There was a near drowning on the Upper Chattahoochee (section III) on March 3rd. Stephanie Rolader had run this Class II+ section at least 20 times at different levels (typically at around 2 feet) in sit-on-tops and white water boats, but that day was in a duckie. Here's her account:
"It was running at about 3 feet when I went over third ledge, and was caught in a hole which I’ve gone over/through many many times. I ended up a little bit sideways and flipped my ducky, which only stayed in the hole for a couple of seconds, but I was caught in the hole for almost 3 minutes recirculating and could not get myself out. "
"I was finally rescued by a passing boater who pulled me out from inside of his boat. I was what the EMTs considered a level to drowning and had water in my lungs and the first stages of hypothermia, I spent the night in the ER receiving breathing treatments."
Local paddlers say that the hole is b acked by a rock, making it very retentive at certain flows.
