My Near Death Experience On The Eleven Point

[Mark]

OK, my friends have been waiting for my report on "My Near Death Experience" on the Eleven Point this summer, as it was something I'm sure I will never live down. So here it is.............

My friend Delvis and his 15 year old daughter were floating from Whitten to Riverton in early June. The water was still up

2 - 2 1/2 ft. from the spring flood. We were having a successful day fishing, taking our time, and enjoying our last day of our 5 day vacation. I had recently bought a pair of $100 knee high wading boots and was commenting all week that I couldn't believe I had gone for so many years wearing tennis shoes on the river and constantly emptying the rocks out of my shoes. Late in the afternoon, we got to Halls Bay, and while I have gone through the chutes a couple times without incident, I generally just get out and walk the canoe around the left channel just to play it safe and not wanting to risk dumping and losing fishing gear, cooler, etc. Wendy Jones had shuttled us and told us about the limbs in the water and how it had become a very dangerous spot since the spring floods. As we got to the bottom of the left channel, we noticed the main channel had a downed tree and a root wad in the slight right turn that the main channel made with the current giong right for the root wad after the main part of the chutes. After the daughter got in the middle of the canoe first, I got in the back and immediately the current started to swing the back of the canoe around sideways in the current and we started taking on water, and I knew with the root wad and limbs we didn't want to get out in the whitecaps going sideways or backwards. My first instinct was to look to my left toward the bank and noticed that the water was only about 3 ft. so I jumped out of the canoe as I had done many times before, figuring it was better to go for a quick swim than risk losing gear. I have always been a good enough swimmer that I felt like I could always stay out of trouble on the water, never mind that I just turned 50 years old. As soon as I hit the water, my boots filled with water and the current swept me out to the deep water. My feet felt like they had 25 lb cement blocks on them, and I immediately started having trouble keeping my head above water. As I bobbed up and down a couple times, I could see the current was taking me toward the root wad in deep water and big trouble. Right before the root wad I saw a limb hanging over the water and made a desperate lunge for it. Still in fast current, I held on with all my strength for a couple of minutes trying to figure out what I was going to do. I definitely knew if I went back in the water I was going to end up in the root wad and fast moving current. Another limb was about a foot under the water and it took every ounce of energy I had to pull myself up enough where I could sit on the submerged limb and hold on to the other limb. Meanwhile, Delvis couldn't see me this whole time, as the turn and trees blocked his sight. I knew I was now safe for the moment and gave him a hollar. The boots are a tight fit and I knew I wasn't going to get them off. I just sat there for a good ten minutes regrouping, catching my breathe and trying to figure out how I was going to make it the remaining 20 ft. back to the bank. I felt like if I went back in the water, I may not make it out (even though my friend Delvis is a former lifeguard, as I mentioned later, I noticed he wasn't jumping in after me!!) I finally saw that there were a couple more limbs hanging between me and the bank, and I used them like jungle gym bars to swing from limb to limb to shore. I made it to the bank, collapsed, exhausted, and scared sh#tless.

I definitely have learned a new respect for the river and will never get in a boat with those heavy boots again. And I hope someone (Forest Service) has cleared out that turn after Halls Bay before a tragedy does happen.

[steve l]

Yup, know exactly what you're talking about, the water flows into that root wad.

Afraid I can't agree with you on clearing it out though. There are spots all over the river that have danger potential, and this spot is just that, potential. The river should be kept as near as possible to wild, with only clear danger spots cleared, but only to the minimum extent possible.

[creek wader]

Wow. What an experience. It's a wake up call to all. If it looks hairy, stop and get out. A portage here or there won't kill you, but the alternative might. I've pressed my luck a few times too, and was lucky. Since we do a lot of overnights on the streams, we pack a lot of gear. So, if not so much for our saftey, but for the sake of saving our gear. We usually, get out, when it looks bad. If we ever get in a bad situation. I've found that the best thing to do, is nothing. Just let the current and rootwad do what it wants. Usually if you fight it, it makes thing worse. We let it bang us into the rootwas and wait till we settle down then, think out the best route to take. I'm not saying it is the thing to do in every situation. But, it's been the best so far. I've never tipped yet, (just hexed myself). But, I've came very, very close many times. I'm also, pushing fifty. So, my days of taking risks are nearly over. I'm glad you came out unscaved. I guess the old adge of "safety first", applies to everytime your on the water. ... Good luck everyone. ... wader

[G-ROD]

Me, my 2 friends and my 14 year old son went down from Riverton in early June and found ourselves in dangerous spots a few times. We were in jon boats and it was our first time to be on the Eleven Point. We'll try again someday when the water is at normal level.

[jdmidwest]

Just a dumb question, were you wearing a Life Jacket?

[Trout Stalker]

Back in the early 80's when I was a Boy Scout, my troop went down the Eleven Point when it was very high. It was a near death experience that took me over 10 years to get back in a canoe.

[Greg]

My brother and I and several friends floated the 11 point back in the late 70's - during high water. It was a pretty frightening experience even though none of us would admit it at the time.

I'm glad you came out OK. I've not been back to the 11 point since that time. But I've often thought about it. Your report is good in that it will probably make others cautious - including me.

Greg

[roy]

pretty freaky, glad you are ok.

I've had a scarry experience at halls bay too. In my opinion it was much better many years ago before the boaters cut away the giant downed tree on the left side of the main channel of halls bay. They also opened up the back side at that time so the motorboats could get through.

It was much better for canoes before then, there was an enormous volume of river going down the main channel, it was much safer and really fun.

I still wear chest waders when it's cool out in my canoe but I always wear a good safety belt around the waist too so they can't fill with water quickly.

Not so long ago my son and I were sleeping around little hurricaine creek when in the middle of the night I noticed the tent was filling up with water. By the time we realized the river was quickly rising some of our gear had floated away, never to be found. We had to put everything in the canoe and tie to a tree until daylight.

I have tremendous respect for the river.

Roy