Kayaker Dies on the Telico

[Regud]

http://www.ajc.com/news/norcross-kayake ... 93583.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Joe Purdy]

Beautiful river.
Sad and unfortunate...

[justin.payne]

Sad....I wonder what hole?

[Dave Thomas]

Sad....I wonder what hole?

I'm not sure what hole, but it happened near Baby Falls.

[RomanLA]

From what I read on Boatertalk, it was at the first ledge.

[hdh]

What Dru said on boatertalk


My opinion of what happened is that the group was at the put in prior to the river rising to a critical level. It rose approx 7 ft. in less than 2 hrs. From the put in it's difficult to tell how much it had increased and the approach to the first ledge seems benign as it is a pretty consistent line even with a higher level. The first ledge itself had formed a terminal hydraulic along where the normal line is and you wouldn't be able to see that from your boat upstream. My estimate was that the river was approaching 5ft. when I heard about the accident and rushed to the scene.

I arrived after the victim (Paul) had been rescued from the water and was on the opposite bank of the road and CPR was in progress. Quickly unloaded my boat and ferried across river to assist. My buddy did the same and ferried a rope across to arrange for the transfer. My wife organized a rope on the road side bank for assistance up to the road for when we got him across. There were four people on the bank, two doing CPR and two arranging for transport across river. An attempt was made to transfer across river in a single kayak upon my completed ferry and I was told to assist with the transfer. This failed immediately due to instability of the single boat and Paul was returned to the bank where CPR was resumed. Three kayaks were tied together while I and another continued CPR. When the boats were assembled and tied together he was placed in the center kayak with a skirt and the two outer kayaks skirted. Two swimmers assisted the boats as they were pulled across river and he was quickly trasferred to an awaiting van. I noticed that there were many people on the road side but was impressed with how everyone worked together and how fast he made it to the van. Some folks running around in shock also which is normal for the scene.

As far as what could have been done to improve the outcome? I feel like the people involved reacted appropriately. Paul received high quality CPR. The transfer went well with three boats and swimmer assist. The transfer to the van was very quick.

My compliments to all of the people involved who assisted in helping Paul in this incident. I commend you on doing a good job and am so very sorry for the outcome. My condolences and prayers go out to the family and all of his friends.

[jackatspa]

It was a very sad day on the river for everyone. I pray for his family and all of his friends. From what I heard Paul was always smiles no matter what. I wish I would have had the chance to paddle with him. He sounded like such an amazing person. He will be forever missed.

Sincerely, Jack Hollingsworth

http://www.waldensridgewhitewater.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JTarver]

It always unnerves me to hear of these incidents. A horrible day indeed, and so very sad for everyone involved in particular.
My condolences to his family as well.
Joe

[Cowper]

I think back on the near misses; on James, who made it but almost didn't, and on others who walked out on high water runs, and on others who spent the night on the river, wondering if their friends were alive or not. Perhaps one more rapid run instead of portaged would have led to a similar incident. I'm so glad I've never had to be there while we lost a friend to the river, and in all these years of paddling have only really lost one (Bobby). I know if Dru was there, then what could be done, was done.

And all I can do is thank my lucky stars I'm not the one telling this story.

My heart goes out to all involved.

[okieboater]

One of my boating buds from back east sent me this. I am forwarding it since the original was sent to a yahoo list. Looks like the gentleman doing the writing was there and in the hole.

Lots to learn here. Having spent time in holes like this myself I think luck is a big factor, and some times we can make our own luck if we are able to catch some air and keep on trying different things. Sad when we loose any of our Brother / Sister paddlers but it seems like every thing was done that could be done and the willingness of boaters to jump in and do the right thing is one trait we paddlers can be proud of.
Condolences to the family and friends of the boater who did not make it.

dave

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "ocapaddler@charter.net" <ocapaddler@charter.net>
To: gcalist@yahoogroups.com; ccclist@yahoogroups.com; fpclist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, January 5, 2011 4:44:35 PM
Subject: [CCC] Fwd: [AtlantaWhitewater] Tellico Ledges Accident 1/1/11 - Rob Strangia




> To: <AtlantaWhitewater@yahoogroups.com>
> From: "Rob Strangia" <rob@redist.itos.uga.edu>
> Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2011 17:09:55 -0500
> Subject: [AtlantaWhitewater] Tellico Ledges Accident 1/1/11 - Rob Strangia
>
> Some of you have asked how I was able to escape the hole. How I did is
> contained in my account below. Just keep in mind that it does not mean
> that what I did would have worked for Paul. Luck more than anything is
> why I was able to swim out. It's with a heavy heart that I post this,
> but I do think that it's important that I do so. This happened to an
> experienced group of boaters on a very familiar stretch of river for us
> on what is normally considered a Class III rapid. In my 10+ years of
> paddling, there are only 2 rivers that I have logged more runs than on
> the Tellico. You can never be too careful on any river and don't take
> anything for granted. My account of Paul's tragedy is from unique
> perspective. I was running sweep and followed behind Paul into the
> rapid and was also stuck and swam the same hole at the same time as he.
>
> After changing at Turkey Creek, we scouted the major rapids, Jarrod's
> Knee & Baby Falls, on the way up to the put in. The Knee had just a few
> inches of water going over it suggesting that the river level was at
> what American Whitewater considers a Medium runnable level. Most of
> our group had experience at this level and at higher levels. So the
> call was made that the river was good to paddle as long as we stopped
> before reaching those significant rapids to scout again to see if the
> water had come up even more. The incident did not happen on either of
> these "harder" drops. It happen on the very first rapid called "Top
> Ledge" on what American Whitewater rates as a Class III Rapid.
> According to American Whitewater Tellico Page, "The Top Ledge
> <http://www.juliekeller.com/images/Recen ... /RT447.jpg> is a
> six-foot drop that shouldn't present any problems, although river right
> should be avoided because a pinning potential exists".
>
> As we are entering the first drop on the standard "left of center line"
> & just seconds after putting on, I notice that the normally large river
> right eddy was nearly non-existent. This suggests to me that the river
> has risen significantly since we drove by just a few minutes earlier.
> Because we are now entering the rapid, it's too late to take off until
> we at least clear the first set of ledges. We still did not expect this
> rapid to cause us any significant problems. I followed sweep behind
> Paul over the ledges & notice as we are clearing the first ledge of the
> rapid that a normally exposed mid-stream rock that it just downstream of
> the first ledge is covered with water. This confirms to me that the
> river is flashing.. Everyone, including Paul clears the first part of
> the rapid successful and enters the 2nd part in the same spot.
>
> Gavin, Bill, & Bartec all clear the second part successful. However,
> Paul melts down into the Hole and is getting window shaded. Unable to
> stop, I enter the rapid doing my best to avoid him. This gets me stuck
> in the hole as well. I am upright and side surfing at first, but Paul
> is already upside down as I enter the drop. I am soon upside down as
> well and am unable to roll because Paul's boat was blocking my roll set
> up. It is unclear to me if he was still in his boat at this time. At
> that point, I quickly choose to do a wet exit while I still had the
> energy to swim out. After exiting my boat, I am trapped in the hole
> with both boats. I grab onto my boat for floatation & it actually helps
> me pull myself free of the curtain. However, I quickly let go of it for
> fear of it getting me pulled back deeper into the hydraulic. I then
> decide to ball up and go deep in hope of catching a deep water
> downstream current. However, the deep water current seemed to be
> pulling even harder back upstream and into the hydraulic. Not at all
> what I was expecting. I then start swimming aggressively downstream to
> avoid getting pulled back into the hydraulic.. I am able to keep myself
> from being pulled back in and underwater, but am unable to free myself.
> I then look around notice that there seemed to be some downstream
> surface flow more towards the river's center(River Right). I then start
> swimming parallel to the ledge and towards the downstream flow. Once I
> reached the downstream flow I was washed out of the hole and was able to
> swim to a midstream rock just downstream of the ledge.
>
> At this point, I could see Gavin heading upstream along the river right
> with a rope thinking that he was coming for me. I also saw Bill &
> Bartec a good bit further downstream & thought they were rescuing Paul.
> Gavin kept pointing upstream towards the ledge but all that I could see
> were the two boats being recirculated. I did not see Paul and still
> thought that Paul was downstream with Bartec & Bill. After a good bit
> of time, I eventually saw Paul surface and was able to throw a rope to
> him from the mid-stream rock that I was on. It landed across his chest,
> but he was clearly unconscious and unable to grab it. He was
> recirculated at least few more times after that before he was eventually
> washed out and began floating downstream face down. Bartec & Bill were
> quickly able to get him to shore and began CPR. I then swam to safety
> on the River left and flagged down a bystander to call 911.
>
> In just few minutes, Dru & Kaylan Ellis and several other boaters rushed
> to the seen. Dru, along with another person, ferried there boats across
> the river to eventually relieve Bill & Bartec from their CPR efforts. I
> was on the opposite bank, so I think that the CPR effort details and
> river transport details are best to be described by Bartec & Bill and
> others coordinating that on the other side of the river. Our side of
> the river helped with the river transfer ropes and the eventual
> transport to a van that met an ambulance further down river road.
>
> A few thoughts...
>
> 1) It would have been nearly impossible for Gavin or anyone on the
> riverbank to have been able to get a rope to him. Paul was not visible
> for much of the time and was too far away from either bank for a rope
> throw. I believe that he was trapped behind the curtain. I was in a
> unique position stranded on a mid-stream rock and with my
> rope(Salamander Retriever) around my waste that allowed me to actually
> be close enough to try and get him a rope. Having a rope around my
> waste instead of my boat was the only reason that I was even able to
> attempt to get him a rope.
>
> 2) The American Whitewater Website Tellico Page states "The Top Ledge
> <http://www.juliekeller.com/images/Recen ... /RT447.jpg> is a
> six-foot drop that shouldn't present any problems, although river right
> should be avoided because a pinning potential exists". We all ran the
> standard, left of center line. However, I believe that the Terminal
> Hydraulic was created in that section due to downstream rocks(the ones
> that I was stranded on) blocking the outflow from the hole. This may
> explain why I did not find a downstream current when going down deep.
> The rapid increase in water level magnified this hazard creating a
> Terminal Hole.
>
> 3) We did not have Paul's Emergency Contact Information. While this
> would not have changed the outcome, it did create a significant delay in
> being able to notify his family. Please be sure to exchange emergency
> contact info with your fellow paddlers.
>
> 4) A Gauge at the put in Bridge instead of 13 miles downstream would be
> more helpful in determining the actual levels of that River at the put
> in. I am not sure why this has never been done. With the gauge so far
> downstream, 3 Feet and rising is a very different level than 3 feet &
> falling even under a more "normal" water level increase rate.
> Regardless, always be extra careful on rising rivers! It's hard enough
> to predict the rate that they are going to fall & it's nearly impossible
> to predict the rate that they are going rise! Especially in mountainous
> terrain! Even if there was an upstream gauge, it's still possible to
> get caught in a Flash Flood if you paddle pass the gauge before the
> water catches up with you. So it's still not a sure thing.
>
> 5) The cooperation of the 30 or more paddlers that eventually arrived on
> the scene was outstanding. Everyone was doing something and it was
> well organized. This along with the outstanding CPR efforts gave Paul a
> fighting chance. He had a pulse when he arrived at the hospital and
> this was likely because he received effective CPR.
>
>
>

__._,_.___

[SteveGabbard]

Very scary and very sad.

[BMuu]

RIP

[bhodgin]

God bless his family and friends.

This is really one of those times when I start to think a little harder about what I do for fun. It seems sometimes like it is a selfish thing to pursue (chasing water). It is selfish because of what I am potentially robbing my friends and family of should I not survive some river adventure. This is one of those stories that weighs heavily on my heart.

The bright side to this (if you can call it that), is how well the boaters performed in a rescue situation. I should only hope that if I was the one stuck that I was helped as selflessly as Paul was helped.