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SAFETY DEVICE
OR A DEATH TRAP ?
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG ? A FEW THOUGHTS ON LEASHES FOR RIVERS …
WORDS : PAUL HYMAN PHOTOS : ACTIVE360 & ROBIN BOOT PHOTOGRAPHY
We rarely consider risks until something bad happens . It ’ s a nice day . The river looks lovely . I ’ m just going out for a paddle . I ’ ve done it before . What can possibly go wrong ?
Why would you question using a leg leash ? It ’ s a safety device that came with your board . As many individuals and organisations have said for years , ‘ leashes save lives ’. Surfers use them all the time . And SUP , in its modern form , grew from surfing . You see people paddling with leg leashes everywhere , and the one in your SUP board bag was free and kindly provided by the manufacturer to keep you safe .
Has anyone ever suggested that you practise fastening and unfastening the leash so you can remove it in a hurry ? Why would you need to ? And after all , it ’ s just a piece of Velcro – everyone knows it ’ s simple to fasten and unfasten it . But has anyone ever mentioned that you could get into a tricky situation where you may not be able to reach your velcro strap ? No . This information doesn ’ t come with your SUP package . Nobody talks about risks and dangers .
Now imagine you are being dragged underwater by your leg . Your leash has got wrapped around a buoy or a moored boat or a pontoon . You are attached to your board with water piling against it . The pressure is building up , and your leg is dragging you . You can ’ t breathe . Your head is underwater , and panic is setting in . You can ’ t reach your leg , and you have lost orientation in the murky water , so you are not quite sure what ’ s happening to you . You feel you are being dragged down , but everything is happening so quickly . You are not physically strong enough to pull yourself to reach your leg . This is serious – you may die here .
It seems improbable , but precisely that has happened numerous times . Some have been rescued and survived , and others have not . Whitewater kayakers know the feeling of being underwater , trapped and dragged – they have a bit more experience dealing with it – they know the feeling of panic setting in . And sadly , most long experienced whitewater kayakers knew someone who has died doing what they loved .
Many would say now that whitewater kayaking and river SUP are not comparable in terms of risks . It ’ s whitewater – whitewater can be dangerous . What ’ s dangerous about rivers ? That ’ s true in a sense , but with the increase in popularity of SUP and SUP paddlers getting out more exploring all bodies of water , accidents with leg leashes are getting more frequent and in places not considered dangerous in any way .