Big Drops
By Tyler Bradt
Rating *****
When people think of white water, they tend to think of waterfalls, but when they actually hit the rapids in a boat, going over a waterfall is considered a bad thing. This article by Tyler Bradt is a good how to guide on how to safely go over a waterfall in a kayak.
The author of this article, Tyler Bradt, definitely has enough experience to write a guide on how to safely go over a waterfall. Bradt has gone over 15 drops exceeding 70 feet in his time white water kayaking. He discusses how when going over the lip of the falls, one must be sure to angle their boat properly to ensure that they go into free fall safely. He states that when he goes into freefall, he like to keep a straight and neutral body position when as it allows him to adapt and make corrections in the air to ensure a safe landing. He then goes on to give example of different waterfalls and how to approach them. He also gives helpful advice such as to avoid waterfalls with visible rocks at the bottom as those who go over them will likely have a bad time once they reach the bottom. His final piece of advice is to visualize where you want your boat to go by scouting out the run beforehand to help you keep to the safest route down.
Overall I find this to be a very helpful article for our outdoor ed class. Although most students would be reluctant to go over a waterfall, the tips that Bradt includes in his article would be able to help those who feel up to the challenge. His writing does not include extreme technical terms, meaning it is more approachable to casual boaters and it helps to be a guiding light through the experience with his easy to follow tips. In conclusion, I recommend this article to those with even a slight interest in white water as it can help them with the proper terms and techniques to have a safe and enjoyable time.
Citations
Bradt, Tyler, Big Drops, Rapid the Whitewater Magazine, Early summer 2010, Accessed March 12 2015
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