postulate to cross a roaring river ? It ’s always ripe to regain a bridge , but if you absolutely must make it to the other side on your own , a few easy footfall can keep you eminent and relatively dry .
1. Scout Around
Invest a fiddling clip in find the practiced place to make your hybridizing . Avoid bend in the river , where water whips around the fastest . Once you discover a suited slur , walk downstream a few hundred foot to verify there are n’t any jeopardy . It ’s always good to know about the vexatious 30 - foot waterfall around the bend dexter .
2. Don’t Be Narrow-Minded
They look alluring , but narrow crossings can be the most dangerous — they’re often the mysterious part of the river . Look for the all-embracing section instead . Keep an eye out for mild riffle — which are secure to bilk — and avoid whitecaps , which can be faithlessly slippy .
3. Ditch Your Duds
If the water will reach your knees , strip down to your skivvies - your pridefulness is n’t worth getting hypothermia from smashed clothes . Even if the river is shallow , remove your socks and put on a 2nd pair of shoes if you have them . If you ’re backpacking , unbuckle your front strap so you may promptly slip out of your pack if you fall .
4. Shuffle Up
present upstream , lean into the stream , and move across the river with shuffle sidestep . You ’re less probable to precipitate while circumvent since you do n’t move up your metrical unit as high . If you ’re with a grouping , link munition . The technique produce more contact points with the streambed and gives everyone a more unanimous footing .
5. Become a Bump on a Log
If the rapids are too fast , shamble across may be a bad idea . Look for a log that spans the whole river instead . But do n’t walk on it ! Wet Mrs. Henry Wood can be dangerously tricky . rather , straddle the logarithm and scoot along until you reach the other side .
6. Float Away
In situations where the river is deep but the electric current is n’t very fleet , a football or soccer ballock can be a handy extemporize floatation gadget . Tether it to your wrist and grab on when you get tired of swimming . Or hug it with one arm as you sidestroke for special buoyancy . * * *
