Man drowns rafting American River
Boat tipped over during whitewater training
A man in his mid 20s drowned late Monday afternoon in the South Fork of the American River during a whitewater rafting guide training. The victim, whose name is not being released pending notification of his family, appears to have gotten his leg entrapped and was unable to free himself. “What it looks like right now is a group of five to six was being guided down the upper portion of the South Fork and they hit Gunsight (rock) at Troublemaker (rapid),” said Lt. Bryan Golmitz of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. “The boat tipped over and the victim and others were thrown out.” The victim reportedly got lodged about 70 yards down river from the Class III-plus rapid near Coloma around 5 p.m. The force of the water delayed rescue efforts by the El Dorado County Swift Water Rescue Team. “There was just so much water coming down. We had to contact PG&E to slow the flow,” Golmitz said. The man’s body was recovered around 8:45 p.m. Monday. Noah Rucker-Triplett, river recreation supervisor for El Dorado County, said Troublemaker is a “significant” Class III-plus rapid, one of the biggest on the river next to Meat Grinder, however incidents of drowning are rare. “It’s very rare. We have 100,000 people go down every year and very few drowning,” Rucker-Triplett said. He pointed out that there is always a risk of danger when on or in moving water. “That’s the risk of being in the river. If your foot or arm gets stuck it’s a dangerous situation,” Rucker-Triplett said. “You try to keep your feet up and keep them from getting entangled.” Last year a man fell out of a raft in the same area and also had his leg stuck. Bystanders kept the man’s head above water until rescue workers could free him, officials said. No drownings were reported during the 2008 rafting season along the South Fork of the American River. “The percentages are really low. I’d still tell people to raft and enjoy the river,” Rucker-Triplett said.
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Keep you're feet up! Float on your back with your feet facing downstream. That way you can push off things like trees and rocks where there may be foot-entrapments. Teach this to your children or parents. If they are swimming in the river, whether by choice or accident, then at least a little time should be spent practicing this simple, life saving manuver
Actually Chuxxr, you don't want to be floating on your back with your feet facing downstream when approaching a "strainer" which a tree would be considered. at that point you will want to roll into a swimming position, and try to aggressively swim away or if you are unable to avoid the hazard, then aggressively try to get your self up and over the "strainerr" by swimming towards it and trying to get up on top of it. If you go into a strainer feet facing foward you will drown. Otherwise, very sound advise. Picture speggetti going through a strainer, it doesn't.
-SRT 1 and SRT 2
People need to remember that if you get in a "swimmers position" and don't swim it's really like the first guy said, more of a floaters position. If your just floating, you are not actively trying to self rescue. The article says the incident happened 70 yards below troublemaker. Most people are capable, if told, to self rescue within 70 yards of class 2-3 water (Below troublemaker). But instead the industry standard is to tell people to get into "floaters position" and that's exactly what they do. Also, If you turn over into an active swimming position, on your belly, still with your head upstream (unless there is a strainer), than your feet are that much less likely to be going down. The body/knees just don't want to bend like that. But relaxing in a position on your back works the opposite way. Furthermore, When wearing a PFD, and kicking your legs (i.e. actively swimming), on your belly, your legs tend to come up to the surface due to the interaction between the vest and the input of energy from the legs. Sometimes no matter what the rescuers do, it's too late, the key for anyone going down the river is to realize that in most situations you can have a big impact on the effectiveness of your own rescue, either doing it yourself or actively assisting the rescuers, not just continuing to float downstream...
chuxxr, well said. skidoc2go, nice addition. Hindsight you finished the training class.
Like all accidents, no matter how many precautions you yake and how much you know there will be occassional fatalities. Always respect the waters, whether a river, lake or ocean
Thanks to all of you for the great advice.
The position I described is to be used until one is out of harms way. Using any other technique like swimming in raging waters, or trying to get on top of a tree instead of away from it are dangerous. As soon as possible one should try for the safety of shore. A person who has expended all of their energy fighting the current will probably not be able to swim to safety when the time presents itself.
Ride it out using the position I described "float on back with feet forward and keep them up", using them to push away from big rocks and such thing. A corkscrew swimming tecnique can get one away form hazards without using too much energy. Using one's energy before it can do much good is almost always fatal.
NEVER put your feet down. Foot entrapments are the cause of many drowning deaths in all rivers.
hindsight and skidoc2go. Please don't distract from the importance of the advice I have given. Rafting companies will verify this manuver is safe and effecting. It only takes a foot of water to hold someone down when they are in a foot entrapment. It often takes a trained team to rescue the drowning person.
BTW, before you start telling me about your expertise in safety situations. I started rafting the American River in 1967 when it was free. I went to guide school in the 80's and 90's and never lost a client.
why dont you just stay out the water? swim in a pool if you want to get wet.
The truth of the matter, chuxxR, is that this fatality was caused by exactly what you describe as the best position to be in. It happened 70 yards BELOW troublemaker... He floated from Gunsight rock all the way to his death in exactly that non swimming, feet up, classic, industry standard, "swimmers position". IF he had turned over and either swam for the shore, the boats that were chasing him, or the throwbag line that was thrown 2-3 feet from him he would not now be dead. Yes, it is the industry standard to teach exactly that technique, but in my professional opinion, the position you describe and that is normally taught is ONLY for dealing while IN a big rapid... NOT in a pool below the rapid...So they float all the way to the next rapid without saving themselves. I don't tell people to first get in swimmers position if they fall out of the boat, I tell them to reach out an arm and grab on to the boat you just fell out of. I mean, after all, you should be right next to it for a second and if your thinking "Get back to the boat" instead of going into victim mode or "floaters position" than most likely you'll be contributing to the effectiveness of the rescue. The best rescue is Self Rescue! Tell them about the difference between a "floaters position" and a "Swimmers position"... both use the same body position but one is active and one is straight "victim mode"... There are places for both... but on class 2-3 an active swimmers position, back or belly, is better!
chuxxr,
In your first post, and I quote "That way you can push off things like trees and rocks" yes I agree that is the position, however you cannot and will not be able to push off from a tree. If you are approaching a strainer like a tree ,you better not be on your back in feet first position.
I have been teaching with Rescue 3 International for years. I have served with the Washoe County HASTY team, training in their swift water rescue classes. You maybe a great guide, however I must stress the importance of not floating into a strainer (tree) feet first!!
OK skidoc. I fully agree. Getiing "strained" is very dangerous and too often fatal. Contact with trees should be avoided if possible and your advice and cautions benefit us all. I simply ask that you do not advise people not to use the "on back/feet forward" routine. This method works and is used widely as the "industry standard". When the feet are held up, there is little chance of them getting entangled by subsurface impediments.
hindsight, yes the method I described is for big water, but it works in shallower water also. The San Juan Rapids has claimed many lives from people caught in foot entrapments which could have easily been avoided by keeping their feet up
You tried to mock this serious issue by saying the method recomended my myself is some how the "victim mode" It takes a small amount of water (1 foot approx) to hold a person down. They can't even lift their own damn heads to save themselves.
Feet first is always adivisable as is grabbing for boats, rescuers or making it to shore safely.
Both of you are trying to assign blame for the accident. I suggest the both of you ride a river ( Class 3+) rapids using only a PFD and wetsuit. Know the river, be one with the river. Spend some time in the water, you'll see.
Chuxxr
I am not assigning blame to anything. Funny though you should suggest riding a class 3 rapid. Just two weekends ago I was guiding, and got kick out at the top of Meat Grinder, not a fun place to be and dangerous, and it can happen in a nano second. I have been in plenty of big water in boats, and boats that have flipped. During my "ride" down Meat Grinder I was totally feet first on my back. Knees to my chest becasue I know about the entrapments below in that big hole, I also prayed, it was over in a flash, and I had a great crew that pulled me back in, but now until I swam the whole thing.
Just like you I have been rafting that section since the 80's and that is my 2nd swim at meat grinder, and it is a scary swim.
I know about swimming rapids for fun and experience... I do it on class 4&5. I'm not trying to assign blame, but I am questioning the "industry standard" of STRESSING this position that results in swimmers not actively trying to save themselves. Everyone tells rafters to assume the position and that's all they tell them. I know guide school graduates that have thought that that is what they do, as a guide, when they fall out of their boat... The industry has taken this swimmers position and glorified it... I'm not saying I swim head first down rapids or that I'm always on my belly, what I'm trying to get across (hopefully to save the next life) is that, yes, you need to describe swimmer position to everyone, BUT you can also STRESS that the position is for rapids and not pools, that if you fall out reach out and grab the boat, if your within 10 feet of the boat swim back to it, don't assume victim mode immediately. We all agree, swim away from strainers and if that doesn't work, go head first and get over it (correct industry standard). But in my professional career I have seen too many people float, in swimmers position, right through the pool, into the next rapid or strainer. When they could of saved themselves if they had been told that that was okay and to actively consider swimming as an option, not just "floaters position". IF we all tell them only one thing, that's what they do, even when they could of saved themselves if they would of known...
When your wearing a PFD and you kick your feet, the energy input from your feet reacting against the flotation and friction of the PFD results in your feet coming to the surface. So even if they are on there back in the classic swimmers position BUT they are swimming and not just floating there feet are more likely to stay up. Furthermore, If you are on your belly, the chances of your feet going down are no where close to the chances with you on your back due to the physiology of the body. Even when your actively keeping your feet up if you go over a drop and rotate forward then your feet are hitting the bottom of the drop straight in, if your on your belly you might hit your knees or face but that is better then a foot entrapment. Also, when your on your belly, just floating is not as much of an option.
PS- IF your going to swim rapids for fun and experience do it with all the proper gear (I would recommend a drysuit, a high float rescue PFD not a low float kayak vest, and real river shoes, no sandals) and the proper Safety set up. And use a logical progression, start small and work your way up. Start in a boat, then an IK, then a kayak, then a riverboard, then a free swim. Push your envelope, but just a little at a time. Do it in places your familiar with so there are few surprises. IF you want to be a rescue professional (A RIVER GUIDE) then don't be complacent or lackadaisical about your thinking or practice! Don't fall into "standards" just because they are there. Think for yourself!
Like ChuxxR said... BE AT ONE WITH THE RIVER!!!
and just as important... BE AT ONE WITH THE BOAT!!! So you don't have to be at one with the river...
This is such a tragic story, but as the article points out “there is always a risk of danger when on or in moving water”. It is very important to make water safety a top priority and wear a life jacket at all times especially for children 12 years and younger. An awesome site for water safety tips is http://www.BoatResponsibly.com, check it out…you never know when an unwanted situation might occur. My condolences go out to his family
Skidoc, I've never had the pleasure of swimming "meat grinder". I have seen a few people that have fallen out of the raft. Looks like they're in a washing machine. It doesn't look fun.
hindsight, I see what you mean by "Victim position", the farther they get from the boat, makes rescue tough. You're right about "be at one with the boat!!!" Of course by all means one should try to reach the boat or shore.
My first time I guided for pay it was six French coeds. I liked the way they smoked. I was tossed out at racetrack and sucked into a small waterfall, where I scatched the rocks in a futile effort to get out but went over anyway. The friend that introduced me to whitewater rafting was guiding another boat. He pulled me out by grasping the back of my PFD. The young ladies were unable to steer the raft to me and were spinning helplessly and headed downstream. They didn't know how much trouble they would be in for and in true hero fashion we rescued them. Man I like the way they smoke.