Medical, Safety

DEHYDRATION DURING CANYONING

It is one of the most common problems in canyoning because we are in a field where a lot of water runs around us and we forget to fill our need for hydration.

Symptoms of dehydration:

– Dry mouth, dry lips and feeling tired and thirsty.

– Sparse urination, stinging with dark urine.

To avoid dehydration we better:

– Keep our body well hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

– Drink a glass and a half of water every hour of the descent/walk.

– Dilute the juices in half with water.

– Use electrolytes (potassium, sodium, chlorine) with glucose,dissolved in our water bottle for a better hydration.

As part of the independent canyoner education is the caution of drinking water from the canyon. Canyon’s running water might not the best option to drink. In some cases there might be dead animals in a state of decay upstream, that have fallen from the cliffs. In other cases the water might be polluted for a number of reasons. Therefore, in case of lack of water in our water bottle and severe need to hydrate ourselves we could choose the following tips:

– Collect water from the canyonand first wait for it to settle. Drink some zips from the upper side of our bottle where the water is relatively clean.

– Should we have a burner, a gas stove and saucepan in our waterproof barrel first let the water settle and then boil it for a safer consumption. (We could always carry a set of gear together with the group’s pharmacy in an additional waterproof barrel. It can be proved to be very useful in cases of a colder environment and hypothermia possibility among our team members).

– Carry water purifying tablets in our waterproof barrel in case we need them. Check often the expire date and replace them for a proper use.

Canyoning is a great sport! Taking care of ourselves and our friends is the best practice!

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