Safety First!

If you haven’t been in a canoe before, consider Family Canoe Day at Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC). Family trips are shorter and take place in a large pond, rather than the river. The pond is a more manageable and if you tire, it’s easy to come ashore.

Whether you’re kayaking or canoeing, you’ll need a paddle. Kayak paddles have blades on both sides with a bit of a curve, whereas canoe paddles have just one flat blade.

Selecting the right sized paddle is important. The stick part of a canoe paddle should be about six to eight inches longer than the length of your arm, after your fingers are extended, according to experts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that all boaters should be strong swimmers and always wear life jackets that fit well.

their own tandem kayak. Recently, the Perloes headed to Florida where they floated with the manatees. Closer to home, they’ve tried the lake at Stone Mountain Park. They recommend bringing your dog.

Save your paddling for fair weather days, suggests the CDC website: “… you don’t [always] know what mother nature will throw at you, know where your float trip will take you…or different ways to go in case unexpected trouble strikes your route.”

The best shoes to wear for canoeing or kayaking are sneakers or durable water shoes. Flipflops are out. Getting in and out of canoes can be a muddy experience. Flipflops can become trapped in the mud, which will leave you barefoot and vulnerable to cuts if you flip over.

The CNC guides are CPR/ First Aid Certified and experienced paddlers. And the Chattahoochee River maintains a cool 50 to 60 degrees. Falling in is like opening the freezer for an ice cream, with no need to count calories. Even in August, the river may be cooler than you expect.