Drowning

[GloryDaze]

Just read a boy drowned there yesterday 3 miles west of Pineville. Pretty sad really, got pinned under a log. Second one in a few weeks, a lady on the James got pinned as well.

Be careful out there, things can go south fast.

[Amery]

No business being on the river when it's up so much.

[Terrierman]

Gauge doesn't look like it was at high level.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mo/nwis/uv?site_no=07189000

[ollie]

And the Elk claims another one. Seems like every year it claims at least one life. Very sad. Not flood stage, but still moving at a good clip. It is running above normal levels according to the gauge.

[GloryDaze]

After being on that river on a busy weekend, or on most ozark streams, I'm amazed we don't here about more of these happening.

I wonder if it's simply because there are always enough people around to help in a situation like this?

[ollie]

I wonder just how many out there go on a weekend and have no clue what they are doing. I know the percentage would have to be high. From the trooper report I read it doesn't say whether or not he was the only one in the canoe at the time it happened. At 12 I'm sure he wasn't a seasoned paddler. I've just seen too many people on the water that really shouldn't be or they should have been with someone who knows what they are doing. A few years back I witnessed something that just left my jaw sitting on the ground. I was on Big Sugar just above Deep Ford where the creek takes an S turn. It is always a tree jungle through there due to the curve. I see a family float through and they all tip over. I didn't see the younger kids but could here them screaming. I ask if ok and everyone is, but the canoe goes floating downstream. I jump in the yak and head it off before it heads downstream and lost. I finally coral it by the bank and wait for them to come get it. A lady finally comes over with two kids. These kids are only like 3-4 years in age! The water was up that day as well with a good clip to it. This is what got me. The lady then sits in the front seat of the canoe and puts both of the kids behind her. Puzzled, I look at her and asked if she had ever been canoeing before. Of course I knew the answer to this already. It was no. I had to spend the next few minutes telling her what she should be doing in a canoe. I was worried that day for those kids more than anything. Also saw a family once down there with a baby in the boat! On a river that is moving fairly swift. Common sense just isn't common any more.

[GloryDaze]

That Big Sugar for the most part is bad news for inexperienced paddlers, especially when the water is up. It's a really fun stretch that I enjoy, just wished I could float it more.

I think you're right though, I honestly don't think for the most part people have a true understanding of just how dangerous it can be. When I was telling my wife about this, her comment was "what you don't know, you don't know"

[Gavin]

Drowning is silent. Easy to miss something on a busy river. Very sad.

[ozark trout fisher]

Very sad to hear.

I love that our rivers are here to be used by everyone. But many think of Ozark streams as a theme park and not a dynamic, powerful, and (if you're not careful) dangerous waterway. That can lead to a dangerous lack of respect which can end in tragedy. It is worst when it is parents taking their kids on a river completely ignorant of how to handle a canoe or any potential dangers. When I see that on the river it always makes me a little sick to my stomach hoping they make it okay. It's a miracle more tragedies do not occur.