How To Spot Rocks When Canoeing

How to spot rocks when canoeing? As a beginner this may seem impossible…

As a kayaker-turned-canoeist, I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to constantly hit those pesky rocks lurking just below the surface. When I first started paddling rivers, I often wondered why others could seemingly glide through without incident while I found myself colliding with obstacles time and time again.

The key difference?

They had learned how to spot the signs of submerged rocks, while I hadn’t – yet.

That’s exactly what I want to share with you today.

The Big Rocks are Easy, but What About the Small Ones?

When navigating a river, the larger rocks are easy to see and avoid – they’re obvious, and it’s just a matter of threading your way between them. But the real challenge comes from the smaller rocks just below or barely breaking the surface. These can be tricky to spot unless you know what to look for.

Telltale Signs of Submerged Rocks

So, how do you recognise when there’s a rock waiting to catch your canoe? One of the most reliable indicators is a patch of slower water just downstream of an obstruction. Even when the rock itself isn’t visible, the disturbance it causes in the water flow often is. This is a really good way to spot rocks when canoeing, particularly the rocks that will catch you out.

Here’s what to watch out for:

• Small Waves: When a submerged rock creates resistance, it generates a small wave or crest. This wave may be subtle, but it’s often your first clue that something lies just beneath the surface.
• Slow Water: Behind the wave, you’ll notice a patch of slow-moving water. This slow water forms because a rock or obstruction disrupts the normal flow, creating an eddy. The size and shape of the eddy can vary, but it’s always a good indicator that something is in the way.
• Upstream Pointing V: The classic upstream-pointing “V” shape is another giveaway that there’s a submerged obstacle. This V-shape is formed as water flows around the rock, creating a pattern that directs your attention to the obstruction.

Real-Life Examples of Spotting Rocks

Below my video titled “Reading the River: how to spot those pesky rocks” is embedded below. Please watch it for clear examples.

On the Big Salmon River, in the Yukon, a white wave caught my eye first, but it was the patch of slower water beyond the wave that confirmed the presence of a rock. It wasn’t the most obvious “upstream V” shape, but the slower water was a dead giveaway.

Similarly, on the Afon Dyfrdwy in Wales, I spotted a wave ahead. The slow water just behind it confirmed the hidden rock’s presence before I could even see it.

Do Waves Indicate Rocks?

Not every wave means there’s a rock. Waves without slow water behind them can just be part of a wave train – a series of bouncy waves that are fun to navigate. They don’t typically hide rocks but are created by normal river currents.

Using Eddies to Your Advantage

Once you’ve learned to spot rocks when canoeing by identifying the slow water and eddies they create, you can also use those eddies to your advantage. You can use an eddy behind a rock to manoeuvre more efficiently across the river.

By steering into these small eddies, micro-eddies if you will, you can save energy and maintain control. An eddy turn, where you angle your canoe to catch the slow water behind a rock, allows for elegant and efficient movement with minimal effort.

Spotting Rocks – It’s Just a Case of Practice

Spotting submerged rocks and understanding the river’s flow takes practice. However, once you start paying attention to the signs – small waves, patches of slow water, and upstream V’s – you’ll find it much easier to avoid those hidden hazards. And once you master this skill, you’ll be able to navigate rivers with far more confidence and grace. This is as equally useful during a day out on your local river or a wilderness expedition.

I hope this guide helps you avoid some of the rocks and the same frustrations I experienced in my early days.

Keep practicing, and soon enough, spotting those pesky rocks will become second nature.

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Ray Goodwin

Ray Goodwin MBE is the UK’s best known and (many would go so far as to say) foremost canoe coach. For more than 35 years Ray has been introducing people to, and developing people’s skills in, the great outdoors. Ray is also one of Frontier Bushcraft's oldest collaborators. Ray has brought his experience and expertise to all of Frontier Bushcraft’s canoeing activities, from our Expedition Canoeing Skills Course and River Spey trip in the U.K., to our wilderness canoe expeditions such as the Missinaibi River, Bloodvein River, and Porcupine River in Canada.

Latest posts by Ray Goodwin (see all)

• River Running in a Canoe: The Importance of Eddy Turns - December 29, 2024
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