How To: Whitewater Swimming. Aggressive, Defensive, Log rolls and more

[@crimsonraen]

Aggressive/ offensive swimming is definitely important. Far too many people just teach the defensive position, which typically makes people less likely to self rescue. (Especially on rafting trips. haha)

[@SethAshworth]

The more people know right! hopefully it gets people thinking about getting to a class and getting some further education on whitewater swimming. It is so important. Thanks for watching!

[@CyndisKrist]

Right! If you lose the boat and have to swim, you could begin with a defensive swim to conserve energy and get your bearings as you try to scout. But an aggressive swim is your only chance to get over a strainer and they're not always visible. Good point.

[@kylekiser8825]

Nothing more frustrating than someone offense swimming and trying to tell you what happened to them when they surface while they are getting washed into a sketch rock garden....🙄

[@SethAshworth]

Kyle Kiser 👊 preach. Speak when the situation is safely resolved or if you are injured. Hopefully this video gets people into some further training.

[@kylekiser8825]

*defensive swimming 😉

[@acousticfixation]

Swimming is currently my most used skill 😂

[@SethAshworth]

Not a bad skill to be good at!

[@davidpinto0]

Interesting. Completely new to this. Approaching from a different angle: sea white water swimming. Nearly died today. Thought I'd find out what people have been doing. You're the first to turn up. Will explore the tech you are using for safety, packs. I'm thinking lines, because of surfboard leashes. Any experience in this area? Cheers!

[@SethAshworth]

Do not attach yourself to anything is a general rule for whitewater. There are some exceptions but basically when you are travelling down stream if the leash gets snagged you will be pulled under and be impossible to rescue

[@davidpinto0]

@@SethAshworth For sure when there's rocks around. As you point out, even your feet can get stuck! Where I am, only sand. I'm thinking of floating rescue rope.

[@ThisNoName]

Sounds like a NASA drill, solution comes before situation ^_^

[@SethAshworth]

It is certainly better if you don't have to swim. But if you do....

[@dickensrivers9862]

you advocate not putting your feet down because of rocks, yet advovate swimming face down! 30+ years adventure swimming and i never swim face down because of not knowing where just under the surface rocks are .

[@powskier]

What about sitting in the whitewater position and using your paddle instead I f swimming? I don't want to lose my paddle.

[@SethAshworth]

Yea for sure you can use your paddle but best is to maximize your legs as well so lay on your front. Paddle with paddle and kick with legs

[@powskier]

@@SethAshworth Then what do you do with your paddle? I always found legs kind of useless without fins. Wouldn't you take rock hits to the knees if you swam chest down? I know I have before. Isn't there much more power in a paddle than bare legs and arms anyway?

[@SethAshworth]

@@powskier like doing a front crawl/freestyle but arms are using the paddle

[@arijabunkis6350]

You've foot entrapped my heart

[@SethAshworth]

#nailedit

[@heatherhuth1]

Thanks for the tip on log rolling! The thought of swimming across eddylines makes me nervous, though now when the opportunity arises I'll feel slightly better about it 😄 Any tips on swimming through boils and funny water?

[@SethAshworth]

Get a good breath and don’t freak out if you get a ‘wet breath’. Avoid if possible. Thanks for checking out this video!

[@heatherhuth1]

@@SethAshworth Lol, yeah--avoid is plan a. I didn't know wet breath was the term but I've had some experience with that and it hasn't been too bad. Thanks for responding, you totally made my day! And thanks for all your videos!

[@SethAshworth]

👍👍👍

[@200pcnt3]

thanks for the great content. 2 tips i really liked were the breath in before the wave and the log roll. is there a specific reason why he rolled counter clockwise ? is that more effectiv than doing the log roll the other way around towards the eddy in the video. great to have the drone view of the swim. looked like he knew what he was doing ;)

[@SethAshworth]

Thanks for watching, I think he rolled the way he did to try and capitalise on the upstream flowing current (ie eddy current) the same as lifting your downstream edge when you enter an eddy.

[@andrewnau433]

I'm not speaking for all kayakers, but many are indeed fish! 🍺🍸🥃

[@macfawlty]

I’d like to see a demonstration on how to swim with a paddle.

[@SethAshworth]

I hear ya, I’ll add it to the list when I’m back to making videos again