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The Yukon Canoe and Kayak Club (YCKC) held a Moving Water Safety Demonstration Monday.

It took place on the Yukon River behind Selkirk Elementary School in Whitehorse from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Karen Zaiden, aquatics supervisor for the City of Whitehorse, represented the city.

Several members of YCKC participated in the event. One of them was Joti Overduin, a volunteer with the club for about two years.

鈥淭hey (YCKC) partnered up with the city today,鈥� explained Overduin.

鈥淚t鈥檚 Drowning Prevention Week, so with YCKC we promote white water paddling and I鈥檝e helped out with youth nights and women and non-binary nights and tonight we鈥檙e doing swift water rescue demonstrations and information for the general public here. The Millennium Trail, a lot of folks often see people kayaking out here and often probably have questions and it鈥檚 just good to bring awareness to 鈥� I know we have trails really close to swift water and people may not always be aware of the dangers, or what to do.鈥�

Overduin described what it was like out in the river.

鈥淚鈥檓 dressed for it, so I鈥檓 OK. It鈥檚 a sunny day but if you weren鈥檛 wearing a drysuit with a bunch of wool underneath you鈥檇 be really cold and it鈥檚 super powerful. Like, you can see some rocks there that are only partially submerged, so it might give you the illusion that it鈥檚 not that deep or 鈥榤aybe it鈥檚 ok for me to hop from this rock to that rock鈥� but I had to use a lot of strength not to get swept down. And if I had got swept down at that spot, I would have hit some other rocks. It could have caused some injuries. So it鈥檚 really powerful, easy to underestimate.鈥�

Keri Rutherford , acting manager of recreation for the city, showed up with her son Sam Phillips, 9 and daughter Zoe Phillips, 7.

鈥淚鈥檓 here to support and celebrate National Drowning Prevention Week. I think it鈥檚 really important. I work for the city as well and I鈥檓 here to support my team but also bringing water awareness to my kids. We live and play around water all the time and my family, anyways, spends a lot of time on the water, so the more awareness we can bring to it the better, so I think it鈥檚 awesome.鈥�

Lawrence Brennan, executive director of YCKC, explained why they were there.

鈥淲e鈥檙e practicing some of the swift water rescue skills with the throw bags ... and we鈥檙e also kind of showing people while this place looks quite intimidating, it鈥檚 actually quite safe to swim if you wear the proper gear 鈥� helmet, PFD or lifejacket and appropriate insulating clothing. Today I鈥檓 wearing a drysuit. A couple of people are wearing wetsuits.

鈥淲e鈥檙e working with the city to try to educate people on water and safety.

鈥淭he main purpose is to show that it is safe to swim in and how to safely swim here and use the river.

Ben Feger and Gallagher D鈥橝bramo also took part in the demonstration.

D鈥橝bramo said they were 鈥渏ust practicing throw bags and rescues.鈥�

Feger added 鈥淚 think it was pretty fun. I think it was kind of cool to show that, this water may look intimidating, but like Lawrence was saying, once you have the right equipment and know how to do things appropriately, it can be really fun, honestly.鈥�