Staying Alive if swept under a log

[Snagly]

Today one of my fishing buddies recounted via email a story that gave me goosebumps. He followed a hooked sebaru (jungle fish) into a shallow-ish, swift tailout, lost his footing for a time and before he knew it was into the next, not-too-friendly tailout. Along the way, lost the fish but kept the gear. He got to shore OK, but said there was a huge log straight across in neck-deep (he guesses) swift water. It's the tropics so he wasn't wearing any waders. Easier to maneuver but tougher on the skin. I called him up and we talked without any answers coming to mind. So here's the question more or less paraphrased:

"What do I do if I'm going to hit this 2 foot wide log sticking straight across a swift flowing river? It's too thick and high above the water to get my arms over it and climb over. It probably doesn't go too far below the surface. Maybe 6 inches or a foot. If I grab onto the log, my legs get swept under. If I try to swim under the log, I might get my clothes caught on a branch and drown. Do you stick your legs out in front and try to hop to shore, using the log? I think that having a CO2 life vest inflated could make it worse."

Another question -- does anyone use a wading staff? Any brands you'd recommend (or not recommend)? I see that Simms has a folding 56" staff in their catalog.

[Fishin Magician]

THis happened to me in june last year. Jennie was there to whitness the occurance.I went in feet first into the log and in fact my legs were entangled in the branches. I was holding on and I feel that if I had let go that I probably would have been hung up backwards and drowned. My friend pulled me up and out and really saved my life!!!! Thanks a million Dean!! I can never repay you for that one. I was not wearing a life jacket and I am a good swimmer ,in fact I am coast guard certified to rescue someone.But the pressure of the current was so intense that I felt paralyzed,and couldnt move.I would like to hear of anyones similar experience and what they would have done differently to lower the risk of injury or death.

My contribution would be:
1) Always wear a life jacket, you may look like a dork but you will live to see another day if you have an accident..believe me!
2) I would always carry an extra oar!!
3) take a river safety class!!

My .02 cents worth-hope it helps

[SureSet]

I too have had a similar experience where a friend and I floated down the Oak Grove fork of the Clak in a couple tubes. The river (stream) was only a couple 3 feet deep. We were having a good time, came around a bend to see a log jam across the river that diverted the water to one side where a single log layed across at water level. Figured no big deal, we'd just get out before we got to it. I watched my buddy get within 15 yards where he attempted to step out of his tube. The thing was, that the water had bored a 15 foot deep channel under the jam. Away he went under the jam and by the time I saw what had just happened, I bailed out and was swept up against the log as you describe. Basically pinned by the pressure, not able to go over and not willing to go under. I see my buddy pop up on the other side looking like a wet rat, and I could hardly move. The only thing that worked was forcing my butt out to break water over my back and shift my way sideways down the log about 2 inches at a time.

This happened in realtivly warm weather with a relatively small stream. I'm not sure what would happen had it been any higher of a flow. That was the last time I ever took a tube or a raft down any river. Feeling that water pressure still keeps me from going whitewater rafting.

I'm with wearing life jackets in any rough water or anytime I'm outside of a boat.

Sureset

[Snagly]

As it so happens, yesterday I got an email from web-based flyfishing magazine called Western Flyfisher (www.westerflyfisher.com). I certainly like the idea of a free fishing magazine (which this is). Only downside is that the file is 10MB so it's a long haul on a dial up. Anyway, I'm flipping through it and on p. 25 of the Jan 2001 issue there's an ad from Simms on wading safety. You have a choice of topics to click on and then the option of downloading videos.

One of the topics is "Handling Log Jams" so I had a look at that. I must say I wasn't convinced -- the log was medium sized and so was the flow. The advice to (a) ditch your rod and (b) swim over the log, don't try to dive under seemed better if you can apply it.

After seeing the video, I thought some more about my buddy in the Malaysia jungle river. I think in that case "you die" is the likely outcome.