In a message dated 12/20/2007 9:54:22 AM Pacific Standard Time, crainb_at_pdx.edu writes: One of the really interesting ways to experience the hydraulics of a fast flowing river is to get in it with a mask and snorkle and go with the flow. You get to see fish and count beer cans. I've done this on the Clackamas River and made a serious discovery. 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. As I discovered, the only way to survive this is to swim downwards with the current (not exactly instinctual) and eventually you pop up downstream. It's not possible to swim towards the surface alongside the headwall because the downward current is just too strong. That day was the closest I've ever come to drowning. A rafting party did encounter the same kind of situation on the same river some years later, and a young man perished. There is absolutely no warning for a rafter or kayaker that such a spot can be your last. There probably should be a danger sign. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In my recent Out Of Boat Experience (OOBE) I was taken down to near the bottom twice before rescue. That really sucked. At times I'd be in an eddy and a vortex would just erupt underneath or nearby. Once while at the Skookumchuck race My Explorer and I were in a pretty grippy whirly. By the time it seemed I was neck deep, it looked like only the last foot or two of bow was the only bit out of water. I kinda thought, better do something. Whatever it was that I did probably had less effect than the whirly simply dying out on its own. One thing I do not like about whirlies is that when rolling the blade tends to bury really quickly and that upon emerging the boat edges also get buried fast causing that unique sensation we paddlers all know as squirrelyness. Cheers, Rob G **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Dec 20 2007 - 10:27:54 PST
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