BEGINNING KAYAKER MEETS ADVANCED STRAINER

            I was running the Upper Hiwassee with some friends in August 1994. We were surfing at Baby, Mama, and Papa surfing holes when we saw trouble downstream. Robert Davis from Knoxville, Tennessee , had capsized just upstream of a huge strainer.

            Robert was in fast, deep water fifteen feet from shore and fifty yards upstream of the strainer. Steve Barron got Robert to grab his stern loop, but Robert held on to his own kayak. With the distance closing fast, I yelled for him to let go. Steve quickly, but barely, pulled his boat out of danger. Robert still clung to his kayak. I yelled for him to let go, and thankfully he did. The kayak entered the strainer nose down and washed underneath it.

            Robert went into the strainer with his head and hands hgh. We yelled at him to grab the highest branch. He did, just as an underwater branch perforated his sprayskirt, effectively pinning him in deep water. He had to fight with all his strength to hold his head up. We later found that he had been hanging on with a dislocated shoulder.

            Steve caught the first eddy, reached back for his throw rope, and shot out of his kayak. I caught an eddy at a cliff bank, caught a branch, and swung myself ashore. I worked my way to the base of the huge strainer where Robert was struggling and crawled out on the trunk to a position three feet above Robert. I was worried as I got near the end that the limb would break, but I gambled that it would not. I reached down and raised him up so he could breathe without swallowing water. Steve was on the tree trunk nearby. He secured his rope and we strung it behind his lifejacket to offer more support. It was all we could do to stabilize Robert.

            In the meantime, our friend Sam was signaling for help. He flagged down two expert paddlers in an open canoe. I don’t know how they eddied out behind that stainer, but they did. Frank Fowler jumped out of the bow and onto the strainer. His partner produced a knife, and life a human otter Frank went underwater and cut the skirt, coming up occasionally for air. He freed Robert of the snag in razor-sharp time.

            Robert was exhausted and we had to lift him from the water and onto the log. After he caught his breath, we loaded him into the bow of the canoe. Friends secured Robert’s kayak and loaded it on his truck. Others took Robert downriver for immediate medical attention.

SOURCE: Lou Hooban, Chota Canoe Club Newsletter

EDITOR’S NOTE: Sounds like the Hiwassee is full of strainers! A good, clean rescue.