One of the biggest boosts to the kids confidence is learning to swim class II/III rapids. Once that stigma is gone it really opens up the door to progress. It’s funny to watch the first couple of class II’s when they have them jump from the raft into the river - there are a lot of tentative jumpers. About half way down the run on the Main Payette, the kids are jumping a nanosecond after being told to ‘Abandon Ship’! Several of us will run as safety boaters so it’s a safe learning environment. Below is a short clip I did a couple of years ago on Safety Night.

Idaho recently lost a popular guide on the Payettes South Fork. Honor the life of a veteran guide by brushing up on your own knowledge of safety.

The Idaho Whitewater Association is planning its annual Safety Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 21, on the Main Payette River from Banks to Chief Parrish.
The organization will have information and a safety check of gear at the Banks launch area. Beaches will be identified where stations will be set up for raft-flipping exercises, kayak rolling, a throw-rope toss, swimming practices, a Z-drag demo and kayak extrication.
Participants can pull into each beach and take part in the activities. There will be a barbecue at Chief Parrish where rafters and kayakers can eat and then head on downstream to the take out point at Beehive Bend.

by Kaycee Murray - KTVB.COM 7/15/07

Article link is HERE. BOISE - More than 250 volunteers are spending their weekends combing the water for trash.
Last year, the group found 5,800 pounds of trash during the floating season.
They find many strange items, even a few wallets.
[We find] parking meters, bicyclesandall kinds of stuff, said Boise River volunteer Chris Crawford. Crawford began the volunteer program four years ago to help keep the Boise River clean.