From ShaneMcManusvia FB
Lower Big Sandy Big Splat incident
December 18th 2024
I read this once but likely there are some errors, both in the grammar and the spelling, I’m still coming to and have a very hard time conjugating and finishing a thought. Please forgive the errors and feel free to tell me if you see a mistake. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for hearing my story and caring to learn from my experience.
Hard to begin this story, it started with an after work run on the lower big sandy. With a very competent group of five total, Josh Martin, Jim Murtha, John Rooke, James Malek, and Myself. The run was going smooth and we made our way to the main feature, big splat. The group paddled to river left for the portage. I set up to run a lap while the rest of the group watched and ran safety. Josh and James were watching for their run, it was Josh’s first time ready to run the challenging rapid. I set up and ran the run from top to bottom without issue and paddle to river left after big splat, elated with joy. I got out of my kayak and began the hike up to meet the group to lead the next run down big splat. When I got to the top of the rapid, Jim and John had hiked to the seal launch and were setting up safety for us.
Josh, James, and I were scouting the rapid from the river left portage. We all saw our lines and we began to get ready to run the rapid all three together, myself leading, Josh following in the middle and James running sweep. I punched through the first rapid and over the guard rock and in that split second my left paddle caught a crab. In hindsight, perhaps I could have/should have braced further on the right. Instead given the angle I was already tipped over I went to complete a quick back deck roll. As I completed the roll, I went over the flat iron rock toward the horseshoe and in the process I lost my right hip from my saddle brace. I had no ability to roll. I tried to pull myself back into the but but was unsuccessful. So I tucked tight… it wasn’t long before I felt the rock above the drop hit the opposite side of my kayak while I was in a combat tuck.
Then I felt the full force of the river thrash me into the dark bottom of the falls. From what I felt, I tucked through the seam of the drop upside down and backward. When the boat and I pitoned into the bottom of the river I felt the hardness of rock fold me father in, in that moment I also felt sever pops and cracks from my backs against the back band and rocks. Then a powerful thrashing began, ‘rag dolled’ is an understatement. My brand new Sweet Protection Rocker Helmet was ripped off my head during a strong hit, the stitching of the chin strap buckle literally ripped out and the buckle stayed intact. I was ejected from my kayak deep under water. I could sense a cold, dark hardness of the rocks around me. My shoes and elbow pads were ripped off me, my paddle ripped out of my hands. When I was ejected from my boat it was with enough force that it felt like I was pulled out. I felt myself get pulled into the curtain of the water and pushed further under.
From my memory, I balled up but found current to pull and kick against. I followed that current in the deep darkness and began to see the lighter water. Just in time because I knew I could benefit from a fresh, well timed, breath. When I swam up I timed my breath to maximize air in, I knew I still had a wild ride ahead. Thankfully i popped up very near James and Josh who had run the drop successfully while I was under the falls. We were still in turbulent waters follow big splat and I was well aware of the very bad rock sieve in the middle right of the following rapid. I also knew that the best way around, given my current placement in the river, was to swim to a rock on the right side near the cave. With everything I had I swam for the rock and grabbed the front of it allowing my legs and feet to safely avoid the rocky entrapment. And also positioning me well to be pulled into the right eddy. James paddled up to me and told me to grab his boat and asked if I was alright, I could only manage to say help me.
I grabbed for his boat, missed the first attempt at the side grab handle but successfully grabbed his stern grab handle and he pulled me into the eddy after the cave on river right. I immediately got out of the river and laid as flat as possible on biggest flat rock around. James asked what I needed and as I saw my kayak come down the river I asked him to get my boat. He and Josh began the arduous pursuit of my kayak. While that process happened down stream Jim passed me and asked if I was ok, I signed I was decent enough. I believe he proceeded down stream to get my gear. John paddled to me and began checking my mental and physical health. I asked him to check in the eddy on the left for my paddle, knowing things often end up there. He began that search and was successful in finding my paddle, a throw bag and my lost elbow pad.
While that was happening I remained laying down, and accessing my conditions, noting I had blurry vision on my right eye. I had a feeling I damaged a rib or two and perhaps damaged my back but kept positive. I knew the hike out would be painful and difficult. When I saw James hiking my boat up on river left and Josh said they have my helmet, I knew I could paddle out. It was a difficult scramble down to the kayak and the next rapid, what I know as White Lightning. I supported myself with my paddle and a strong and long beaver chewed branch the river gifted me.
I found a small crawl space under the mountain laurel and bedrock that lead to a place I could safely access the river and my kayak. Where I first realized the paddle would be very difficult. I had to take some time to reposition myself, use a short cam strap John had to temporarily strap the helmet to my head. John helped to reposition my kayaks outfitting which felt slippery and difficult to move. I was able to slip back into the kayak with some effort and assistance. John put my skirt on and I set off to wait for him in the eddy on river right. We all stayed together for the run and the crew did great support and leading. I focused on breathing techniques that seemed to help keep me oxygenated and calm. We paddled to first Island where I portaged with the help of the crew and was gently lowered into the middle of the river by Josh after he helped me gather in and get my skirt back on.
I had not much strength but I know the river like the back of my hand and was able to take every clean line possible. When we got to the take out James and Josh helped get my dry suit off and we rushed to Ruby ER. We got stuck in traffic along rt. 7 for around 15 minutes on the way to the ER. When we got to the ER I walked to the doors in my wet socks and found the first wheel chair. James was with me the whole time, helping push me into the room. After that it was just impressive to watch the whole trauma team work seamlessly and flawlessly together to stabilize my back and neck, to fully access and ultrasound my body and X-ray and CT scan my injuries. I have never seen such a well organized group of highly professional individuals.
Results of the scans show 10 broken ribs, one fractured L2 Vertebrae, and a concussion with blurry vision in my right eye. Also, one very humbled and grateful me. Thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully learn from my experience. I owe my life to many people, as well as to my knowledge and connection with the very river and rapid that thrashed me so much. Without the mindfulness and inner peace I’ve cultivated for some time, things would have been very different. I knew that I could hold my breath for minutes if needed while still maintaining consciousness. Through experience I’ve rescued others in the exact same area as well as been saved there before. I am a student of the water, the river and the mountain.
Some people jump out of planes with parachutes, some people ride bulls and tame stallions. I happened to ride down the back of a relentless water dragon disguised as a river. I made one mistake for sure that lead to a series of challenges. I accept that and will continue to walk forward with humble accountability, graceful gratitude, and positive reference for life. Worst case scenario, with the best possible outcome. Thank you to my friends and family who have supported me through all my mistakes and lessons.
From James Malek via FB
On Wednesday, December 18, 2024, one of my best friends, Shane McManus, took a pretty bad tumble over Big Splat, on the Lower Big Sandy River. Level was 6.1 ft on the Rockville gauge. This is being posted with respect and full permission from Shane, written by James Malek.
At approximately 1:00 in the afternoon, we pulled into the portage eddy because I was gonna explain and help break down the rapid to my friend Joshua Martin. Jim Murtha and John Rooke portaged and carried down, and were on the seal launch rock. Shane ran the rapid once first to show Josh how to run it, then hiked back up for the second lap to lead him down. We decided to go “blue angel” style (which is us three would all run it in a line) Shane first, Josh second, and me last. Jim and John were set in good positions for safety on the portage rock with ropes out.
We pulled out of the eddy, allowing for enough space for error in between. Shane immediately flipped hard in the entrance hole in the rapid above the main waterfall, also known as “Horseshoe”. From there, he had difficulty rolling up. Josh and I had a clean line through the entrance hole, but Shane was still not rolling up. Shane went over the last boof of Horseshoe upside down, at which point his knee/ thigh/ leg popped out of the thigh hooker, causing him to not be able to roll up at all. The current had pushed him completely against the large rock on river-right (that has the horrible slot behind it). Still upside down, and now backwards, Shane went over the main falls of Big Splat on far river-right against the rock. He pitoned with his stern as he landed, at which point he stated he heard and felt a large crack in his body. Shane also stated he hit his head very hard, and believes he may have (probably) lost consciousness underwater.
I was at the last boof of horseshoe as he went over, and Josh was in the eddy above the waterfall. I sprinted as hard as I could, and as I landed, none of Shane, or his gear, were seen anywhere. I knew he was stuck behind the curtain in the cave. I thought to myself, “Oh my god, my friend is going to die.” As I tried to get to a stable spot to get my rope out to try for a throw, before I pulled my spray-skirt, Shane had resurfaced downstream in the main flow, with his helmet, elbow pads, and shoes completely ripped off of him. As he resurfaced, Josh landed off of the waterfall. I immediately paddled to him, and managed to get him to shore on river right, below the pinning spot.
I knew he was hurt, and asked him if there was anything he needed that second, or what I could do, and he said “get my boat.” Knowing Jim and John were about to come down and could take care of Shane now that he's on shore, we gave chase. Josh and I managed to get it to shore about a rapid or 2 downstream on river-left, just after the boof on river-left. As we did this, Josh got Shane’s helmet and threw it to shore, and John found Shanes paddle in an eddy on river-right.
Jim Murtha said that he believe Shane was probably underwater for a minute, maybe more. To quote Josh, “I pulled into the eddy and didn’t see what happened after I pulled in. John said Shane ran the drop backwards. Any reservation for my first lap disappeared and I turned around and ran that waterfall with the only thought of getting my friend”.
We drained his boat, and I hiked it back up on river left to a point that it could be ferried across by John. John got to him and communicated with us that he was definitely concussed, having extreme balance issues when walking, and couldn’t see well out of his right eye, but was awake alert and oriented to the situation, place, time and event. He was also displaying labored breathing, and extreme chest and back pain, especially when moving, but was still somewhat stable. We had 3 options: Hike him out, paddle him out, or wait for an extraction team.
We all came to the conclusion that the fastest and safest way to get him off river and to a higher level of care was to paddle him downriver, with the stipulation that he would walk every rapid and we would carry his gear for him. He was in less pain and more balanced in his boat and sitting down than he was from walking and standing, thus proving to us that his condition would not be worsened by paddling as much as it would be walking. Plus, walking would have taken much longer than paddling in any circumstance, especially with someone that could barely hold himself upright on his own two feet. Shane put in what I called “little ducky paddles” just to keep him straight, and needed a few breaks, but we were able to get him downriver. After the second island rapid, I sprinted to the takeout and got my car prepared for him. Once he made it to my car, Josh helped get all of his gear off, helped him into my car, and we sped to Ruby hospital in Morgantown, driving up the Masontown side of Bull Run Road.
Immediately seen by the trauma team, and after a number of tests, Shane was diagnosed with 10 broken ribs (4 left, 6 right), a broken L2 vertebrae, and a wicked concussion. Now instead of 15 minutes late to the river, he may be closer to 20. Moral of the story is shit happens on class 5, even to people that have run a rapid hundreds of times at hundreds of different levels, and have their shit together. Lets all pray for our brother for a speedy recovery. It's a long road ahead, but if anyone can come back stronger than before, it's Shane. Send him all your love.
