A strainer is any obstruction on moving water that allows the water to flow through it, but will stop a boat or person in the water, which get pinned to the obstruction by the current. This video shows a number of strainers and explains why they're dangerous and also the common situations in which they occur. Awareness of strainers is the key to avoiding entrapment and drowning.

Oru Kayak has produced some of the most reckless and irresponsible kayaking ads that we've ever seen at the National Center for Cold Water Safety. This six-minute video contains examples and explains why the Center is calling the company out for undermining kayaking safety.

When a current moves in opposition to wind and/or waves, conditions become much rougher – often rough enough to capsize large motorboats and easily overwhelm small, human-powered craft like canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards. This video examines the danger and explains where it commonly occurs so you can avoid getting caught in this kind of frequently lethal trap.

Getting caught out on the water when a storm moves in is one of the most dangerous weather situations that an open-water kayaker can encounter, and it can happen very quickly. In this video, you'll learn all about Squalls, which are a common paddling hazard. We also take a close look at a tragic incident in which 3 kayakers got into trouble when they were hit by a squall on the coast of Maine. Two of them died and one was in critical condition when she was finally rescued.

Cold water sets a perfect trap for anyone who doesn't take it seriously - and a lot of people don't, because the trap is so well-camouflaged that you can stand right next to it and see absolutely nothing dangerous - just a sparkling invitation to get out on the water and have some fun. This video shows you why falling into cold water without the protection of a wetsuit or drysuit is a life-threatening situation, and it also explains why cold shock, swimming failure, and incapacitation frequently result in rapid drowning – even for people who are considered good swimmers. For more information, visit the National Center for Cold Water Safety www.coldwatersafety.org

This video, shot during the record-breaking 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave, explains how you can use evaporative cooling - a simple but powerful technique for avoiding heat stress and increasing athletic performance in hot weather. It's particularly useful for paddlers who wear thermal protection such as wetsuits or drysuits when the water is cold but the air temperature is high. This is one of the most important techniques that you can learn to improve your safety and comfort in hot weather. For more information, read this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XYlNdjq9kEyUvfe7BJiwewKHVX--C4s1/view?usp=sharing Moulton Avery Founder and Director National Center for Cold Water Safety www.coldwatersafety.org

If cold water is so dangerous, why don't lots of people die when they participate in Polar Bear Plunges? This 2-minute video answers that question.

"Field-Test Your Gear" is the 3rd Golden Rule of cold water safety. This short video explains the rule and shows you how it applies to kayak fishing.

Transporting your kayak, canoe, or paddleboard can be stable and secure - or an nasty accident waiting to happen. This video highlights the danger of improperly tying your craft on your vehicle and having it fly off while you're driving. Watch the video, see some kayaks fly off cars, and get important tips about how to keep yours from becoming a lethal airborne missile. You really don't want that to happen. Courtesy of the National Center for Cold Water Safety: www.coldwatersafety.org

Knowing how to swim with your paddle is an important safety technique for kayakers. If you capsize and can't get back in your kayak or it sinks or blows away, this method is much faster than using your arms.

This video was shot on December 12, 2021 at Depoe Bay on the Oregon Coast. Ocean swell was 17 feet with a period of 14 seconds. The extremely rough conditions in this video are the result of waves reflecting off the shoreline and bouncing back where they collide with the incoming swell and large breakers. This creates very treacherous and confused seas with the water heaving up and down in all directions, with waves crashing into each other and sending plumes of water high into the air. Conditions outside the bay are mild by comparison. This is an excellent example of how waves interact with shorelines and one another to create truly extraordinary conditions.

Reflected waves at Hains Point on the Potomac River in Washington, DC can create very dangerous conditions for small craft like canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and rowing shells.

This was an Oregon Ocean Paddling Society (OOPS) trip with 11 kayakers. About 10 minutes after we reached the boat ramp at McIver State Park, the storm arrived quickly with little warning. It lasted about 15 minutes. We were fortunate to be off the water when it rolled through.

The Uncalculated Risk is the first film in a whitewater safety series produced by the American Red Cross in the late 1970's. It's noteworthy for not sugarcoating the hazards, and it pulls no punches in laying out the fastest ways to get yourself killed in whitewater sports. The opening sequence, filmed on the Nantahala River in North Carolina, is a very realistic depiction of a classic foot entrapment. Cinematographer Russ Nichols did a superb job filming it. One of the film's narrators is Payson Kennedy, co-founder of the Nantahala Outdoor Center, a nationally recognized school for paddlers. The title alone is brilliant, urging the viewer to think about the distinction between an informed vs uninformed approach to paddling - a calculated vs uncalculated risk. This was also the first time that the danger of an unprotected cold water immersion was mentioned in a paddling safety film, and in 1977 that was a real pioneering achievement. A solid Five Stars, well earned. The film has been out of circulation for decades and it took me a long time to finally get my hands on an archived digital copy. Moulton Avery 10-8-20

This video is a companion piece to Randy Morgart's excellent article Cold And Alone On An Icy River, which you can find in the Cold Water Articles section of our website.

This class is about common paddling hazards and how to avoid them. Because paddling hazards like strainers, low-head dams, entrapments and cold water don't look dangerous, you have to learn how to recognize them in order to avoid them.

On April 10th, 2017, a 19-year-old Northwestern University student drowned when he was ejected from a 9-person rowing shell during an early morning practice session on the North Shore Channel in Lincolnwood, IL. This video explains how the accident occurred. The water temperature was 52F and the victim wasn't wearing a lifejacket or thermal protection. When he hit the water and went under, cold shock caused him to gasp and inhale water. This resulted in sudden drowning, and his lack of flotation prevented him from getting back to the surface.