Re: [Paddlewise] Whirlpools and Other Dastardly Thingys

From: Craig Jungers <crjungers_at_gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:09:54 -0800
On Dec 20, 2007 9:45 AM, Bradford R. Crain <crainb_at_pdx.edu> wrote:

>
>   There is a spot where the river crashes perpendiclarly into a big
> vertical
> rock wall. The water has to go somewhere, so it chooses to plunge directly
> down to the river bottom, then exits downstream along the rocky bed. I
> know
> this because I got trapped in it.


White water paddlers are all too familiar with vertical walls and (worse
yet) overhangs or carve-outs. On the relatively benign Yakima River between
Cle Elum and Thorpe there is a carved-out bank near the town of Thorpe just
below the bridge leading to Cle Elum that can do a lot of harm to an unwary
paddler. In a kayak you can get hung up against the wall and be unable to
exit or roll or escape. One reason I have never been much of a creekboater;
I am addicted to the saying: "If in doubt get out and scout".

Craig Jungers
Moses Lake, WA
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Received on Thu Dec 20 2007 - 10:10:02 PST

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