whitewater Standing Waves
Deep water features that appear as a series of similar- sized waves. Expect to see at least three dark-coloured waves possibly capped by white, frothy water.
Single Waves
Offer a warning of rocks beneath the surface. Watch for abrupt waves or fans of water called rooster tails. A collision with these submerged rocks may damage or capsize your canoe.
Midstream Rocks Slow the current and may create eddy pools. Distinct colour and texture bands indicate the eddy pool, the eddy lines and the fast currents by-passing the obstruction.
Reading Whitewater
YOUR GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE OF RIVERS BY ANDREW WESTWOOD
C
hoosing to run whitewater, and doing it successfully, can be a highlight on your
next canoe trip. Jumping in over your head, however, and running rapids that result in an overturned boat can ruin your trip or at least your gear. Often your choice and suc- cess comes down to your ability to read wa- ter—the language of rivers—and understand what it is trying to communicate to you. Being fluent in reading whitewater begins
by learning to interpret its two main visual characteristics: texture and colour. When ob- serving moving water, as it winds its way over rocks, ledges and around outcrops, you’ll wit- ness a veritable kaleidoscope of changing co-
40 SPRING 2010
lours and wave patterns. Each obstacle leaves a visual marker to its presence. By looking at the river’s textures and colours you can deci- pher the characteristics of the riverbed, the difficulty of the water features and ultimate- ly, make a choice as to whether you should run the rapid. For many, a rapid is first judged by the roller
coaster of waves they’ll ride during the run. Beyond looking at size, navigable waves usu- ally occur in groups or families called standing waves. Standing waves are dark in colour, of- ten with crashing white tops and usually have three or more similar, evenly spaced waves de- creasing in size as you look downstream.
Lone waves should be approached with
caution; chances are there is a rock hiding up- stream. Also, consider that waves positioned across the flow of water are much easier to punch head-on than waves that cross the cur- rent at an angle. Rivers also create a fascinating display of tex-
tures visible as bubbles, swirls and boils. Each is a clue to changes in current speed and ob- stacles above and beneath the water’s surface. Water that appears rough and bumpy in
texture, almost like gravel, is likely an eddy- line—the abrupt division between two cur- rents. Often, calm eddy pools, behind exposed rocks and bends in the river, allow canoeists
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