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By Harriette Halepis

There’s no better way to get to know a body of water than with a canoe. After all, canoes are one of the earliest types of boats on the planet. Humans have been using canoes for centuries now, and the basic canoeing safety rules have remained the same since the first canoe was created. Before you head out in that canoe, take a look at some of these tips.

First of all, make sure that you have enough safety vests on board for every single person that’s inside of thee canoe. In fact, it’s best to wear those vests (even if they don’t look great). Far too many people overlook this rule resulting in drowning deaths and fines – don’t make this mistake!

Next, make sure to wear shoes. This might seem silly, but most people jump into a canoe without any shoes on their feet. If you happen to be caught in a storm, you might end up on a rocky shore. Your shoes will come in handy if you have to cross giant patches of rocks!

It is also important to listen to yourself. If you know that you can’t handle those fast rapids, don’t try it! Instead, know what your limitations are, and try to remain within them. Sometimes it’s possible to get caught in a storm or in fast water, but don’t aim for this trouble if you can avoid it.

Before you leave home, try and have a basic understanding of the area that you are going to be exploring. While you don’t have to know about every nook and cranny, it never hurts to have a clue as to your proximity. Learn about any rapid waters, find out about any reefs, and make sure that you stay near the shoreline.
In addition, bring GPS trackers with you. Even though someone might know where you are, a GPS tracker will help authorities to locate you if you become stranded. There are lots of storms that can quickly take over an entire lake leaving you lost, but this won’t happen if you have a tracker with you.

Lastly, never head out onto open water if you know that a storm is coming. You might think that you can beat a storm, but this is a mistake. If the water looks choppy and the skies are dark, stay inside! If you observe these basic canoeing safety tips, then your canoe trip should go just swimmingly.