Communication

Communication within a canoe

A canoe needs a leader whitewater

Decide ahead of time who will be calling the shots on the route while in the whitewater. Two drivers at the same time doesn’t work. It’s often best for the lead to be the stern paddler, but it doesn’t have to be. The bow paddler has the challenge of ensuring they are heard, which typically requires turning their head. This can be a risk since they can lose full situational awareness when they do that. (For this next bit, we’ll assume that the stern paddler is lead). 

When Tim was new to paddling he and his bow paddler disagreed on whether to go right or left around a rock in the mildest of swifts. The bow paddler drew a hard cross draw right while shouting, "Go right!" Meanwhile, Tim was pulling out a massive sweep while hollering, "Go left!" It didn't go well. Incidentally, this was before they knew any of the safety tips covered on this site but they managed to unpin the boat after a half hour or so. 

Good communication is also required before running the rapid. Bow and stern paddlers discuss the route when scouting and make a plan together. (We'll talk about scouting more later.) When running whitewater tandem, no one should be pressured into running something they don't feel comfortable with. The risk and all the maneuvers required should be discussed openly before getting back into the boat.

The stern paddler

The stern paddler takes care of setting the route using their own paddle strokes and by making requests of the bow paddler. The stern will "use" the bow paddler as necessary to get where they need to be while also clearly communicating intention. They'll shout things like:

2. • • “Ok, give me a draw, I want to get past this rock on the left!" 

     • "I don’t think that we’ll be able to make that one. Let’s pull off into this eddy to have a look.”

     • “Ok, let’s go left of that long rock and then hook around to the right of the next ledge with some back paddling. Sound good?”

Occasionally, they may also get a quick consult on the path. "Think we can make it over to the right or should we abort and go to the left channel?" 

The bow paddler 

The bow paddler follows the directions of the stern paddler as discussed above, but they also play a critical role in crisis moments. The bow informs the stern on upcoming hazards that might be hard to see from the stern, and in cases where it's too late, they take immediate action while simultaneously communicating with the other paddler. If the boat is about to slam into a previously unseen rock, the bow paddler can turn the boat much faster and more efficiently than the stern, so rather than waiting for the approvals to come through, quick action is taken. 

The bow also engages in discussion about the rapid while in it. They may point out hazards by saying things like, "You see that pillow-rock on the left?" But be careful not to do this to rocks clearly not in your path. When there are many rocks it might be necessary to use your paddle (if safe to do so) to point in the direction you want to go, as the stern paddler may not have the same vantage point to easily view the route. As stated below, point positive (not towards the rock, but towards the desired line).

Sometimes stern paddlers get a tunnel vision of the path they are aiming for and forget to vocalize their thinking so the bow may need to ask questions about the line. There are also often several routes down a rapid, so the bow paddler may need to confirm with the stern which route is being taken. "We going right or left up here?" 

And at times, mostly when other options are available, a bow paddler can balk at directions and make it clear they are not comfortable with a chosen path. "I don't think we'll make that. Can we eddy out and look?" They may even make an alternate suggestion. "I think we can go right through to the right of that large rock." But in the end, it's the stern paddler who has to make the final call lest the boat ends up wrapped on a rock due to poor communication.

Tip

The roar of whitewater can make it difficult for paddle partners to hear each other. It's especially difficult for the stern paddler to hear the bow paddler who's mouth is facing the opposite direction. It's a good idea for the bow paddler to turn their head partially to the side when hollering back at the stern. It makes it much easier for the stern to hear. Always speak louder than you think is needed, especially if you have a quiet voice to begin with.

Communication with people in other boats

Just as good communication is important within a boat, it's also important between the boats within a group. Often boats are outside of voice communication range or the roar of the rapids can make it difficult to hear one another. On Split Rock Outdoors trips, we try to ensure that every boat has a two-way radio, which is essential for when critical and complex information needs to be passed along. Once a boat is committed to a rapid though, it's not aways easy or safe to pull out the radio, so there are other forms of instant communication that we use. When safe, radios are used to communicate obstacles, better pathways, fun waves, or other features that may be relevant. Typically, our scout boat - Stefan in his kayak - will radio back to the canoes after his run. We also use the radios to communicate when we are about to run a rapid, so anyone with a camera or throw-bag standing on shore is ready.

One rainy portage on the Magnetawan river in the spring, Jacob zipped up his rain jacket to his nose to avoid both the rain and the mosquitos. As he progressed through a particularly rough portage, his glasses were fogging up. As the roar of the rapid got quieter and the path less and less distinct, the realization dawned on him that he had at some point lost the portage trail. "Help, I'm somewhere where I don't where I am," was soon communicated over the two-way radio, and with a little help from Stefan, Jacob was coached back to the portage trail with the assistance of some whistling.

Paddle signals

Paddle signals are very helpful when you need to communicate simple information quickly. If a route is clearly not as great as everyone thought, a lead boat may raise their paddle in the air at a 40° angle and jab it a bit to tell everyone behind them to go the direction they are pointing towards. Have a look at the four main paddle signals below. 

The emergency SOS signal. This one should only be used when help is needed at the paddler giving the signal. If there is a risk to paddlers to approach the situation, just use the Hold gesture. The emergency paddle signal is the visual form of the three whistle blast which is covered below.

You can do all of these same signals with your arm fully extended if a paddle is not available, it will just not be as easily seen at a distance.

“Point positive” should be the default while in the boat. If everyone defaults to only pointing in the direction the paddlers should go then no one is left with wondering, "Are they pointing at the bad thing or the good thing?" This does not apply when scouting on shore. In fact, it's handy to use a paddle to point to specific rapids when talking about rapids. With the longer reach of the paddle, it's easier for a group to see what you're referring to. 

Whistle signals

Often paddlers will lose line of sight of each other in rapids. Some rapids, like Split Rock on the Madawaska, are tight and canoes should go down the rapid one at a time, but it's hard to see directly down the tight canyon-like rock formation once a canoe has gone down. A blow of the whistle (if you don't have a two-way radio) is an easy way to signal the next canoe that they may start their run. 

Here is the whistle code that Split Rock uses: 

One blast:

Depending on the context, this one will mean, "Pause and look at me—I need to communicate something" and then be followed up with a radio discussion or paddle signals. Or it can mean what was agreed on moments earlier like in the Madawaska scenario described above. "It's safe to come down when I blow the whistle." 

Two blasts:

Everyone stop where they are. No one should start a run and if paddlers are in moving water they should try to eddy out or get to shore and wait. This may be used for non-emergency situations such as a canoe capsize in a non-dangerous area but it's not ideal for more canoes to come crashing down into the "yard sale" of gear and into swimmers. This is the only one of the three whistle signals that is not standard, but it's what we use in Split Rock. Other paddling groups may apply a different meaning to two whistle blasts.

Three blasts: 

Someone needs help. This is the international SOS. Paddlers should get to shore and get to the source of the whistle if they can safely do so. With radios the group will quickly be updated on what the emergency is and if they can run the rapid to come down to assist. It may mean ditching the canoe on the shore and accessing a victim from shore.

Helmet signal

Tapping the top of your helmet twice is a widely known simple communication method. You can ask the question of someone by tapping your helmet twice. It means, "Are you ok?” If they are ok, the other paddler can respond by echoing back the same tap-tap. If they are not ok, they do not return the tap-tap and perhaps shake their head or even wave their arms in the air indicating that they need help. Note that this communication method relies on eye contact. If someone doesn’t tap-tap back, it might just mean they didn’t notice you do it. 

Terminology

There are plenty of terms in whitewater paddling and whitewater reading. We've tried to collect as many as we can and list them here for your reference. They can be very handy both in scouting and in critical situations where brevity is needed. The proper term can be far clearer than saying, "We gotta around that big splashy white sort of rapid with the ups and downs..."

Whitewater terms

Backwash: Water that is recirculating upstream in a hole or hydraulic. 

Boil: As water spills over a rock feature and then slams into the water below it, it will make a frothy white elongated section that resembles water boiling. This kind of rapid does not necessarily contain recirculating water that keeps paddlers.  Expect less boat stability, and less effect from each stroke, since the water is less dense here.

Bony: A shallow, rocky section of a river that will require a lot of maneuvering to get through. 

Capsizing: When a canoe overturns and the paddlers fall in the water.

Downstream Vs: A smooth, dark, V-shaped section of water between obstacles where the water moves quickly. This usually indicates the best passage through. The pointy end of the V is downstream. (Upstream Vs are just rocks with eddies behind them). 

Drop: Any quick drop in elevation. A ledge, for instance, has a drop.

Dump: Another term for capsizing. 

Eddy: The section of water downstream of a rock or obstruction that is calm. There are usually clear “eddy fences” or “eddy lines” that mark the border between the fast water moving past the calm spot behind the rock.

Gnarly:

Haystacks: Consistent and sometimes large waves causes by a deceleration of water flow. Fast water in behind is bumping into slower water downstream causing some of the energy to be dispersed upwards. 

Jonner: Another name for a bailing device.

Ledge: A long, sharp drop in elevation perpendicular to the river. 

Outwash: Water that escapes the hole/hydraulic and heads downstream.

Pillow: Pillow is the water that builds up on the upstream side of an obstruction. It makes a smooth pillow-like shape without aerated water in it. 

Pinned: When a canoe is pushed open-side-upstream into a rock or other immovable object and stuck in place.

Pool: Any section of calm water. Could be a large eddy, or the inside of a turn in the river. 

Pushy: The rapid seems to exert more control over the boat than anticipated. "I wanted to take the line to the right but this rapid is pushy and I couldn't get over in time."

Roostertail: Spray of water that explodes upwards off a submerged rock or obstacle.

Siphon: An opening underwater where water can pass through but a human cannot. Can occur in strange igneous rock formations or stacks of large boulders. Very dangerous as a paddler would be stuck underwater.

Sneak: A way around a significant rapid that avoids going through the big water. For rapids that are unrunnable, it offers a better alternative to lining or portaging. Used as both a verb and a noun.

Stopper: A rapid right after a fast drop that causes some of the water to go up and fall back down into the same boil. It creates a recirculating action that can be difficult for a boat or swimmer to escape from. 

Strainer: An obstacle in the river that water can pass through but paddlers can’t. Most commonly a tree or a pile of debris. This is one of the most dangerous hazards in whitewater paddling. If the strainer is a tree, it fell into the water at this location because the current eroded its root base. This also means that the fast current runs right through a strainer. A swimmer could get snagged in the tree and be held underwater.

Swamped: A canoe that is submerged, not due to tipping but to too much water splashing up into the canoe, often in a long rapid with large waves.

Sweeper: A tree that has fallen into the water so that the main trunk is not in the water but branches dangle into the water causing a potential for snags.

Swim: Another term for capsizing. 

The sweep: An intentionally placed skilled paddler that goes last through rapids.

Wave train: Series of standing waves in succession. Feels a bit like a rollercoaster going through them.

Navigational terms

Downstream: The direction the water is flowing. 

Lee side: A section of open water that is protected from wind and waves such as an island or peninsula. It's not used to describe a similar effect in whitewater known as an Eddy. 

Line: A potential pathway through the rapid. While scouting, people often ask each other, "What line are you thinking?"

Raft up: If someone hollers this on the river, it's a request/instruction to gather together and grab onto each other's boats for some discussion about what's ahead, make a group decision, wait for stragglers, or sometimes just to chill and have a snack. 

River right and River left: Since "left" and "right" are relative, we standardize directions using "River-left" and "River-right" which are always in reference to facing downstream, regardless of where someone is facing. If a boat pulls into an eddy and faces upstream to shout a direction to another boat, they would say, "Stick to river-right to avoid the rocks!" The direction is still clear even though the two boats pointing at each other have different right and lefts.

Upstream: Against the direction the water is flowing.