Safety

Fjord-swimming requires that the following safety rules are observed:

• Swimmers and kayak buddies must be competent swimmers.
• Never swim alone.
• All swimming that does not involve a fjord crossing must be within 10 metres from land.
• All kayak buddies must have completed a safety and rescue skills course.
• Swimmers are responsible for their own safety while in the water. If they feel tired or cold, they should get out of the water as quickly as possible. If the swimmer's kayak buddy observes that the swimmer is in trouble, and instructs the swimmer to get out of the water, the swimmer must respect the kayak buddy's judgement.
• All kayaks should be equipped with safety equipment, including a life jacket of life belt to be thrown to the swimmer if they get into trouble.
• During fjord crossings there should be at least one escort boat for every five swimmer and kayak buddy teams. Personnel onboard the escort boats are responsible for picking up swimmers who withdraw from the swim.
• In addition to escort boats, safety boats should also be present during a fjord crossing. Should an emergeny situation arise, safety personnel are responsible for administering necessary first aid and ensuring that the swimmer is safely transported to land.
• In case of an emergency, a kayak buddy should alert safety personnel by signalling, for example with their paddle. They should pass a life jacket or life belt to the swimmer and keep the swimmer calm until the safety boat arrives. If necessary, the swimmer may support themselves by carefully holding onto the kayak.
• If a swimmer gets into trouble within 10 metres from land, the kayak buddy should pass the swimmer a life jacket or life belt and ask the swimmer to calmly hold onto the kayak. Thereafter, the kayaker should lead the swimmer to land.
• The age limit for fjord crossings is 16 years - however 16-18 year olds must have their parent/guardian's consent to participate.