Whitewater, E.Fk.

kayak 101, DON'T MESS WITH LOW HEAD DAMS. Every year several people drown in low head dams. The hole is terminal, often the sides of the dam are concreted extending down stream so that no eddy exists on either side. When eddy's do exist they feed the hole with terrible force and speed. Two years ago (I think it was 2006) a firefighter - water rescue guy, almost drown on the Great Miami while practicing a rescue from a low head dam. The only reason he didn't drown was the water rescue team was already there and in the water, (one of the rescue boats got too close to the boil line and got drug into the dam and flipped). Please portage and avoid low head dams. I have been a raft guide for ten years in Tennessee, North Carolina and West Virgina, hard boater almost all my life and I don't even like any concrete in the water anywhere, it always spooks me. Sorry this was so long............