Accident Database

Report ID#67450

1986-03-15
accident date
Unidentified Men
victim
0
victim age
Tohickon Creek
river
Ralph Stover State Park to Point Pleasant (PA Route 32)
section
Mile-Long Rapid near Bucks County Park
location
4'
gage
High
water level
IV
river difficulty
Flush Drowning
cause code(s)
Hypothermia, Near Drowning
injury type(s)
Cold Water, High Water, One Boat Trip
factors
Private
trip type
Raft
boat type
status?
status

Description

In the spring of 1986 a group of two boaters who had rafted the Lehigh River (Class II-III) and the Tohickon at a lower level launched their raft from StoverPark at a level of 4 feet. The river is relentless at this level, with numerous large stoppers. As they approached the site of the annual kayak races at BucksCountyPark (Mile-Long Rapid) their two man raft was half-full of water. Entering the drop, they got caught in a large hole formed by the top ledge. One of the paddlers was not wearing a wetsuit. He jumped out of the raft to act as a downstream anchor to pull the raft free and took a long, nasty swim. The other paddler, his cousin, only had wetsuit pants. He followed moments later when the raft capsized. Both were taken to DoylestownHospital and treated for hypothermia. The raft was recovered by local police and returned to them a few days later. SOURCE: Matt O’Donnell ANALYSIS: In the words of the victim, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. The two were not equipped or experienced for the river at that level; the small raft and absence of a wetsuit or a drysuit put them at a serious risk in the event of a capsizing The kayakers present at the race probably saved their lives. My guess is that they will be more careful in the future.