Swimming and Wading Techniques in
Swiftwater Rescue
Outline
I. Description
A. This component of the Swiftwater Rescue Curriculum is
designed to give the students effective strategies for swimming in
moving water and whitewater.
II. Objectives
A. Upon completion of this component the participants will be able
to:
1. Demonstrate and explain swimming strategies in Swiftwater
rescue
2. Demonstrate and explain the proper technique of Swiftwater
entry.
3. Demonstrate and explain the techniques of passive and
aggressive swimming in whitewater.
4. Demonstrate and explain the technique of switching from
passive to aggressive swimming without touching the river bed.
5. Demonstrate and explain the skills for effective entry and
exiting an eddy.
6. Understand how the ferry angle affects swimming across
moving water.
7. Understand how to properly breathe in whitewater.
III. Prerequisites
A. Proper Equipment
1. Helmet
2. Type III PFD – Preferably whitewater specific
3. Adequate Clothing for Cold Water/Weather
B. Throw Rope Skills
C. Wading Skills
IV.
Location
A. Flat-water site progressing toward above Class II whitewater
with a large pool downstream for swimming and recovery.
V. Special Note:
A. Use half of the class as swimmers and the second half of the
class as rope throwers. Position rope throwers near the bottom of
the current, but not in the pool at the bottom.
B. Establish another instructor as upstream safety since we will
have swimmers in the water.
VI. Introduction
A. Challenge by Choice
B. Risk Spectrum
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Swimming and Wading Techniques in
Swiftwater Rescue
Outline
1. High Risk
2. Fast to Very Fast
3. Simple
C. Advantages
1. Speed
2. Low Tech
3. Great Access Tool
4. Fun
5. Personal Safety / Rescue
D. Disadvantages
1. High Risk
2. Poor Visibility
3. Cold
VII. Flat-water or Slow Moving Water
A. Swiftwater Entry
1. Keep head and feet elevated
2. Impact on chest or PFD
3. Hands out in front of face, about 12 – 18 inches, with elbows
bent to soften blow of rocks.
4. Aim at about a 45 degree angle upstream to set ferry angle.
5. Once in the water spread arms out to limit depth of entry
into water.
B. Defensive Swimming
1. Sit in water facing down stream with your feet up and in
front of you.
2. Don’t try to sit up, but try to bring hips toward surface of
water.
3. Tuck you chin into your chest and look ahead or where you
want to go.
4. Do not allow the current to turn you sideways.
5. Advantages
Limits risk of foot entrapment
b) Allows swimmer to have a limited field of vision.
c) Allows swimmer to use feet to push off of obstacles
C. Aggressive Swimming
a)
1. Similar to the breast stroke
2. 80 percent of power comes from arm motion
Elbows should be slightly flexed
b) Fingers slightly spread will increases the surface
area of your hand which increases power.
a)
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Swimming and Wading Techniques in
Swiftwater Rescue
Outline
3. Feet and legs should be used minimally to kick to protect
them from being hit by rocks
4. Works well in ferrying across water
5. Disadvantages
Limited field of vision
b) Breathing or taking breaths may be more difficult.
D. Moving from Passive to Aggressive Swimming
a)
1. Remember K.I.S.S. Principle –
2. Simply roll over onto belly and begin aggressive swimming to
destination.
E. Eddy Entry (Eddy Turns) and Exiting (Peel Outs)
1. Eddy Entry
a)
Eddy Turn
A head first approach, in aggressive swimming
(2) Enter the eddy high and at a 45 degree angle
(3) Continue swimming hard until you are in the
eddy to keep from being pushed downstream
(4) Note: Probably more effective in deep, powerful
water.
(1)
b)
Barrel Roll
Initiate a roll into the eddy
(2) Rolling from your belly to your back and continue
repeating until you are into the eddy.
(3) May be more effective and less intimidating that
eddy turn.
(1)
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Swimming and Wading Techniques in
Swiftwater Rescue
Outline
2. Peel Outs
Swiftwater entry (See above)
b) Speed – for faster moving water you should have
more speed coming across the eddy line. But you may
be able to compensate some with your Swiftwater
entry.
c) Angle – Your angle exiting the eddy should be
pretty aggressive, at least 45 degrees, depending on
where you want to go. If you want to ferry across the
river you should have a greater angle than if you just
wanted to reenter the current to go downstream.
d) Position – As in boating you should try to exit the
eddy from the safest and highest spot to keep from
being pushed back into the eddy.
F. Ferrying in Moving Water
a)
1. While not as useful as in a boat you can slow your
downstream progress
2. Angle should be approximately 45 degrees upstream angle to
the current.
3. Works most effectively in aggressive swimming facing
upstream, but you can use an aggressive backstroke.
VIII. Whitewater
A. Breathing Patterns
1. Turning your head to the side in waves may help
2. Time breathing in wave trains, so that you breathe after
going through a wave on the back side of it.
B. Special Considerations
1. Ledges
a)
b)
Pull knees up to your chest or “ball up”
Prevents foot entrapment
2. Holes / Hydraulics
a)
b)
c)
d)
Change shape of your body or ball up
Swim to one edge
Swim to bottom
Look for jet of water underwater
3. Strainers – Will discuss specifically in strainer drill.
C. Swiftwater Entry
D. Defensive Swimming
E. Aggressive Swimming
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Swimming and Wading Techniques in
Swiftwater Rescue
Outline
F. Moving from Passive to Aggressive Swimming
G. Eddy Entry and Exiting
H. Ferrying
IX.
Debrief
A. Take Home Points
1. Breath when cresting wave and turn head to breath to the
side.
2. Body can do anything a boat can do.
3. Focus on the destination, look where you are going.
4. Use good ferry angles, similar to boating.
5. Safe Eddy Rule: Only stand up when you can do a “pushup”
off of bottom and your face is out of the water.
B. Questions / Comments
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