SWIFTWATER RESCUE CLINICS IN MASSACHUSETTS

Every kayaker, canoeist or rafter finds themselves needing help on the river from time to time.  Whether you’re rescuing or being rescued, the skills you learn in a swiftwater rescue clinic are invaluable in situations when time is of the essence. 

Whose safety do you put at the top of the priority list?  Should you wade in a rapid? Is it okay to tie off your rope in a given situation?  How can you increase your mechanical advantage when pulling a raft off a rock?  If you find yourself wondering about some of these questions, you should take a Swiftwater Rescue class. 

We offer 1-day Intro and 2-day Basic and 2-day Advanced Swiftwater Rescue Courses from our base in Charlemont, Massachusetts on the Deerfield River.  These clinics are taught by ACA Swiftwater Rescue Instructors. In these very hands-on workshops we work on getting comfortable swimming around in whitewater, understanding how to set up a variety of rescues, limitations of certain common rescue techniques, and managing a rescue, among other things. 

For anyone who spends a significant amount of time on the river, we highly recommend getting at least some basic river rescue skills under your belt, not only for your own safety but for the safety of the people with whom you paddle.

• 1-day Intro River Rescue Workshop   (includes CPR)
• 2-day Basic River Rescue Workshop
• 2-day Advanced River Rescue Workshop

Fergus Coffey demonstrating how to swim into an eddy on whitewater