12 Essential Paddle Boarding Safety Tips For Rivers & Estuaries

Wherever you plan to go paddle boarding, safety should always be a top priority, however paddle boarding on rivers and tidal estuaries presents its own set of risks. Experience, planning and preparation are key to ensuring a safe and enjoyable session out on the water. So, before you start exploring on your SUP, be sure to consider the following essential paddle boarding safety tips:

If in doubt, don’t go out

This is the best place to start. If you are not sure if the conditions are safe and don’t feel comfortable identifying the hazards then it is best to not go out. It’s much safer to skip a session than take to the water if you are unsure about the current, hazards and imminent conditions.

Do your homework

As tranquil as they might appear, flowing rivers can quickly become dangerous. That’s why one of our most important paddle boarding safety tips is to plan and research your route before you head out. Check the forecast in detail, paying particular attention to wind speed and any recent and imminent rainfall as these can lead to a big increase in the speed of water flow and presence of debris. Tidal activity, locks and weirs can also affect water speed and so this is another important consideration to make when planning your trip. Do you understand the risks of your chosen paddling location?

Use local knowledge

Another of our top paddle boarding safety tips is to use local knowledge. This is one of the most accurate ways to find out about the conditions of the location you’re heading to. Don’t be afraid to ask local paddlers questions to find out about the hidden dangers and risks that you might need to be aware of. A local kayak group is a great place to start if you don’t know any experienced paddle boarders who have been down the same section of water. Kayaking has been around longer than paddle boarding so it is likely that kayakers will have a greater depth of knowledge and experience of your chosen location.