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Thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, paddlers flooded rivers and lakes around the country all in an attempt to get away from it all last year.
“It’s because of (COVID-19)," American Whitewater's Accident Database manager Charlie Walbridge told the Tennessean newspaper, "People are going stir crazy. They want to do something where they won’t expose themselves.”
But in Walbridge's new semi-annual report, 2020 also was an unprecedented year for deaths that occurred while paddling rivers. There were 48 deaths last year, which is well above average. The report tracks paddler deaths on the nation's whitewater rivers said that Tennessee saw the most deaths on its rivers with eight fatalities. Arkansas had seven deaths, and Washington reported six. Fatalities among skilled paddlers declined, although those involving inexperienced boaters increased. COVID-19 might be one reason why as kayak and canoe dealers quickly sold out and people rushed to get on the water for the first time.
"This has been offset by a big increase in those involving inexperienced people. Half the accidents (14) involved recreational kayaks, most of them in fast water or mild rapids," Walbridge wrote in his report, "My guess is that while many of us were staying home, others who own flatwater kayaks and cheap rafts were getting into trouble on local creeks. There were a large number of rescues reported, most involving rescue squads attending to stranded paddlers. Since experienced paddlers manage these situations themselves, this also points to an influx of newbies on fast-moving water."
As the interest in paddle sports continues to increase, so have the water-related fatalities. TheUnited States Coast Guard data shows that across the United States in 2005, canoe and kayaks made up 10% of all water deaths. That's been on the rise steadily since, and in 2019, 20% of deaths occurred on kayaks and canoes. Paddle safety leaders cite the same reasons they have been preaching for years. Inexperience, hypothermia, and mostly not wearing a PFD as the main causes of boating deaths. In American Whitewater's report, of the people who died, most were not wearing a life jacket.
“The basic message is the newbies need to wear a life jacket," Walbridge told the Tennessean, "Stay away from extreme water conditions and not use alcohol or drugs when they’re on the water, and that will prevent somewhere between 80% and 90% of the accidents."
Walbridge encourages beginners to take training classes, learn safety skills, and mostly know their limits before heading out onto the river.
The study serves as a reminder as we begin another season of paddling. Stop and thoughtfully consider your skills when you’re faced with something new and don't just fling into paddling.
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