We was at the river this weekend. Sitting in the water and seen some boys swimming across the river looked like they was trying to swim it. They looked to be around 15 years old. I told the wife why are they even doing that. Well about 3 minutes later we started hearing yelling one of them saying he was drowning. We rushed down the river bank and a kid was histarical. Well they brought out the boats and scuba gear and started the search. He went down about 3 pm and they found him the next day about 10 am. It brought back a lot of memories of when i broke my neck on the river. People sometimes dont realize how fast strong currents can make a fun day at the river can end so fast. It was a hard thing to be around.
I live along Susquehanna River here in Pa.
I see alot of stupidity out there on the water. I've lived along here for 12 yrs. and personally seen 3 bodies pulled out. My neighbor found one washed ashore a couple years back after a two day search came up unsuccessful. He said hardly a day goes by without that picture in his mind. I've never found one, but seen them pull them out. It's a sad scene.
You have to respect that river, or she'll take on a one way trip. Sorry to hear about your experience.
That will stick with you for a while :'(
When you are young, you never think you are going to die, only your parents do.
Last weekend an 11year old girl was swimm ing in the flooded Illinois at Starved Rock . She disapeared. She was with her parents ???????????? Illinois has a law that if you let a child play /have access to a gun you go to jail if they shoot themselve or someone. I think they need to extend it to the other stupid stuff .
I'm sorry to hear about that, Semo. It is always awful to lose one of our youngsters. :(
River currents aren't the only dangerous ones, either. Panama City Beach is famous as a place for kids to take their spring break, but also for its treacherous rip tides. Over the Memorial Day weekend, there were over 100 rescues and 2 drownings there, in spite of the red warning flags and the cops ordering people out of the water.
I found out later that day a guy had a heart attack up stream and fell in the water. They had to pull him out also. He didnt make it he drowned also. I grew up on the water and have learned my lessons on it. The kids always have life jackets on. I even make my lab were one. Its one made for a dog ;D. The family of the boy was visiting from oklahoma. The name of our river is Current River and the name says it all! It has a lot of swift parts. You can only run a jet on your boat. It can go from 8 inches to 10 feet in a little bit. It takes around 5 people a year.
Quote from: DanG on June 09, 2008, 08:54:14 PM
I'm sorry to hear about that, Semo. It is always awful to lose one of our youngsters. :(
River currents aren't the only dangerous ones, either. Panama City Beach is famous as a place for kids to take their spring break, but also for its treacherous rip tides. Over the Memorial Day weekend, there were over 100 rescues and 2 drownings there, in spite of the red warning flags and the cops ordering people out of the water.
The Pacific beaches of Costa Rica have more than a few rip-tides as well. The sad thing is with a little knowledge, you can escape a riptide, just swim perpendicular, they are usually very narrow. You will soon be out of the current and can swim to shore. Fight it, and you are toast.
I swim in current in our river below our house. it is a mountain river with lots of current. I move in and out of the current to simulate a lap pool. Works very well. But then, I am just about half fish when it comes to the water.
Part of the problem is that parents don't have the time to go with their kids when they are young out to rivers and such and give them knowledge of how to be safe. Most kids learn to swim in a pool now, not a river. They have no idea how a river changes everything.
I'm just about half fish, too... I grew up swimming in the Ocean near Bells Beach in Victoria (where the Surfing Competitions are held). The swell could go from 1' to 8' in the space of half an hour, with rips etc.
I remember the parents used to sit on the sand and watch and they had a 'special wave' for if they saw a shark in the water ( Yeah, it was basically stand on the shore and jump up and down waving their arms screaming SHARK SHARK, but we called the 'shark dance' and usually laughed it through (Watching out the corner of our eye for fins and would only go in if the surf was bad)) But we were young, and stupid reckless...
I know that when my kids started going in the surf, we'd sit on the beach when we got there and discuss what was happening in the waves, where the rips were, where the trenches were, where the chop was coming in, how the current was running based on the froth on the still between the waves, etc. They weren't allowed in the water till they could tell me where and what and why. Now Sasha's 14 and can pick the flow and danger with the best of them. Stephie's still not so sure, so she just doesn't go in past her knees usually. (Her father the intellectual used to take great delight in taking her out too deep and scaring her (I wasn't there, by the way) so she's scared of the surf)
Kids need to be taught to have a great deal of respect for water. Whether obviously huge surf, or a still pond (with possible submerged danger) or a swimming pool. I keep telling them it only takes a glass of water to drown.
The most hurt I ever got was diving into a swimming pool that I didn't know, into the middle of the pool which was too shallow and hitting my head. Ended up in hospital. I was 7. It was well before I learned much about the water...
But I digress... Semo, I sure don't envy you, much less the parents, friends and family of the boy who died. It's a horrific thing, and irrespective of how much you think you've taught your kids, it shows that bad things can happen.
asy.
Just a bit of info for people wondering about rip tides. They are generally easy to spot. Look at the beach, if you see a beach that is nice smooth sand, and then a section that is pebbles, well my friend, that is a very strong indicator of a riptide. Don't swim there. Simple, eh?