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Accident Database: Accident #1058
| River: | Eel, Middle Fork |
| Section: | Black Butte River to Dos Rios |
| Location: | Below Covelo, CA |
| Gauge: | 16,000 cfs |
| Difficulty: | III |
| Accident Code(s): | Long Swim (L.S.) |
| Injury Code(s): | Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal, Fatal |
| Age: | 50 |
| Experienced/Inexperienced: | Experienced |
| Years Paddling: | 1-3 |
| Private/Commercial: | Private |
| Boat Type: | Raft |
| Boat Model: | 12.5 feet |
| Number of Occupants: | 4 |
| Number in Group: | 4 |
| Number of Victims: | 1 |
| Hazard Codes: | High Water, Pin/Broach |
| Initial Report: | According to Dreamflows, the river level for the Middle Fork of the Eel on Sunday was around 16,000 cfs. This is extremely high for the river. Honestly, I've been boating for over 13 years and would not make the run at that level.
The Middle Fork of the Eel is a 30 mile run that starts with around 20 miles of class II leading to 10 miles of class III (one class IV and one class V: Coal mine falls). I have never run the MF Eel, but was on the Main branch above Dos Rios (Outlet ck to Dos Rios) on Sunday, where we too had high water. I have run the outlet section many times and at many levels. The contrast between 5000 cfs and 10,000 cfs is amazing; the rapids are much bigger and more turbulent
My understanding is that after Bobby Fetzer's crew put on, they encountered large waves and hydraulics. On the Outlet creek section the boil lines and eddy fences are high and hard to cross at levels above 5000 cfs; wave height can easilly reach 8-10 ft. Add to it the fact that the MF Eel is snow melt this time of year, and you have fridid waters. While all rafters wereequiped with wetsuits, helmets and PFDs, it is my understanding that Bobby had only about a years experience guiding a raft.
Hope this helps.
Tobias Gautsch
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| Summary: | Charlie:
I wanted to send you an update on the Robert Fetzer drowning.
According to law enforcement sources, Fetzer and three others put in at the Black Butte Ranger Station at about 9:00 AM that morning. The section of the Middle Fork of the Eel that they were running is rated at Class II at normal flows, but was extremely high due to snow melt. All four were fully equipped with wetsuits, PFD?s, helmets, and rescue equipment. The outfitter who recently sold Fetzer the raft, told me that it was a 12 ½ foot self-bailing raft. There was no oar frame, so I am assuming that they were running as a paddle raft, newspaper reports of ?oars? notwithstanding.
Within 10 to 20 minutes, they hit an object or water feature, that threw the raft forward and ejected all four occupants into the water. All four were shouting to each other in the water after the flip. Three of the occupants reached the shore, and that was the last they saw of Fetzer. The body was recovered seven miles downstream.
Apparently Fetzer was relatively new to rafting and had done the ?Outlet Creek to Dos Rios? segment of the Main Stem Eel River the week before as a warm-up.
An addendum on the Robert Fetzer Drowning. I contacted the Mendocino Sheriff?s Department this morning to review the Coroner?s Report. Cause of death was listed as a freshwater drowning with a lot of water in the stomach, tracheal spasm, and pulmonary edema. Without any witnesses, it is not clear whether this was a flush drowning in a hole or what, but the body was found with the PFD and protective gear in place. There is no indication that alcohol or drugs are involved at all.
I am also attaching two articles from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat on the accident. There was another article from the local Ukiah Journal, but for some reason, that is not on their web site. Ill have to scan that and send it to you as an image, along with the OCRd text.
Jade Tippett
Ukiah, CA
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| Conclusions: | My company has over 50 trips on the MF Eel since 1972. We ran commercially on a regular basis until 8 years ago at all levels from 700-15k. According to dream flows the middle fork was at 9700 the day of the fatality. My partner was on the Main Eel that day when the fatality happened. Skinny Chutes is a wash and if one was not familiar with the river they would never know they were there. At Coal Mine Rapid a portage would be almost impossible. Feltzer's group said they planned to portage Coal Mine and Skinny Chutes.
These guys unfortunately were going by guide books and not experience. My friend and partner Greg Isreal knows the fetzers and Bobby Fetzer was not an experienced rafter. According to the article they flipped with in 10 minutes of put in.They didn't ever hit rapids--just high water currents. The press wasn't interested in follow ups on this story and the Chronicle article was more informative than the Santa Rosa press democrat.
Bill Mashek
rubicon whitewater adventures
rubiconadventures.com |
| Report Status: | On Going |
