Been told, "With this much water, if you fall out, don't swim to shore, go to the middle of the river. We'll pick you up eventually." They didn't want the fast water to get us to get entangled in semi submerged trees and bushes.
It's all good if you don't drown.
Tunnel Chute on the North Fork.
More than two dozen people had to be rescued by fire crews this weekend.
"Yesterday, Sac Metro engaged in six water rescue incidents," said Diana Schmidt, an information officer for the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
Those rescue incidents involved "30 individuals that were pulled out of the water," Schmidt said.
On the fast-flowing American River, running at about 3,500 cubic feet per second, it's easy for rafts to get snagged in tree branches or debris under the water, especially store-bought devices that are more suited for a swimming pool.
And many people were not wearing life vests on the river.
Troublemaker Rapid. Lots of swimmers there. We used to enjoy it more by going in backwards.
I'll stick to canoeing on the Chattooga river, thank you. At least that trip provides some background banjo music.
ReplyDeletebeen on the American river back in the 1970s. Dead people don't need rescue, recovery means you can take time to do it in a safe manner. folks that go into dynamic waters with out head/neck protection and PFD of adequate level of flotation are literally dead man walking stupid and not worth risking my life to rescue. sorry. been there and done that. That others may live is a wonderful sentiment, and sorry if I sound harsh but I value my life a bit higher than some dumbass who jumps into a river because he's a bit warm. floaters usually come to the surface. that's why they call them floaters.
ReplyDeleteThe article at SFgate.com was written by an idiot. They show a photo of a Middle Fork of the American trip but talk about the lower America (below Nimbus dam). The lower American is nearly all flat water and is in Sacramento County. The South and Middle forks of the American run through El Dorado County where anyone on the river is required to wear a lift jacket (PFD). Comparing a flat water float trip down the lower American drinking beer and being stupid to a commercial river trip on the upper America river forks is ridiculous.
ReplyDelete