QUESTION NUMBER 18:

Are canoe trips dangerous?


NORTH COUNTRY'S ANSWER:

Dangerous? NO!   Are there risks? Of course.

But then all outdoor activities have some sort of risk. Add to that the risks involved with sports, and the risks involved with isolation and no immediate response medical help, and you will be in the range of a wilderness canoe trip.

However, the inherent risks of a canoe trip pale in the light of not using common sense or taking unnecessary chances.

• Always wear your life jacket while on the water.

• Never run any sort of rapids. Always use the portages ... they are there for a reason!

• Never dive into wilderness lakes. Never swim above a rapids or falls. Use extreme caution swimming below a rapids or falls; currents and undertows are always present to some degree.

• Get off the water if winds increase to the point of making you feel uneasy, or if lightening is imminent due to the proximity of storms.

• Use a great deal of care around fire, whether that be with wood or a gasoline stove. Never take a heat source into your tent.

In short, always consider the risk involved with whatever you are planning to do. If there is little benefit, or there is more than slight risk of injury or death, DON'T DO IT ON A CANOE TRIP!