A local Maine man fell out of his raft while paddling the Kennebec River Gorge in early July. This is one of the premier big-water runs in the Northeast. The New England Paddler?s Message Board had these facts: The river was flowing at a moderate 6800 cfs. The man fell out in “Big Mama” and floated until he was pulled to shore in the pool above “Magic Falls”. He suffered a heart attack during the swim, and died despite aggressive efforts by commercial and private boaters on the scene to save him. Some of my most strenuous river experiences have been swims. If you have hidden heart problems I guarantee that a long big-water swim is likely to uncover them! CW