Lots of time on the river this summer. Little time to write taken. I need to do it more. Might be a more well developed habit in my future.
Regardless, we had 4 days mid-May, I paddled another 5 days at the end of May, 5 days over July 4 and 4 days the weekend of August 11. A total of 210 miles, would like to break 300.
Rescued some really intoxicated people with small children. A tragic situation, but all got out alive. Kudos to Cara who talked a crazy lady hanging onto a log in swift and deep water into finding her way to safety. She did it while next to her hanging on to the log. It was dicey, I pulled people up on the bank and off the jam. The husband of said lady was passed out on the bottom of the raft and floated downstream, no PFD beyond the next bend and out of sight.
Finally, after everyone was out, we bushwhacked our way as we heard him downstream yelling. We found him in 3 ft. of water hanging on to a log because he had no idea he could stand. We finally got him on shore and as he exited, he fell face first in the mud with his head right between my chacos. There he was face down.
We called the livery we work with and they sent canoes down (hours later) and picked the folks up and took them to safety. I want to communicate to everyone that intoxication and river travel do not go well together. These folks were beyond intoxicated, I suspect meth actually.
We were grateful to have saved at least two lives that day. We have now saved at least three people while traveling on the river. In every situation, a lack of a PFD was critical. So, some more lessons learned. Unfortunately for those three adults we pulled off the log jam, I would guess the experience offered little as a catalyst for change.
Regardless, we had 4 days mid-May, I paddled another 5 days at the end of May, 5 days over July 4 and 4 days the weekend of August 11. A total of 210 miles, would like to break 300.
Rescued some really intoxicated people with small children. A tragic situation, but all got out alive. Kudos to Cara who talked a crazy lady hanging onto a log in swift and deep water into finding her way to safety. She did it while next to her hanging on to the log. It was dicey, I pulled people up on the bank and off the jam. The husband of said lady was passed out on the bottom of the raft and floated downstream, no PFD beyond the next bend and out of sight.
Finally, after everyone was out, we bushwhacked our way as we heard him downstream yelling. We found him in 3 ft. of water hanging on to a log because he had no idea he could stand. We finally got him on shore and as he exited, he fell face first in the mud with his head right between my chacos. There he was face down.
We called the livery we work with and they sent canoes down (hours later) and picked the folks up and took them to safety. I want to communicate to everyone that intoxication and river travel do not go well together. These folks were beyond intoxicated, I suspect meth actually.
We were grateful to have saved at least two lives that day. We have now saved at least three people while traveling on the river. In every situation, a lack of a PFD was critical. So, some more lessons learned. Unfortunately for those three adults we pulled off the log jam, I would guess the experience offered little as a catalyst for change.
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