Rescue on the Clackamas today.

[Spooled]

I fished the Clackamas after work today from the bank.
About 10 minutes after I got there, I see a person in the water about mid stream. This is a problem as the river is high and cold, and the person has no PFD on.
As far as I could tell, he was attempting to swim across the river, as there was no boat around. As soon as I saw him, I knew he was in deep trouble.
He got into strong current about 2/3 the way across and he realized he was in real trouble. He managed to make it to the other side, but was unable to get himself out of the cold water. He sat there, I am sure in shock and suffering from hypothermia.
His friends had already dialed 911 and were trying to get to him via a walking bridge. That took about 5-7 minutes while their friend was still sitting up to his neck in the water.
Had he made it down river as far as I was, instead of reaching the other side, I would not have been able to help him. I am a fair swimmer, but the current, cold water and width of the river would have easily overwhelmed me, and then 2 people would have needed rescue. It was a helpless feeling.

The shore where he ended up was not easily accessible and the land rescue was about 200 yards down river looking for the swimmer. I was doing everything I could to get their attention, so I could point out the spot the swimmer was at, but they must not have seen me.
Luckily, the Clackamas water rescue boat had been called. I saw them coming downriver, and waved my arms frantically. They past by the swimmer, thinking he must be down where the land rescue was. They finally saw me, and I pointed upriver, to where the swimmer was. They spun the boat around and got to him immediatley. I saw the swimmer moving as they loaded him on the rescue boat, thankfully.

The rescue boat came back up and thanked me after they dropped the swimmer off with paramedics. Cool guys. I asked if any of them was Captain Oliver, and they said no, but he was their Captain. If you guys read this, GREAT JOB ! :smile: I hope I never need your help on the river, but I am happy you guys are around if I do. Hope the swimmer is OK.

Troy

[Hogmaster]

Hey Troy,

I was out there in the Red Sled. We were motoring up because the shore guys wanted the boat guys to come down to look for the kid and they asked us to get their attention.

Your summary is great,

We were close by when they loaded him into the rescue boat and he looked pretty bruised and banged up, not to mention blue. but definitely breathing.

He also looked as though he was under the influence of something, but it wasn't preventing a fair amount of pain.

He is very very fortunate to be alive. He went through the tail out below Cross Park and ended up banged by the boulders as he reached shore on the Gladstone side. No wonder he couldn't get up! The graph showed the water at 53 degrees!

And the Clackamas County rescue team impressed me too. The three guys in the Zodiac were thorough and did a return check to make sure they didn't miss someone else who might have tried the swim trick. And then two jet ski rescurers motored up too, all while EMTs and Fire truck personnel waited above on the street.

Well coordinated rescue, it is just too bad they had to. I hope the kid recovers soon and then takes the time to thank everyone, including you, for helping save his behind!

[ 05-30-2002, 10:37 PM: Message edited by: Hogmaster ]

[I'mThe10Percent]

Spooled, Did you catch any fish????

Chris

[Nuttinbutnet]

Spooled and Hogmaster- Great job on the assist. I got to High Rocks and saw all the Emergency Vehicles- Oh-Oh, kid in the river! It seems every year when the weather warms the kids think the water is the same-WRONG!

Spent three hours drift fishing- NADA! A buddy of mine fished it at first light and got one.

Again, good job on the assist!

[Captjohn]

Thank you for the kind words and I will pass them on to the responsible crew. Point in fact that all of the river users play an integral part of a successful rescue and your assistance is greatly appreciated. Many times the information received via cell phones and hand waving makes the difference. Please keep in mind that if my crew doesn’t seem to be paying attention to your directions they actually are. Most of the time before committing the boat to a rescue position we pass the victim to get a 360 degree look at perch and water conditions.

On another note for power boaters that is related to this incident. As many of you are aware the turn coming into High Rocks from upstream is really becoming a tight one. This is almost a blind corner with a 180 degree turn at the bottom and with the warm weather you will have many swimmers in the water. To couple this problem most of the swimmers are not wearing life jackets which makes them float very low in the water with only their head exposed. It is the worst for operators when the sun is really out you come from a shadow under to I-205 Bridge back into bright sunshine. Power boaters please be careful in this area!

Also for the floaters out there we had 4 boats last year broach the Railroad bridge just upstream from this location. As the water levels drop the main flows head right for the abutment. All the debris that was there last year is gone but the hazard is still real.

Everyone be careful out there and lets have a safe boating and swimming season.

Captain Oliver

[Hogmaster]

Nuttin -

I should not be mentioned as part of any rescue, it was pure observation on my part (although we did scan for other flotsam). As far as the non-professionals, Spooled provided a valuable sight assist that probably saved several minutes of the rescue while the victim was laying in the water, even though some of his buddies had worked their way (dangerously along the bank) down to him.

Captain,

Thanks for putting out the warning about High Rocks. Yesterday, with the river up, it was especially boily in the deep slot. There were no other swimmers, but had there been it definitely would be a challenge to motor slowly but still under control through there. I was motoring slowly up as Jerry Toman came down the rapid and made the 180 to enter and, while we passed by without incident it would have been much more interesting with heads bobbing around our two boats...

And the suck point into the railroad bridge is very real too. I saw a sled a week or so ago not get his big motor started soon enough after fishing above it and he almost got sucked right into it while operating his kicker! There is a lot of pull there...

Hats off to your guys!

[ 05-31-2002, 11:40 AM: Message edited by: Hogmaster ]