Jun 01 2008
Heading Out? File a Float Plan
Heading out for far places this summer? Do yourself, your loved ones and friends, and the folks at Search and Rescue a favor: plan to survive, no matter what Nemesis throws your way. The United States Coast Guard (aka USGS) encourages boaters to file a float plan when heading out for an excursion, whether it’s to last a few hours or a few weeks. It’s good advice, and everyone should do it. Take the advice of someone who’s been there and come back. It’s an easy decision to live with.
Fortunately, writing up a float plan doesn’t have to take a lot of time. It does require a measure of discipline, though. You have to decide in advance exactly where you’re going and how long you’ll be away. You say you don’t like rigid schedules? Neither do I. Nobody wants his holiday to become a forced march. But there’s a happy medium. Just build some flexibility into your schedule. Keep it loose. Plan on plenty of rest days if your trek is to be long. Be sure to make a little room for a change in the weather, too. And leave some space for serendipity. But whatever you do, FILE A FLOAT PLAN! Read more…
