AWC will hold a Swift Water Rescue training on Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, 2008. There will also be a mandatory classroom session on Wednesday evening, May 14. The instructors will be Bruce Williams, Brent Coleman, and Jay Manalo. 

As a participant, you will learn to recognize and aviod common river hazards, self-rescue techniques, and rescue techniques for other paddlers. Techniques for dealing with hazards will be practiced in the river, such as strainers, entrapments, and pins, and you will learn how to use that rescue PFD. Then, practice your new skills in a river rescue scenario.

This class is critical to ensuring your safety and the safety of others on the river - if you have already had it, check to see if your paddling buddies have, since they may need to rescue you one day! Understanding river hazards and how to avoid or deal with them also helps with paddlers' confidence on the river, and these are skills that you are likely to use at some point in your paddling career. The ACA Swiftwater Rescue curriculum includes boat-based rescue, although it focuses primarily on shore-based and in-the-river rescue techniques. A course outline for "Swiftwater Rescue: Level 4" is available on the American Canoe association website at http://www.americancanoe.org/instruction/safety_instruction.lasso.

Participants should have Class II paddling skills and will need to bring a boat to the Sunday river session. They should be good swimmers as the class will spend a lot of time in the river and will swim rapids. Dry suits or wet suits are highly recommended (or equivalent cold-weather gear).

Cost:
$125 AWC members
$150 non-members
Plus $10 for ACA insurance (if you are not an ACA member; $40 for individual ACA membership http://www.americancanoe.org/)

Classroom Pre-Session:
Wednesday, May 14 (6:30 - 9:00 PM)
REI Atlanta
1800 Northeast Expy NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 633-6508
http://www.rei.com/map/store/33

River Sessions:  
Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18 (8:30 AM - 4:30 PM)
Amicalola River at GA 53
Directions to Amicalola River Put-in
If the Amicalola water level is too low, there are dam-controlled back-up location (e.g., Tuckaseegee in Bryson City, NC or the Chattahoochee Metro-Palisades section in Atlanta, GA).

What to bring:
Lunch/water/snacks
River safety gear (to be discussed at the evening session prior to the class) 
Kayak (for Sunday river session)

Registration:
Deadline for registrations (and cancellations) is April 30, 2008 (fees are non-refundable after that date)
If there is a waiting list, those on the list will be notified of any openings after April 30.
Pre-course information will be emailed to participants on May 1.
Mail check payable to "Atlanta Whitewater Club" to

Bruce Williams
3437 Rockhaven Cir NE
Atlanta, GA 30324

Please include your home address, telephone number, cell phone number, and email address with your check.

ACA Insurance Requirements:
This course has been registered with the American Canoe Association and is covered by ACA liability insurance. ACA membership is required; ACA members should send photocopies of their membership cards along with their checks or bring their cards to the evening class session.

If you are not an ACA member, you must pay a $10 ACA event membership fee. Please mail a separate check payable to "American Canoe Association" along with registration fee.

We encourage you to join ACA if you are not already a member. To join, call (703) 451-0141 ext 17 or visit the ACA website at http://www.americancanoe.org/. It takes up to 6 weeks for the ACA to process membership applications. If you join online, you will receive a confirmation number at the end of the process - print a copy of the confirmatino notice and bring it with you on May 14 if you have not received your card by then.

For questions, please contact Bruce Williams at 404-231-0042.