Most of my canoe camping is on mid-stream gravel bars (banks are private). While the river always rises and drops and once flooded our lower kitchen area some, I’ve so far mostly ignored the question about what to do in the case of a nightly flood.
Should the tent be lower than the rest of the gear so you get an “early” warning, or the other way around? Do you rig some other warning system? Although it scares me, I would think a nightly boat launch may be safer than a nightly swim? Ferry to shore and get out? Ditch bag (don’t have one)?
I have never had to do this, and hope I never do, but I have had friends who have had to launch in the dark to escape rising water so I have some second-hand experience. If you are in a group camp and you know the water is rising, or strongly expect it will, it is best to assign watches so someone is always awake and watching the water. Get some sticks and drive them into the gravel vertically at one foot intervals or so from the water’s edge, The sticks will allow a much better indication of the extent and rapidity of the water’s rise. In the event of rather rapidly rising water, it is better to evacuate sooner rather than later.
Obviously, have your boat and any gear secured so it doesn’t float away. Launching into rising water in the dark can be pretty dangerous, as rapidly rising water often brings down debris that you might not be able to see. If I had to launch into rising water in dark conditions, my goal would be to ferry to the closest bank that offers higher ground and get out.
I can think of some southern rivers where the phone number to the power company with the recorded times for dam openings would be an important pre-resource.
Camped on low lying islands, I’ve had a few nervous nights when the tide was rising and wind-driven waves sounded like they were breaking under my tent fly, but so far, haven’t gotten wet.
Ever since I read DougD’s account of a Flood on the Pemi camping low to the water spooks me a bit.
I have heard of people carrying their boats to a level slightly lower than their tent and tying the boat off to the tent or to a sleeping bag. The idea is that if the boat were to float it would pull on the tent or bag, alerting the slumbering paddler to the rise of the water.
Camped on low lying islands, I’ve had a few nervous nights when the tide was rising and wind-driven waves sounded like they were breaking under my tent fly, but so far, haven’t gotten wet.
Ever since I read DougD’s account of a Flood on the Pemi camping low to the water spooks me a bit.
I have heard of people carrying their boats to a level slightly lower than their tent and tying the boat off to the tent or to a sleeping bag. The idea is that if the boat were to float it would pull on the tent or bag, alerting the slumbering paddler to the rise of the water.
~~Chip
@BoozTalkin said:
Camped on low lying islands, I’ve had a few nervous nights when the tide was rising and wind-driven waves sounded like they were breaking under my tent fly, but so far, haven’t gotten wet.
Ever since I read DougD’s account of a Flood on the Pemi camping low to the water spooks me a bit.
I have heard of people carrying their boats to a level slightly lower than their tent and tying the boat off to the tent or to a sleeping bag. The idea is that if the boat were to float it would pull on the tent or bag, alerting the slumbering paddler to the rise of the water.
~~Chip
@BoozTalkin said:
Camped on low lying islands, I’ve had a few nervous nights when the tide was rising and wind-driven waves sounded like they were breaking under my tent fly, but so far, haven’t gotten wet.
Ever since I read DougD’s account of a Flood on the Pemi camping low to the water spooks me a bit.
I have heard of people carrying their boats to a level slightly lower than their tent and tying the boat off to the tent or to a sleeping bag. The idea is that if the boat were to float it would pull on the tent or bag, alerting the slumbering paddler to the rise of the water.
Don’t know how I managed to get my name on Chip’s pos?; Not intentional I assure you.
I have personally experienced the scenario being discussed; river rising, campsite flooding, or about to be flooded. I and 2 others were leading a group of 9 students down the Eleven Point river in southern Missouri. It had rained heavily the day prior to our arrival. On the day we put on the river, it rained all day long, and continued thru the night. The river was slowly rising.
We were concerned that the river might flood at least part of our campsite during the early morning hours. We made the following preparations;
We had a meeting of all staff & students.
Each staff was assigned 3 students as their responsibility in case of emergency.
The students were carrying caving helmets, and carbide lamps (we planned on caving some while on the river). Each student was issued 2 lamp loads of carbide(at least 6 hours of light)…
Tents were not set up; we all set up rainflys which would be easier to take down if push came to shove.
Canoes were moved approximately 75 feet away from the river, towards higher ground.
The canoes were secured to trees. Paddles were secured to the canoe, and all gear not being used was strapped into the canoes. Basically the only gear any group had in their camp was a rainfly, minimal cooking gear, personal sleeping bags, and an Ensolitepads. Each individual was wearing their rainsut, and their pfd. Each had their, caving helmet, and carbide lamp. Each staff was wearing a whistle. Each had a carbide lamp, and a hand held flashlight. A plan was made on how to react if a whistle was sounded.
Staff took 2 hour shifts, basically watching the river. Several sticks were posted at the water’s edge to assess the rise of the river. The watch began…
I was on the 3rd watch, from 1 am to 3 am.
The rain increased gradually, and by 2 am the river level had climbed about 2 feet on the sticks.
We had previously agreed that 3 feet was the maximum we would allow before we evacuated.
I made the decision that discretion is the better part of valor, and probably woke an dead in the area blowing my whistle.
Within minutes carbide lamps started coming on. Flys were quickly take down, and all other gear was loaded into waterproof bags. Staff got with their group; then all groups moved to the canoes. Canoes were man hauled approximately 300 feet, going up slope most of the way…
We ended up on a plateau(previously scouted), approximately 25 feet above the river level.
The river did flood 2 campsites closest to the river…
We reset camp on the plateau, in the dark & rain.
The next morning we slept late; the rain stopped.
We spent a good part of the day on a leisurely hiking trip, and did gear drying & reorganization.
We estimated the rise of water necessary to put us in any danger atop our plateau would have had to have been in excess of 22 feet.
River dropped quickly; we put on the river the next morning, and had a “sporty” ride.
When there are a lot of people and there is a high risk of flooding, as in Bob’s description, having a watch person throughout the night makes a lot of sense.
The situations I typically find myself in though are with few people (often 2) and a low probability of flooding…but since the consequences are severe, I’d still like to find a way to alert me of rising waters.
I kind of doubt that the suggestion of tying your boat to your tent pole would be enough to wake you up. In many situtations the boat will float without violently pulling on your tent poles.
A battery-operated sensor sending a signal wirelessly to your smart phone app which then alerts you? I’d prefer something more low tech.
Where there’s a chance of flooding…back off from staying in that area. Don’t know what time of year is your favorite but areas close to water might also have the chance of housing the little no-see-em gnats of later summer that can wreak God’s wrath. Don’t depend on something mechanical to save you/wake you up…just stay away from setting up camp with chances of danger.
It happened to me once on the Snake River in Idaho in the Birds of Prey NM. We were camped below a rapid and near the river. There was an upstream dam used for hydro power and the weather was warm. Demand for electricity for air conditioning, caused the flow of the river to increase overnight. I woke up about 0300 with a damp sleeping bag. I was with one other friend. We threw everything in our 2 canoes and headed for higher ground. Important lesson learned about dams.
As we sat there in the warm summer air, drinking a beer in lawn chairs, my friend turns to me and says- “It’s a good thing there are no women on this trip.” Never made that mistake again.