By Greg Wagner
Leisurely floating on one of Nebraska’s many scenic rivers or streams in an inflated inner tube is a cool, refreshing, relaxing way to enjoy a hot, humid late-summer day with family and friends.
For those of you planning to float one of Nebraska’s great rivers or streams on inner tubes during late summer, here are some important reminders.
Swimwear
Put on a comfortable swimsuit or quick-drying synthetic clothes. Skip heavy cotton garments that stay wet and cold.
Life Jackets & Whistles
A properly-fitting U.S. Coast Guard-approved, wearable and accessible life jacket is required to be on board an inner tube (it is technically a vessel) — and preferably worn. Children age 12 and under must wear a life jacket. Also, state law requires all water vessels to carry a noise-making device such as a whistle.
Access
Tubers have the lawful right to float the water of rivers and portage around obstructions without causing damage. On the other hand, tubers and other river floaters must have permission from private landowners to access their properties, which include riverbeds, sandbars, riverbanks and any adjacent lands.
Water Trails
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has great information for trip planning on their water trails webpage. Shuttle service and inner tube equipment rentals are available through outfitters. Going on your own? Be sure to arrange your transportation and shuttle before you start floating.
Starting Out
Beginners should go with more experienced tubers who are familiar with the river or start with gentler rivers or easier stretches of rivers. Consider stops and a lunch break, along with public access points that are open for putting in and taking out, unless you are using an outfitter.
Float Plan
File a float plan with a family member, friend or neighbor whom you know and trust. A float plan includes a description of your tubes and safety equipment, who is on board, where you will be launching, the stretch you will be floating and where you will be taking out. Include times and what the shuttle vehicles are.
Gear Checklist
The usual items on your gear checklist might include sunblock or high-SPF sunscreen, insect repellent, biodegradable hand soap, hat, sunglasses, bottles of drinking water, snacks, cooler filled with ice, rope, trash bag and sealable dry bags for valuables, (e.g. phone, wallet, keys, small first-aid kit). No glass or Styrofoam containers, please.
Forget the Alcohol
Don’t bring alcohol on your float trip. Avoiding alcohol while river tubing keeps your judgment sharp, prevents rapid dehydration in the hot sun, and maintains your balance and swimming skills.
Swimming & River Features
Tubers should be able to swim because there is a risk of getting tipped over and separated from your tube. There is no uniform depth in any of our Nebraska Rivers, so expect to find everything from shallow sandbars to drop-offs, to deep holes, to swift channels, to undertows.
Check Conditions
Look at local river levels, flow speeds, and weather forecasts before heading out. Do not go if recent storms have caused high, fast or debris-heavy water and sandbars are covered with water. Be aware of the weather forecast upstream, downstream and at various locations during the float along the river. Know if there is the potential for high-water advisories. Even on warm summer days, be aware that inner tubing carries a hidden risk of hypothermia. Familiarize yourself with how hypothermia can affect you.
Water Shoes, Ropes & Avoiding Things
Protect your feet by wearing strapped water shoes like Crocs, avoid dangling ropes off tubes that can get caught on objects in the riverbed, steer clear of snags such as tree piles and be extra careful around bridge pilings. Watch for floating debris as well. Always avoid the downstream side of a tipped tube.
Tying Tubes Together
Never permanently tie a large group of tubes together with tight knots, as getting stuck on a log or low-hanging branch can cause a dangerous domino-effect. If you use rope directly, learn a simple slipknot or quick-release hitch that holds firm under light tension but unties with a single hard pull. For a floating cooler in an inner tube, place it in the center of your group, tethered equally to surrounding individual tubes so the weight stays balanced. There are special rules that govern fastening tubes together on the Niobrara River east of Valentine.
Others on the River
Be vigilant for all recreationists using the river — other tubers, air boaters, anglers and sandbar swimmers. Be respectful of campers, cabin dwellers and landowners along the river.
Shorebirds
Also, on river sandbars, tubers need to keep a good distance from at-risk shorebirds they may encounter before migration. These are the interior least tern and piping plover. Do not disturb them if seen!
A late-summer inner tube float trip on a river is a wonderful opportunity to stay cool and have a good time with family and friends, but planning ahead is crucial! -GW