You wish to sea kayak around?
Make sure you know about safety and what to do in case of misfortune
Picture this: you're excited, you just hit the water for some fun times in a kayak. But! the wind picks up and you are not sure what to do, you start to worry and panic a bit. Well, with our safety procedures and pre outing talk, you will know what to do to stay safe.
Any kayak outing, whether it's a quiet 1/2 day, a slightly more demanding full day, or an adventurous expedition should be taken seriously. And should start with a safety talk, kind of like the safety video at the beginning of a flight, except fun, and you actually pay attention to this one.
Here at Jass Puerto Varas, this is routine. DoesnĀ“t matter if we are taking some inexperienced tourists, adventurous athletes, or friends. We will always start the outing with a 10-minute safety briefing.
Back to the picturing we were doing at the beginning. With our interactive safety talk, a moment of panic is turned into an exciting anecdote for your friends at home.
In case all this talk about safety talk has made you curious, here is what we say and what our (very talented and qualified) guides do:
Hand out the equipment:
We give each participant a neoprene suit and booties [no need to lie about your size, we won't judge and you need these to fit properly ;)] Our lovely guides also have to make sure that each person has a waterproof jacket and warm clothes suitable for the temperature both outside, and inside the water. We don't provide these but will advise you what is best to take when you reserve your trip.
Then come the life vest and spray skirt. These need to be properly fitted to be effective.
[Sidenote: If you are wearing your own wetsuit or lend it to someone, and it has a rubber seal on the neck and wrists, make sure whoever is wearing it doesn't have any necklaces, rings, or bracelets that may damage or cut these seals]
There is a whistle attached to each life vest, we usually don't use this. If you do hear it, it probably means that you are drifting too far away from the group, and need to come a bit closer. We use this whistle to get your attention, so if you hear it, take a look at your guide, they are probably trying to tell you something.
Important! If you hear the whistle making a long and repetitive sound this means there's an emergency. Look for your guide, get close to them, and follow all instructions that they give you.
Join us tomorrow for Part two: Kayak Adjustments