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Poisonous
Snake Bite While Canoeing or Kayaking
By
way of disclaimer, let me state that I am no expert on snake bites, I
am not a herpetologist, and have never been bitten by a snake! I do
benefit from the distilled wisdom of others as to how I would handle
the situation if I were unfortunate enough to be bitten while
paddling myself.
I
will start with some observations. First, the bite on the Hiwassee
in 2007 article here is a rare event. I have never heard of one before or since.
In 30 years of paddling in north Georgia, I have never seen a
poisonous snake on a river, only harmless water snakes. I have seen
quite a few copperheads in my neighborhood, and a couple of
rattlesnakes in the north Georgia mountains, so I know they are out
there. I have never seen a water moccasin or a coral snake in the
wild, but then I seldom paddle in south Georgia or Florida.
Second,
since there are only 4 species of venomous snakes in our region, it
behooves you to know how to identify them correctly....the emergency
room is going to want to know, assuming you did not kill the snake
and bring it with you! Google Images is a great place to spend
a bit of time. In particular, get to know the difference between
poisonous and non poisonous snakes.
Third,
apparently the snake can control the amount of venom injected, and
about 25% of bites are said to be "dry bites", i.e. no
venom. However, the odds are still that you will be envenomated if
bitten. Also the size of the snake matters: bigger snake, more venom available.
So...if
you are bitten, what do you do? Everything I learned as a child and
later is now considered wrong! No tourniquets, no cross cutting the
bite, no suction and snake bite kits, no ice. Keep the bitten part
still (?splinting), and elevated slightly above heart level, and GET
TO A HOSPITAL. There, they will make the decision whether or not to
use antivenin, and they can provide other drugs and supportive
measures. Simple, huh?
If
you Google 'poisonous snake bite treatment' you will see lots more
information, but what I have said above is what I would do for
myself.
Let's
get back to where we started....we are paddling, possibly in a remote
area. Lots of our rivers run by roads and houses, so that is the
best place to go for help, or rather send one of your companions for
help, because you are going to be resting! If you are not near a
road or house, and are a long way from the takeout, you may have a
problem. A cell phone would be good, if you have service and know
your exact location (maybe you have a GPS too?). Otherwise, split
your party, have some stay with the victim, and the rest go for help,
either
a bushwhack out, or paddle to the takeout. I can't imagine trying to
paddle with a snake bite; besides the likely discomfort, all the
physical activity is probably going to spread the venom. So you
paddling out is the last resort.
So,
next time you pull over to the bank, check overhanging limbs, and
watch those rocks where you might be tempted to put your hands.
Frankly, I think walking into the woods to relieve yourself might be
your bigger risk, maybe snakes, but mainly poison ivy. Good luck,
and
keep this information in the back of your mind, but don't lose sleep
over it.
by Dick Hurd, MD
August 26, 2010
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Georgia Canoe - Kayak Paddlers
Safety and Training
One
issue brought to light by these incidents is largely limited to the
Cheoah. The organized, large-scale removal of woody debris from the
long-dry riverbed before the flow was resumed may have resulted in
some of that debris being more dangerous rather than less so. Before
you cut back woody debris, think about not only the danger it
presents now, but also the danger it will present afterward. A
standing tree is a serious but obvious danger: the stump of a felled
tree may well be a deadly and hidden danger, especially if the
cutting leaves it sharp and it is just below a rapid or pour over.
