Two guys from Tn., Rockport, and a safety reminder

[SteveGabbard]

Yesterday at Rockport as I was sitting on a bench I heard a faint "help me". When I looked up I saw a boater from Jackson, Tn let go of his paddle and flip over. Then up pops this kid out of the water (upside down boater grabbed him while upside down and still in his boat and shoved him up) who is quickly grabbed by the other guy from Tn and hauled to shore. I'm not sure what all was said when he got the kid over to his parents but I hope there was at least a thank you. I do know the kid stayed at the boaters side for a while once he got him to shore. So kudos to those two boaters for getting that kid above water and over to shore.

This and watching the throngs of tubers failing to navigate the ledge reminded me of a key safety principle. If you encounter someone swimming and they are panicked do not under any circumstances let them get ahold of you or your boat. Panicked people do abnormal things like try to crawl up onto your head or flip you over and crawl onto your boat. If in doubt it's better to reach them with a rope or paddle, reunite them with their own craft, or yell at them and direct them in which direction to swim.

Also, here is a link to an article on what drowning looks like. I know it's been posted before but it's worth posting again.

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sermon over. :myday"

[Canoe_Codger]

Thanks for the post Steve. It is a reminder that cannot be repeated often enough in my opinion. And swimmer trouble/panic can happen in any body of water as any lifeguard can tell us. The natural inclination is to climb, sometimes making the rescuer a near-victim as well as the swimmer.

This is one reason I like having painter lines on my canoes, towing a swimmer at a safe distance so they can't make me a swimmer as well.

Which reminds me that I still need to add them to my Bell. I did a swimmer recovery in it a few weeks ago and luckily the girl did not panic and followed my instruction to grab the stern deck and hold on for the tow without climbing (I passed he pfd floating by on my way to her). In retrospect, she might have come around to one side and pulled me over by the gunnel. Off to Ebay to order more dock line.

Michael

[okieboater]

For what it is worth, based on my High School Red Cross pool lifeguard training, if a drowning person does grab you the following is recommended but not guaranteed. But it has worked for me way back then. That is take as good a breath as you can and sink to the bottom. The cling on will let go and head up for air is the concept. Then you can do the approach from the back and cross cross body tow. Most victims will normally calm down fairly quick soon as they realize they are head above water and moving toward safety. The above works when doing a swimming rescue, which should be the last resort when all else fails.

[sat4]

I was the second boater and the folks on shore were just other bystanders. He was going down for the 3rd time when my buddy made the grab and I was rushing to get him. Kid was with friends and their parents. I don't think they even knew what happened or were indifferent if they did. No thanks is needed.

[737driver]

Good job and a sharp eye! I was only about 20 yards away and didn't realize what was going on. I thought one of you swam and was working your way back into the eddy. It was only after I banked next to Steve, did I find out what happened. It's funny how sometimes the general public sees kayakers as risk taking, adrenaline junkies out to kill ourselves. I think there is no other group I'd rather be with, if a life or death situation ever arises.

[okieboater]

"I think there is no other group I'd rather be with, if a life or death situation ever arises." Said Clay C.

I am living proof of that statement being true.

I know of no other sport where total strangers will risk life and limb if they see a fellow boater in trouble or needing help.

Dave

[Mace1321]

great job guys, if it weren't for the boaters (trained) there would be a lot more injury and possibly deaths at the ledge. thanks for all the help everyone offers, even if it is sometimes not well received. it seems like sometimes the surfers have to be the "lifeguards".....

[sat4]

I was on deck and was waiting for them. Knew they were trouble from the start. They hit the green water between the holes ,pulled a mystery move, one came up, one almost didn't.
Sometimes the morons that float down are good for a laugh. The dude in the johnboat who broke off his trolling motor for example. Sux his crap is now in the river somewhere , but the look on his face was priceless.
Watching these kids dive in with no PFD and sometimes face first ???? makes me cringe. Even said something to the Dad or whoever he was, about the ones going face first. Guy just looked at me annoyed like I was the idiot out there in my little boat with all this gear on.
Just glad my buddy saw me haullin butt to get to the kid and managed to get the grab.
It could have been a bad day.

[Cowper]

I was on deck and was waiting for them. Knew they were trouble from the start....

The dude in the johnboat who broke off his trolling motor for example. Sux his crap is now in the river somewhere

Just glad my buddy saw me haullin butt to get to the kid and managed to get the grab.

Minor Point: What's in the river, where did it go down? Myself and others can look for it at low water...

Major Points: I love this story! First, being in the right place at the right time is often about paying attention to what MIGHT happen BEFORE it happens. Kudos to you on that! Second, it took a little "outside the box" quick thinking on your buddy's part to just roll over and grab, then swim, before the kid slipped out of sight which could have cost unrecoverable minutes of searching. Kudos to your buddy for that one!

Very well done guys! I would much rather read about a "near miss" story that some fool thinks was no big deal, than about a drowning where we all wonder if one more person or one minor difference in the chain of events could have saved a life!

[sat4]

Johnboat guy lost the whole business end of that trolling motor between the sticky hole and the 2nd hole from player's right. Right about the same place them kids came through, where the greenwater extends the farthest back from the ledge.
Karma is being in the right place at the right time......We were suppose to be at Rock Island Sunday but short release time changed our destination.
I just really hope the kid isn't afraid to go back in the water and hope the folks he was with take a lot more care of their kids and the ones they are given the responsibility of looking out for.
I know if he was my boy and came home with a story like that to tell..... somebody's day wouldn't end very well.