One here, too,
Happy ending, thanks to his companions and others:
http://www.shorelinemedia.net/ludington_daily_news/news/local/kayaker-rescued-revived-whitewater-below-hamlin-dam-flips-boat/article_dbff6892-ceaa-11e5-9737-c38e6096bdc7.html
I heard about that
I’m pretty sure they captured it on video, even if they don’t want to release it.
water temp about normal for here
Its only 2 degrees warmer in the summer. 50 vs 48F
Not surprising there were some rescues. We were out in the surfskis just south of this rescue doing laps in the wind. Some great downwind conditions. Wind waves were head to shoulder high with opposing tidal current. That area is a draw for the unprepared/untrained. Seems pretty protected until the wind opposes the current.
lack of knowledge can
kill you hopefully they all have more now and will continue to strive for more.
Normal is still cold
The article didn’t provide much detail, but I remember that day was windy on the OP, too.
Hadn’t caught that one
but it sounds like they may have miss-judged the power of the backwash from a low-head dam(n). He was lucky to have washed out and not held there.
low head dam
Lots have been written about the dangers of low head dams, stay away, far away. They are not to be played with either while swimming nor paddling, very dangerous.
He’s very lucky to be alive.
Bill H.
I think I have the below-dam video
If it’s a yellow bow fade-to-orange stern kayak and a yellow paddle.
This one is a very short video showing someone rather clumsily and unsuccessfully trying to avoid being pulled into a dam, tipping out, and the video stops with an “Oh crap” as the guy gets sucked under.
He didn’t appear to have the confidence to paddle hard enough to keep himself from going from an Uh-Oh situation into a world of @#*%. He had a good 6 second window to decide to sit up and back paddle with conviction. But he sort of clumsily allowed himself to be pulled in with an unsettled back stroke while continuing to lean further back with his body.
Maybe it was his intent to nose up to the dam? But the video doesn’t show someone experienced, neither the act of doing it in the first place, nor the behavior as it happened. Maybe lots of paddling experience. But it doesn’t depict someone with technical skills and awareness. Hopefully the video and story will provide some education to a lot of people.
And we all have our moments throughout life. I’ve done things every bit as ill-advised, and as much as I’d like to, I can’t promise I won’t end up bumbling into more. So no high & mighty attitude here.
Very unsettling video to watch. It says he is ok. I’m glad that part was included.
Technical skills
A number of things in the text description sounded more like guys who had done this and been lucky before than had rigorous skills. Which describes a whole lot of paddlers including myself when I started. The nice thing about paddling is that, compared to some other sports, a lot of people make it out of their first mistakes alive. Not everyone, but a surprisingly high percentage as long as they can swim.
Stricken ?
with ‘what’ ?
Is there a regional aspect ?
I read more water mishaps from the GNW than the NE or MidAtl. True ?
Nothing from LI Sound ?
Tupperware ?
Cabin fever. Sap weather. Spring fever. Summer vacation. The CG prob has this clocked.
I lost muh wet suits, booties, gloves, pdf n spray skirt last week. Ach !
Was reorganizing garage for trailer packing. Damn ? where is the red box ?
Cudnah find it Garage 1, 2 or 3 GONE !
XXXXX ! $400
Eyayahaha…stored it in Yuma !