Friend missing in dam

[indiucky]

Sorry for your loss....I have the VHS tape at home but it looks like this...We had a pile up at Dildo Rock on the Gauley after flipping going over Sweet's Falls.....Scared me pretty bad but I was in my mid 20's and immortal back then...I grew up literally below the Falls of the Ohio and have watched bodies pulled from the river since I was old enough to walk...heartbreaking...

[video=youtube;BkFTPwj4tqg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkFTPwj4tqg[/video]

[video=youtube;in_IljcX4Jo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in_IljcX4Jo[/video]

 

[MCgrease08]

We were on the Ocoee a couple of years ago and did the "long" route which took us thru the olympic course from upstream. There is one boil there that I believe they called Godzilla and it reacts the same way a low dam does. We got caught up in it during one trip and since the guide was worried about a tip at the end of the trip but I was more concerned about dying so I was a little boisterous in my "urging" the others on the boat to ****ing paddle or die!

The guide thanked me later for my urgings as he was beginning to worry a little himself.

The video below is an older one demonstrating the hydraulics of a low head dam, basically your screwed if you find yourself in the boil.



[video=youtube;QGUTqPwBuHg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGUTqPwBuHg[/video]

I grew up near Harrisburg (where this video was filmed). I personally didn't do much boating on the Susquehanna River, but did plenty of swimming during the summer. There were also lots of local creeks with low head dams that were popular with teenagers.

I have seen this video more times than I can count. I'm pretty sure they showed it to us every year in school a week or so before we were let out for summer break.

 

[Ddillard]

Prayers for a safe return and for the family in time of need.

 

[Sigblitz]

His daughter talked to my wife Monday night. His friend was caught in the current. He went to help and was thrown out. His friend made it back.

Thanks for the kind thoughts.

 

[Brad69]

Did the Royal Gorge in Colorado back in the mid 90’s twice we did it as a unit a full day of class 5 fun. Stuff happens so quickly I cannot imagine doing that now. Fast water is checked off my bucket list.

 

[NKBJ]

1961, White Rock Creek, Trinity County, TX.
I got pulled down by an undertow and the life jacket caught on a tree root.
One of the prison guards at the picnic saw me go out of sight, dove in and pulled me up.
I learned an easy lesson about flowing water.

 

[actaeon277]

1961, White Rock Creek, Trinity County, TX.
I got pulled down by an undertow and the life jacket caught on a tree root.
One of the prison guards at the picnic saw me go out of sight, dove in and pulled me up.
I learned an easy lesson about flowing water.

I imagine that lesson stuck with you.