Showers are possible across parts of Iowa tonight, but most of the holiday weekend forecast calls for warm weather and sunny skies, which means some Iowans will be dusting off their canoes, kayaks and paddles.
Nate Carr, an Iowa DNR conservation officer for Hamilton and Hardin counties, urges people to keep a few things in mind as they hit the water for the first time this year.
“Just make sure you’re paying attention to weather conditions, river conditions,” Carr says, “As we start getting a lot of rain, the river raises pretty fast and quite a bit and starts running a lot quicker, and this early in the season, the water can still be pretty cold.”
The Memorial Day holiday may be the first unofficial weekend of summer, but Carr says many waterways will still be carrying the springtime chill, so come prepared to get soaked.
“You want to make sure you bring proper clothing. Bring a dry bag with some extra clothes in case you do get wet,” Carr says. “Make sure you have a life jacket in the boat and preferably wear your life jacket, especially if conditions are a little questionable. If they get too questionable, just don’t go out.”
Paddling can be a lot of fun and great exercise, but Carr reminds there are also serious risks and potentially-deadly hazards.
“We’ve had multiple incidents over the last couple of years where people roll their kayak or get caught up in a log jam and the current is just too strong for them to catch back up to their kayak or get back into their kayak themselves,” Carr says, “so, sometimes conditions are just best to be left and wait for another day.”
Learn more about kayaking on Iowa’s waterways at IowaDNR.gov.
