Whitewater rafters must learn to read the water and currents before embarking on the journey. The following are some ways to acquire these skills.

Reading the water starts with identifying the downstream V (or tongue), a section where green or dark water fills the middle of what appears to be a loose V, with whitewater forming at the edges.

The V of dark water is typically obstacle-free and presents the best route forward. Whitewater indicates water flowing rapidly over obstacles such as debris or rocks in the river. While such obstacles may be deep under the surface, as with the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, they may also be close to the surface and present a hazard.

Initially, it’s easiest to recognize the V from above, which means finding an elevated position along the shore. However, experienced rafters and kayakers can often make out the downstream V from within their vessel. Rafters who spot fast-approaching rapids and fear running it blind should exit the raft and canvas the upcoming terrain from the shore.

Looking downriver, rafters may spot a tongue in the opposite direction, pointing upstream. However, avoid upstream Vs. as it indicates a submerged or rising obstruction breaking the current and hazardous to rafters.

Eddies present sections of a river where the current flows upstream. This may reflect the presence of a major obstruction, such as a tree or boulder, or a point of land jutting into the water. Eddies deflect enough water to reverse its course temporarily.

However, eddies can help rafters. On a slow-moving river, they are an ideal place to rest or get in or out of the water. In fast-moving waters, the eddies may have a chaotic, rapid pattern. Recognizing them and knowing how to get in and out is important, as they provide respite areas from the rapidly moving downstream current.

Pay particular attention to inherently unstable eddy lines, as they are where the current flowing downstream and that flowing upstream converge. In slow waters, these present a minimal threat; however, in rapid waters, they can be treacherous to cross and sometimes cause rafts to flip. Preventing this involves swinging the raft’s upstream end (either bow or stern) directly into the eddy, accomplishing a barrel roll that catches the eddy high and breaches it perpendicularly, providing a burst of momentum that scoots you safely into the eddy.

Another obstacle to watch for is the holes, which form below boulders or ledges and even in the troughs between waves. Such holes indicate flow depressions, with water on the downstream side becoming swept up and then sliding back into the cavity. Sometimes, they take the form of breaking waves (stoppers), which prevent forward progress if the raft can’t maintain momentum. Other times, they become keepers and reversals that keep the raft in a tightly constrained area, essentially trapping it. Getting out of a hole requires finding the seam between foamy backwash and oncoming solid water and side surfing, balancing the raft between the two forces, and allowing the more powerful downstream surge to ultimately push you out.

Also dangerous are sieves and siphons, which are tight channels under or between rocks that allow water to flow around or through but do not offer the raft space to pass. These obstacles make it challenging to view downstream. They can pin rafts below the water’s surface or wrap it around an impassable rock. To prevent damage, keep the raft clear of rocks and walls. If a hazard still stands in the way, prepare to bail and swim to shore.