DECALOGUE

Ten rules to save your life / Dieci regole per salvarsi la vita

1°) First thing you must be a good swimmer. But that is not enough, because water is always colder than your body and your strength is soon gone if you fight against a river or strong wind and waves in a lake. So always carry a good lifejacket that can keep you afloat, and put it on if things get tough. / Saper nuotare e usare il giubbotto salvagente.

2°) Keep everything that cannot float tied with a rope. / Legare tutto ciò che non galleggia.

3°) Check the weather reports. / Controllare le previsioni del tempo.

4°) If you are a beginner, attend a stage in a canoe school: you'll save a lot of time and trouble. Start with flat water and go up the difficulties very slowly: there is a great difference between a WW I and a WW II and even more between WW II and WW III. / Iniziare con una scuola di canoa e aumentare le difficoltà molto gradualmente.

5°) Improve your paddling technique so that you can master your boat in any situation. / Cercare sempre di migliorare la tecnica.

6°) Be always very careful. Look around and try to preview what is going to happen. If you are running a river, be sure to always have the place to stop your boat. If you are not sure, stop, land, tie the boat and go to see on foot. / Essere prudenti e previdenti.

7°) In a river classified WW III wear a wetsuit, even in summer. Take care of the gear for your feet: they will be always wet and cold. / Sul terzo grado mettere la muta.

8°) WW IV is the limit for an open canoe. You need a lot of experience in reading the rapids and a good phisical training. Carry a spray cover or floatation bags and make up a well trained team. / Il quarto grado è il limite per la canadese, che va pallonata. Non scendere da soli.

9°) Be kind with anglers: they love nature and outdoors like you. / Essere gentili con i pescatori, anche loro amano il fiume.

10°) Leave no trace of your passage. / Non lasciar traccia del proprio passaggio.

• American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/index.shtml