“Swim away from the boat.” Usually that is the last thing that guides will ever say to a participant. In most cases, we try to do everything in our power to get participants to stay with their boats (with a marginal amount of success might I add), but today, JP encountered one of the few times where he found himself yelling these words to Richard (name has been changed). Richard had swamped (tipped his canoe and filled it up with water) in a large whirlpool that had grown since the previous day and now found himself 30 feet up stream of a large root ball as the river moved at near record-setting speeds. The guides in their group had done everything that they could to keep their group safe, but sometimes things happen that are out of our control.
This was definitely not a situation that any of the guides wanted to be in. Fortunately, they stepped up to the challenge. JP jumped to the rescue issuing out directions to Richard as he floated toward the root ball. “Swim away from your boat and toward me,” he urged with all of his might. However, Richard stayed in that position. Stunned as a deer in the headlights, he had never been in a situation like this before. On shore, fellow river users watched in disbelief as Richard continued to hurtle toward the dangerous tree. JP yelled louder, “Swim away from the tree.” But still he did not move. At this point there was nothing else that JP could do without risking his own safety, so he continued to yell, but to no avail.
It all happened so fast for JP. He passed the tree, eddying out in the wake of the rootball with all the speed and grace of the best veteran canoer s(remarkable considering this is his first year). At this point all he could do is watch and pray. He sat there as seconds passed in what seemed like days, hoping to see a body float out of the tangled mess of roots and debris, but no one passed. His heart sank as he began to face the reality of the situation. How could this have happened to him. What had he done to deserve this? It always seemed to work out in the past.
And then finally, he saw the man emerge on top of the root ball. He could not believe what had happened. Although the man was too panicky to swim away from the tree, when his life was on the line, his body took over, and he remembered the training that he had received about what to do in that situation. He had swam toward the tree and climbed on top of it to avoid further injury. JP could not believe what he saw. Nothing short of a miracle.
Spencer meanwhile had gone after the canoe as well as the other participant in the canoe that had floated past. And ledthem to safety.
The most amazing part about this story is not that it is really true. To me, it is amazing to think that the guides that encountered and handled these situations are on their first year here at the Base. Good job