| Water sports are often at the center of a family's or | | | | of outing, the occupants of the canoe should wear |
| an individual's recreational schedule. Water skiing, | | | | life jackets and bring along safety equipment, like a |
| speed boating, sailing or parasailing, scuba diving, and | | | | radio and any needed supplies. |
| fishing are just some of the many exciting activities | | | | 3. A more challenging outing can be experienced in |
| that you can enjoy on a stream, pond, lake, or sea. | | | | mountain streams, parkland lakes, or seawaters. |
| Depending on where you live and the places you | | | | These areas should be undertaken by only |
| want to visit while on vacation, you can probably find | | | | experienced canoeists, as unexpected currents, flood |
| a suitable body of water for canoeing, a popular | | | | waters, or obstacles can throw a boater off-guard. A |
| favorite of the water-loving sports crowd. You can | | | | good idea would be to take a boating safety course |
| rent a canoe or bring your own, and do it alone or | | | | first and learn how to manage a canoe in adverse |
| take along a friend, making this one of the more | | | | circumstances, such as a boat leak, illness, or |
| versatile water activities that is readily available. | | | | unexpected severe weather. |
| Whether for a weekend getaway or a two-week | | | | If you take your own canoe on one of these trips, |
| vacation, you can enjoy a leisurely canoe ride as part | | | | be sure to check the boat for leaks, and make sure |
| of your fun schedule away from home. | | | | it is clean and ready for use. Don't forget to see if |
| 1. For less experienced or younger canoeists, try | | | | the life preservers or jackets operate, as they |
| paddling around a pond or down a slow stream. This | | | | should. Presumably, a rental boat would have |
| will help get the paddlers used to the momentum | | | | undergone the same sort of inspection. When putting |
| needed to keep the boat moving along. Canoeing in | | | | any boat into the water, make sure it appears |
| shallow water lets beginners learn to navigate water | | | | seaworthy, and that you have all the necessary |
| with little danger of drowning, especially with two or | | | | equipment to make a safe trip, especially if you're |
| more people together. If one ends up in the water, | | | | headed to the wilderness. |
| the other may be able to help pull him out. | | | | Canoeing is fun but challenging. Learn boating safety |
| 2. Those with intermediate canoeing skills may want | | | | and first aid practices in case a problem should occur, |
| to take the boat out onto a lake in the area. With | | | | though hopefully none will. Depending on where you |
| deeper waters, more of a current, and a higher | | | | will be canoeing, find out who the maritime authorities |
| volume of traffic, the canoeing experience will be | | | | are so you can get help or report problems, if |
| more challenging, thus helping the paddlers to improve | | | | necessary. Always take a communications device |
| existing skills or to develop new ones. For this type | | | | with you in case of emergency. |