The trail was going fine until the river appeared in the way. On the other side is the campsite, but between you and it lies a strip of water that looks shallow and calm. Looks. That is exactly the trap: most river accidents happen because someone thought it was fine, stepped in without reading the water, and was caught off guard by the force of the current.
Crossing a watercourse on foot is a field skill like tying a knot or pitching a tent. It has technique, it has order, and it has one rule that is not up for negotiation. When you learn to read the river before stepping into it, to form the tripod with a staff, and to release your pack in time, a crossing stops being a scare and becomes just another stretch of the trail.
This guide is for the Pathfinder aged 10 to 15 and for the leaders and parents who walk alongside them. Read it calmly before your next field activity. Water does not forgive haste, but it rewards those who arrive prepared.
Before stepping in: learn to read the river
No technique saves someone who stepped in at the wrong place. Before anything else, stop on the bank and observe. Choosing the right crossing point is the decision that protects you most, and it happens with your feet still dry.
Look at three things. Depth: toss a stick or watch the rocks on the bottom to estimate how high the water will reach. Current: water that foams, forms waves, or carries leaves quickly is strong, even if it is shallow. Color: clear water lets you see the bottom; murky, muddy, or brown water hides holes, rocks, and the real depth.
Look for the widest stretch of the river. It seems counterintuitive, but where the river widens the water is usually shallower and slower. Avoid bends (the current digs out the bottom on the outside) and any spot just above rapids or a waterfall: if you slip there, the water carries you to the worst possible place. A good crossing point is wide, with a visible bottom and calm water.
The right posture: facing the current and the tripod
In the water, your body works against the force of the river the whole time. The way you position yourself decides whether you stay standing or go down.
Stand facing the current, sideways to the opposite bank. Facing the water head-on lets you feel the force coming and adjust your body, instead of being pushed from behind by surprise. Lean your torso slightly into the current, like someone facing a strong wind.
Now the secret to balance: the tripod. Use a firm staff (a thick branch, a trekking pole, or a stick) planted on the bottom, on the upstream side of the current. Your two feet plus the staff form three points of support, a triangle. The rule is to move only one point at a time: steady the staff, take a small step, steady the foot, move the other. Always two supports on the ground while the third moves. Short steps, dragging your feet, without crossing your legs. Never all three points in the air at the same time.
Footwear and pack: two adjustments that change everything
Two decisions before stepping in seem small and are big. The first is about your feet; the second can save your life.
Keep your shoes on. The temptation to take off your sneakers so they don't get wet is strong, but a river bottom hides sharp rocks, shards, branches, and slippery surfaces. A cut foot or a twisted ankle in the middle of the current is serious. If you want to spare your trail shoes, switch to a firm sandal or an old pair of sneakers, but never cross barefoot. A protected foot is a foot that grips the bottom.
Unbuckle the belt and clips of your pack. Before stepping in, open the waist belt and the chest clip and loosen the shoulder straps. Why? If you fall, a pack that is strapped on and full of water becomes an anchor that holds you underneath, upside down. With the clips loose, you free yourself from it in a second and swim clear. The pack can be recovered; you are irreplaceable. Seal the items inside plastic bags well so they don't get wet.
Read alsoCanoeing and kayaking: paddling safelyCrossing in a group: more strength, more safety
In the Club you almost never cross alone, and that is a huge advantage. Several people together break the force of the water better than one. But it only works with organization; a disorganized group is more dangerous than a single person.
Supported line: everyone in a line parallel to the current, each one gripping firmly the shoulder or the pack of the person in front. The strongest and most experienced member goes at the upstream end, taking the impact of the water and clearing the way. The others stay in the calmer wake he creates. The group moves together, slowly, one step at a time, with the leader calling out each move aloud.
Wedge formation (triangle): the strongest person is at the point facing the current and two or three lean in behind, forming a triangle. The point cuts the water and protects those behind. Agree beforehand on a simple rule: nobody lets go of anyone until everyone is on the bank. Count heads before stepping in and after coming out. Nobody crosses without the Counselor watching.
The rule that saves lives: when NOT to cross
The bravest Pathfinder is not the one who crosses any river. It is the one who knows how to recognize the river that should not be crossed and has the courage to say no in front of friends. Turning back is a leader's decision, not a coward's.
Do not cross if the water is above your knee in a strong current. It seems like little, but the force grows fast: according to the United States weather service, just about 6 inches (15 cm) of moving water is enough to knock a standing person down. Thigh-high water in a firm current can already sweep away an adult. Do not cross if the river is swollen, rising, murky, or muddy: this usually means rain upstream and the level can rise suddenly, even with sunshine where you are. Do not cross if you cannot see the bottom, if there are logs and branches being carried along, or if there are rapids just below.
Faced with any of these signs, the answer is one: stop. Wait for the water to drop, look for a better spot upstream, or turn back. The official campaign sums it all up in four words: turn around, don't drown. Arriving late at camp is a setback. Not arriving is a tragedy. See also our guide to water safety.
If you fall into the current
Even with everything done right, a slip can happen. Having a plan in your head beforehand prevents panic, which is what drowns people most.
If you fall, drop the pack immediately (that is why the clips are loose). Turn your body face up and feet forward, pointed downstream. Feet forward act as a shock absorber: they hit the rocks before your head does. Never try to stand up in a deep current, your foot can get trapped between rocks on the bottom and the force of the water pushes you under (this is called foot entrapment, one of the most common causes of drowning in rivers).
Use your arms to paddle diagonally toward a bank or a calm eddy. If there are companions, they should extend a staff, a branch, or a rope from the bank, without going into the water after you. Whoever jumps in to rescue without preparation becomes the second victim. Every Club leader should know knots and lashings precisely to set up supports and rescue lines. In an emergency, call your local emergency number (in Brazil, SAMU 192, or 193 for the fire department).
The Jordan: courage that crosses waters
The Bible holds one of the most famous river crossings in history. In Joshua 3 and 4, the people of Israel needed to cross the Jordan River, which was overflowing during harvest season, to enter the Promised Land. There was no bridge and no boat.
God told the priests to step in first, carrying the ark of the covenant. The moment their feet touched the water, the river stopped flowing, and all the people crossed on dry ground. Afterward, Joshua told twelve men, one from each tribe, to take twelve stones from the middle of the river and set up a memorial on the other bank. It was so that in the future, when the children asked what those stones meant, the parents would tell the story and remember that God opened the way (Joshua 4:6-7).
Adventists see in this story a picture of faith in action: the water only opened when the feet were already wet, when obedience came before the test. And there is a promise that fits every crossing: "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee" (Isaiah 43:2, KJV). This is not permission to be reckless: God gave us the technique, the staff, and common sense precisely so we would use them. It is the certainty that, with preparation and faith, no current of life is greater than the One who walks beside you. If this hope speaks to you, talk to your Counselor; nobody has to cross alone.