. I walked downstream to see what was around the bend, but the water kept getting deeper. When I decided to turn back, the water hit my chest and filled up my waders. My father had always warned that you can drown from your waders filling up, but I was able to struggle my way to shore. Things could have ended much worse.
When you introduce a boat into the equation, it can make the situation even more dangerous. Wilderness boating is lots of fun and can get you to those hard-to-reach fishing spots, but you must be prepared for the situation. If you take the time to plan in advance and focus on staying safe, boating can be a great time for you and all of your family and friends. In this article, we will cover how you can stay safe while boating in the wilderness and enjoy your float.
Make a Plan
If you want to be safe on any trip into the wilderness, you need to have a plan and communicate that plan to everyone involved. If you are floating on a river, you should know roughly where you will be camping each night before you head out. This will determine what supplies you need to bring with you to support the amount of time you will be on the water. If you don’t have a plan, you could easily run out of food or water making for a tough finish to the trip. This is the same process you would need to complete for a long wilderness hike.
You also want to file your plan with some authority and a personal contact. For example, if you are renting a boat or using a shuttle service you can often file your plan with them so they can pick you up on time. Remember that you will likely have no cell reception, so running late for pickup is not an option. You can also sometimes file with the Department of Conservation if needed.
Finally, you should give your plan to a friend or family member. By distributing these plans, you ensure that someone will send help if you do not show up when you are expected. Just imagine that the boat is damaged and someone in your party has a leg injury. Without cell service, you are stuck with no way to get help. If you properly filed your plan, you should only need to make it a few days before help finds you.
Monitor Storms
Whether you are hiking in the wilderness or working out of a boat, storms can be some of the biggest risks you face. In this area, we have lots of storms with hail, lightning, strong winds, and flash flooding. If any of this happens on your trip, you must react accordingly to stay safe.
It can be tough to monitor the weather from the wilderness, so you need to do as much prep as possible. Check the weather forecast for the area you will be floating regularly including the night before you float. Forecasts can change quickly, so be sure you are on top of it. The morning of your trip you should also look at the radar as it sometimes shows small cells you would not see on the overall forecast. If there is a significant chance of a bad storm during your trip, you are better to postpone versus risking the safety of everyone coming. Also, check the water levels to be sure a previous storm doesn’t make the waters unsafe for travel.
Once you are on the water, you are going to be forced to face whatever weather conditions come along. However, you can still sometimes monitor storms so you have more time to take action. Bring a weather radio with you for any severe weather alerts. You should also keep your eyes on the sky and look for signs of a bad storm coming. If you see pink skies first thing in the morning, that could mean a storm is moving in. Also, if the skies start to turn really dark or green in color you should be concerned.
Once the storm hits, your options are limited. You should always get off of the water and try to move to high ground. If you try to stay on the water, lightning strikes are more likely to harm you. Especially when floating on a river, flash flooding can be common. Getting to higher ground will give you a better chance of avoiding floodwaters. Many of the rivers I float run through carved limestone canyons that make the area dangerous for flash floods. There are spots where you would have to climb sheer limestone cliffs to get above the floodwaters. The other dangerous part about flash floods is that they can kill you even if it is not raining at your location. If there is a nasty storm a few miles upstream, the flooding can still hit you just as hard. If possible, take shelter under your upside-down boat until the storm is over.
UV Protection
It seems like every time I go on a float trip or fishing trip, someone ends up with a bad sunburn. Often people fail to realize how many hours they will be spending in the sun when on a boat. On these wilderness floats you will be exposed to direct sunlight from dawn until dusk each day you are on the water. Compare this to just a few hours on a normal hike or afternoon of fishing and you can see why it hits so hard. In addition to enduring more hours of exposure, your skin is also hit by the sun reflecting off of the surface of the water.
I generally try to wear long pants and longs sleeves made of moisture-wicking material. This protects me from the sun and also keeps me cool. Usually I go for lighter colors, and many of these clothing items are specifically designed with a certain SPF for sun protection. These wicking shirts are also great because you can douse them in cold water to cool off and they will dry quickly.
A hat is also a must as your scalp takes the majority of the abuse. I even wear fingerless gloves and water socks sometimes to prevent my hands and feet from burning. Your general skin is not the only part of your body that can be damaged. It seems like my lips always burn worse than the rest of my body, so I have a specific sunscreen lip balm that we use. Your eyes can also take some serious abuse from the sun, so a hat with a bill or sunglasses are a good idea. You should also apply sunscreen frequently to be sure that any exposed skin doesn’t get fried.
While sunburns are the more obvious medical issue with the sun, heat stress or heat stroke is actually more dangerous. If you are exposed to high temperatures and direct sunlight for long periods of time, your internal temperature can increase to a point that it can make you quite sick and can even kill you. In addition to sun protection, you should try to take regular breaks in the shade to cool off. Drink lots of cool water and wrap a wet cloth around your neck to cool down your blood. If you start to get dizzy, light-headed, cold, or have an extreme headache you should get out of the sun immediately.
Floatation Devices
We grew up in an area where there was not much enforcement of floating laws. Rarely did people wear lifejackets, and often they didn’t even have floating seat cushions with them. From time to time, the local police would ask to use my uncle’s boat to fish a body out of the river. People would try to float when the water was high and would end up pinned against a root wad. Without a floatation device, this is a guaranteed death sentence.
The law has really cracked down the last few years, and the river has become safer. You will need a properly fitted life jacket inside the boat for each person. If you have kids coming, you may want to buy them each one so you know you have a jacket that fits. Often boat rental companies will be limited on kid’s sizes. Also, any kids under 13 years old are going to need to wear their life jacket the entire time they are in the boat. This can be tough with kids, but it is important.
One change I have recently made is that I now wear my life jacket at all times. I had to purchase a nice one that was thin and comfortable, but I feel like it is worth it. I recently read that 87% of people who drown on a boating trip have their lifejacket in the boat but are not wearing it. It almost defeats the point of having one if you won’t wear it. This is not a requirement for adults, but please consider it and find a life jacket that you will be comfortable wearing all day.
Moving Around
If you have several people stuffed into a canoe or boat, moving around can be a bit of a dance. In addition to the tight space, there are sometimes bulky pieces of gear like fishing poles, coolers, and paddles that can get in the way. It is easy to get snagged by a hook or to get a rope wrapped around your ankle and to get pulled into the water. Be sure you are slow and deliberate with your movements on the boat. Look at all of the hazards to avoid before you stand up, and make sure everyone else is seated and knows you are moving.
Fishing can be particularly tricky on a boat. If you have several people fishing, everyone will be casting, reeling, and rooting around in their tackle boxes at the same time. Many anglers prefer to stand when fishing from a boat, so that adds more instability to the situation. Just try to space out evenly and distribute weight so that the boat is stable. If someone is pulling in a big fish, you might stop for a minute to help them versus trying to keep fishing with all of that movement. Always watch out for who might be around you, and move only if you need to.
Drink Water
The greatest risk you have on a wilderness boating trip is dehydration. That sun exposure from dawn until dusk every day will require you to drink more water than usual. In addition, many people bring sugary drinks and alcohol on these trips that make you even more dehydrated. You need to stick to water as much as you can. In general, adults should try to drink about two gallons of water per day when in the sun.
Many of the signs of heat stress are similar to the signs of dehydration. Watch out for an overly high heart rate, dry mouth, headache, dizziness, or the inability to sweat. Thankfully the treatment for both conditions is similar. Get into the shade and drink cool water slowly. Do not chug cold water as it can make you sick and can actually cause you to pass out. Wet a cloth and wrap it around your neck to cool your blood down. If your group does decide to drink alcohol, be sure at least one person is always sober to keep everyone hydrated.
Motor Boats
When you are riding in a boat with a motor, there are some additional risks to consider. I only like to ride in motor boats with people that are familiar with the body of water. It is too easy to hit a rock or sand bar when you don’t know what is under the surface. You may not think about it, but you also want to avoid keeping the motor running for a long time in one spot.
Carbon monoxide hangs around the boat, and this can be dangerous to people in the boat or in the water. If you want to stay stationary in moving water, you should bring an electric trolling motor. You should always have a fire extinguisher in the boat and it should always be used for motor fires. Water can often make the fire worse when it is gasoline or oil based.
Survival Gear
Any time you are going to be spending several days in the wilderness, you should have some basic survival gear. Often this gear will not be used outside of emergencies, so you can bundle it up tight and tuck it under a seat. If someone gets injured or your boat is damaged and you cannot continue, you would need to set up camp and signal for help. You could also use this gear to hike for help as well.
You really just need to cover your most basic essentials which are food, water, fire, and shelter. You already have food for the trip, but I suggest packing some preserved food in addition. Just load up some meal replacement bars or beef jerky to keep you going if you run out of the rest of your food. You may also have fishing gear to bring in some extra protein.
No matter how clean your river or lake may look, you should always purify water. I like to keep a filter bottle as well as iodine tablets in case the filter gets clogged. You should have a couple firestarters like a lighter and a ferro rod to get fire started. I also bring waterproof tinder-like Firestix or Wetfire cubes so I can get easily get a fire going in the wind and rain. You probably already have some sleeping gear such as hammocks, tents, or sleeping bags. In addition, I suggest bringing emergency blankets for added shelter if your other gear is damaged. Pack some 550 paracord and you can easily build your own shelter if needed.
Other gear that should be included are a map and compass. Even if you are following a river and the path is pretty clear, these items are a good idea. If you must leave the water and hike to safety, you will need to navigate the area. A first aid kit is a must, and a good survival knife remains your most valuable survival tool. Signal mirrors and whistles can help if you get stranded along your path. I also like to have flashlights and headlamps to help function at night. We normally do not float in the dark, but there are times that it could be required to get to help quickly. You might also want to bring a folding saw or hatchet to process firewood.
We always love putting a boat in the water and exploring the wilderness. There is nothing quite as nice as floating through the woods and seeing nobody else for days at a time. As peaceful as it can be, wilderness floating can turn dangerous quickly. Always take the time to think about these dangers and plan out your trip. If you take the danger seriously and have plans in place, you will be able to rest easy and enjoy your wilderness adventure.