White Water Safety Management

1. Find out as much as practicable about the river trip, especially compulsory portage points, emergency exit points, known hazards and acceptable flow parameters.
2. Minimise impact upon the kayaking resource including riverbed, banks, access routes, flora and fauna.
3. Work cooperatively with other river users and landowners.
4. Let someone know what you are planning and when you are expected to return.
5. Wear an approved buoyancy aid when on or near the river, check its floatation and make sure it is in good condition and the correct fit. Ensure all buckles and zips are fastened.
6. Wear a helmet when on or near the river. Ensure it fits correctly and protects the temples and back of head.
7. Wear and/or carry sufficient warm protective clothing for the trip. This could include wetsuit, paddle jacket, dry top, neoprene shorts, fleece and polypropylene layers, hat and pogies.
8. Wear and/or carry footwear suitable for walking out of the river or scouting rapids. Footwear should be free of buckles or other accessories that could catch. Avoid boots and sports sandals as they can catch easily and are designed to not rip off. (Sports sandals are quite popular and are perceived as being suitable by many people but have been a contributing factor in overseas drownings.)
9. Carry equipment for unexpected emergencies. For example, first aid kit, spare paddle, spare clothes, food, webbing slings, throw bag, pulleys, prussiks, knife, snorkel, saw, fire-lighting equipment, thermos, survival bag, radio/cell phone, whistle and torch.
10. Check the safety of your kayak. Check usability, security and strength of grab-loops (all kayaks should have these). Check that the kayaks buoyancy is securely fastened and all screws and bolts are tight. Check the security of your footrests or bulkhead.
11. Check that you can release yourself from the kayak.
12. Ensure that your spray skirt has a pull-cord for release.
13. Ensure your spray skirt will not release unless you want it to.
14. Check your equipment for loose ropes or other snagging features, and remedy any dangerous features.
15. Check that your kayak has floatation adequate to ensure the kayak will float when full of water, possibly supplemented by air bags.
16. Be proficient in self rescue, including the skills of whitewater swimming techniques and a reliable Eskimo roll when paddling Class III/Grade 3 water or harder.
17. Know Basic Life Support and have a current first aid certificate.
18. Be proficient in river rescue techniques appropriate for the trip being undertaken and practice them regularly.
19. Paddle in control. Don’t enter unknown rapids that have not been scouted from the river or the bank. Consider portaging when you cannot see what obstacles lie ahead.
20. Be aware that rivers change and new hazards can occur between river trips and particularly after floods or heavy rain.
21. Be aware of your personal paddling ability and be prepared to portage rapids beyond this ability.
22. Don’t paddle when excessively tired, physically ill, intoxicated or when using drugs (prescription or non-prescription) which affect decision-making and reflexes.
23. Be particularly aware of constructed features obstructing the river, including weirs, bridges, fences, ropes, wire and other debris.
24. Think carefully about the suitability of your boat for the particular river conditions you are paddling, know the strengths and limitations of your kayak design.
25. Be aware of the additional hazards in flooded rivers.
26. Check river flows and weather forecasts and be prepared to change plans.
27. Learn to recognise river hazards (overhanging trees, undercut banks, weir-like holes, vortex-style eddies etc.).
28. Avoid injury by stretching, warming up, staying fit and developing good paddling techniques.

In addition to the Personal Kayaking points:

1. Trips require a trip coordinator for logistics. ( ie: arranging car –pooling, times, river runs agreeable to all). Casual groups are hard to co-ordinate unless somebody assumes this role.
2. Leaders to come from within the group., group to have suitably expienced members.
3. Divide a large group into manageable sizes. A maximum of 6-8 kayakers per group is a good guideline. Members of each group are to stay together, where possible keep groups within visual contact or wait to check in at various occasions.
4. Buddy people up if there are some weaker paddlers or paddlers experience is limited, or unknown.
5. The more experienced and stronger kayakers in a group may consult and decide on what they feel is the safest way for paddlers when heading down a tricky rapid. Paddlers are encouraged to offer advice and guidance for the independent consideration and judgment of others. However the decision to paddle is the responsibility of the individual.
6. Be prepared to suggest that some people may be better portaging some rapids.
7. Ensure group members are aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Members are suitable experienced to read the river, self-rescue and aid a rescue or aid people coming to their assistance. Have strategies in place to inform each other if these change (e.g. if injury develops).
8. Let someone know what you are planning and when you are expected to return.
9. Have sufficient emergency gear with you for the number of kayakers in your party. Know who has what and ensure emergency equipment is shared out amongst members.
10. Look out for each other and be personally responsible.
11. Know the communication system that your group is using.
12. In the event of an accident think of safety ahead of speed. There are often simple solutions, which do not compromise anyone else’s personal safety.
13. When a harder rapid is reached utilise appropriate risk management strategies.
    These may include but are not limited to:

1) Scouting the rapid from boat and / or bank. Remember that different perspectives can show up different problems or different lines.

2) Select the line and discuss with others.

3) Watch the most competent person paddle the rapid first.

4) Portage if necessary.

5) Strategic placement of people with throw bags and paddles.

6) Strategic placement of paddlers in eddies.

In addition to the Personal and Group Kayaking points:

1. The purpose is to teach kayaking skills to people of lesser skill or experience.
2. The Instructor should have attended a River Rescue course and be proficient in these rescue techniques.
3. The Instructor takes on the responsibility of looking after the client group.
4. The ratio of Instructor to clients is dependent on river, skills of leader and clients, but as a guideline 1:4 is a practical number from which to make adjustments.
5. Be familiar with the river trip.
6. Plan the trip carefully and be aware of the exit point and emergency exit points.
7. Check river flows and weather forecasts and be prepared to change plans.
8. Organise equipment so that there is spare equipment at the end of the trip.
9. The clients should have covered some appropriate progressions before being taken onto the river; these could include capsize drill, Eskimo rescue drill, Eskimo rolling, forward paddling, sweep stroke, low brace, river signals, whitewater swim position.
10. The Instructor is responsible for analysing river hazards and minimising the risk to clients by alerting clients to any problem, avoiding the hazard, and positioning themselves and others to minimise consequences.
11. The Instructor is responsible for checking quality and suitability of the client’s equipment.
12. Consider the rescue equipment that should be carried for the trip. Depending on the trip this could include a first aid kit, spare paddle, spare clothes, food, webbing slings, throw bag, pulleys, prussiks, knife, snorkel, saw, fire-lighting equipment, thermos, survival bag, radio/cell phone, whistle and torch.
13. The clients should be taken on water that they can paddle safely or swim without injury.
14. The experience should be positive, improve skills and stimulate enthusiasm for kayaking.
15. Consider risk management strategies and develop an emergency response plan.
16. Know Basic Life Support and have a current first aid certificate.
17. Consider personal currency in kayaking. Club instructors need to meet the club’s instructor competency requirements (Maintaining a logbook of personal and instructional experience is a good way of doing this.)
18. The above information is for those instructing on an “ad hoc basis” For further information on the standards required of professional Instructors in New Zealand, contact the NZ Outdoor Instructor’s Association, and read the NZOIA Kayak Instructor’s Handbook.

Use the links below to access regional river flow information.

For the Tasman District page click on the red dot to see the graphs displaying the river flow, for the river you are planning to paddle.

Popular runs use;

• Motueka at Woodmen’s Bend = (Lower Motueka River Grade 2)

(Bluegum’s to Motueka Br)

• Motueka at Woodstock = (Upper Motueka River Grade 2+)

(McCleans Reserve to Baton Br)

• Buller at Longford = Buller River

(All Buller River runs Nelson side of Murchison)

Alternatively the TDC Flow phone – 03 543 8555 has an answer phone message giving the river flows, follow automated system prompts.

Club recommends that club trips do not proceed if the Motueka River or Buller River are running at 100 cumecs (m3/s) or more. For Beginners it is recommended that trips do not proceed if the Motueka is over 70 cumecs or the Buller is over 60 cumecs. This is a guideline only and the ability of the group should always be taken into consideration. Consider the weakest member of your group and be prepared to; postpone trips or recommend some members do not to paddle.

Maximum flows in rivers to protect safety of intermediate-level paddlers

By Trevor James November 2019

Motueka River at Woodstock for the McLeans to Woodstock section: 100 cumecs and falling. 80 cumecs and rising slowly (no major rain event happening that would cause a fast rising river)

Buller River at Longford for Gowan River to Mangles: 100 cumecs and falling. 80 cumecs and rising slowly (no major rain event happening that would cause a fast rising river)

Rai River at Falls: 20 cumecs and falling. 15 cumecs and rising slowly (no major rain event happening that would cause a fast rising river). Minimum flow ~5 cumecs.

Pelorus River at Bryants: 80-90 cumecs and falling. 60 cumecs and rising slowly (no major rain event happening that would cause a fast rising river). 60 cumecs is a really nice flow. Minimum flow ~20 cumecs.

Matakitaki River at Horse Terrace for run from below Horse Terrace to Six Mile: While it is not unsafe to paddle in up to 60-70 cumecs (there aren’t many places the river pushes into willows), holes, fast eddy lines and boils make it much more difficult for beginner-intermediate paddlers. 10-40 cumecs is best for this level of paddler. At 55 cumecs (and presumably above) there is a hole on the second rapid after the put in below Horse Terrace that will flip most people.

Tasman District Riverflows

Marlborough District Riverflows

North Canterbury Riverflows

West Coast Riverflows