Paddling Trip Safety

While to most new paddlers, primary safety concerns tend to lean heavily towards not getting eaten by an alligator, bitten by a snake, or going over a dam, the truth is you should be primarily concerned with the same things that would concern you for any other type of outing. Making sure you remain properly hydrated, have ample protection from sun exposure, and if you suffer allergies from bee or wasp stings, ensure that you have proper medication available. The red wasp is common in the Low Country and often builds its nests on willow branches or dead limbs overhanging or adjacent to the water. Care should be taken not to disturb them. The primary safety concern for a paddler as opposed to someone at the beach or a water park is the travel time to a medical facility should it become necessary. For that reason alone, reasonable care and safety precautions are all the more important to paddlers. Paddling is not inherently dangerous. A paddler several hours from the nearest take out point should exercise care to ensure that his trip is a safe one.

Children under 12 are REQUIRED to wear their PFD's at all times while paddling or riding in a canoe or kayak!

It's the Law!

Emergency phone numbers:
(843) 761-5400 Moncks Corner Medical Center
(843) 899-7700 Roper St. Francis Medical Center
(843) 719-4465 Berkeley County Sheriffs Department