And While You're at the Pool, Practice Some Safety Drills

For many of us, pool rolling season is a time to practice our onside, offside, back deck, and hand rolls, and other underwater composure exercises in nice, warm flat water. 

While pool sessions are also great for staying connected with friends, the boating community, socializing, and geeking out about gear during the winter months, take a little time to practice important river safety essentials. Here are a few. 

· Swim with your boat and paddle from one end of the pool to the other. 

· Do a few front crawl swimming laps, also known as aggressive swimming on moving water, to exercise those rotator cuff muscles. 

· Partner with another kayaker and practice a bow or “hand-of-God” rescue. 

The CCA Safety Committee is putting together a training program that covers these exercises and other essential safety skills at its Tuesday evening Takoma Park pool rolling sessions—more details to follow. 

For those who will continue to paddle as the air and water temperature drop, visit the National Center for Cold Water Safety site for a fantastic resource on staying safe in cold water.

Lastly, mark your calendars! We are kicking off the 2025 paddling season with a river safety workshop led by longtime kayaker and swiftwater rescue instructor Charlie Duffy. The workshop will be at the Carderock Pavillion on Saturday, March 22, at 9:00 a.m.  

—Rolando Arrieta, Safety Chair