IMO it shouldn't be about the money it will cost to save these people but the rescue crews lives they are endangering because of their stupidity.
I'd hate to be the one to tell a family their love one died trying to save somone who was there because they thought it was cool and didn't care about anyone but themselves.
Why do all the wimpy people who sit at home on their computers without any excitement in their lives feel the need to bring up the tax dollars going to rescues for people who like to live a little on the edge and enjoy excitement?
A man died enjoying something he was likely passionate about and paid the ultimate price, his family and friends are mourning his loss and all the nitwits have to say is "his family/estate" should pay.
Heartless goofs!
Thats BS. When you take these risks, you assume the risks and you should have the proper knowledge to get yourself out of these risks. If you are being stupid, then you pay stupid tax. (EDIT: rereading, I guess this is just leisurely rafting - nothing crazy crazy. My point is moot.)
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"With a coach and a player, sometimes there's just so much respect there that it's boils over"
-Taylor Hall
I believe that I've been over a class 4 rapid in a raft before, but that was a large whitewater raft with a guide. I don't think a raft can really do anything more than a class 4.
For the record, you can absolutely take a raft over class 5 rapids quite successfully. What you won't find is guided companies in Canada taking clients on class 5 rapids. The reasoning has to do with liability rather than possibility. In countries with reduced or no liability they regularly guide class 5 rapids.
As an example
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The class 4 I went over was wild enough. We were in a really large raft, our family of 6 on one end, and another family sitting on the other end, with a raised guide with long paddles in the middle. In the series of photos, we have one photo in which you cannot see the front half of the raft, or any part of anyone in the front. In the next photo, you can only see upper bodies of people, and none of the raft. We managed to snap the 1/2" or so rope that we were hanging onto, but somehow, we all stayed on the raft.
Harvie Passage victim was trying to rescue fellow boater
Kind of changes my thoughts on this incident, but still feel they should never have been there in the first place. Should have waited for the water levels to get back down to normal.
Quote:
It appears Kuhl died while trying to save one of his fellow rafters when they were caught in the churning water.
“Brad had an opportunity, had an oar passed towards him, but he couldn’t see the third person so he turned around and went out searching for him. That’s when things turned for the worst,” said his nephew Nick Kuhl.
The third rafter Kuhl was apparently trying to save was later found ashore 300 metres away.
Kuhl was to celebrate his 45th birthday next week.
He was an avid outdoorsman who frequently went rafting and canoeing during the summer, his nephew said.
“He was an experienced boater. He wasn’t just out there for the first time. They were wearing their life-jackets and there was no alcohol involved,”
Kind of changes my thoughts on this incident, but still feel they should never have been there in the first place. Should have waited for the water levels to get back down to normal.
Everyone is always an experienced outdoorsmen when they die outdoors. If he was an experienced outdoorsmen he would at a minimum had a helmet and should have not been on the river
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Why do all the wimpy people who sit at home on their computers without any excitement in their lives feel the need to bring up the tax dollars going to rescues for people who like to live a little on the edge and enjoy excitement?
A man died enjoying something he was likely passionate about and paid the ultimate price, his family and friends are mourning his loss and all the nitwits have to say is "his family/estate" should pay.
Heartless goofs!
I take it you've never worked for a search and rescue, paramedic and first responder team that had to deal with something like this.
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We were on there in July I think 4 years ago. It might have been a 3 at the time. It was a bit towards the end of the reason, so the rapids weren't as strong as they could have been. Still fun though. After I finishing pissing myself it was pretty fun at least.
But... the people who are "rafting" down the river without jackets and a cooler full of beer should be fined at least $500 per person. That should give the fire department enough money to pay it's way for at least a decade.
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If anyone dies on the elbow that is a prime example of Darwinism. That is a very shallow and tame river. If you die there you probably had it coming.
and yet people have died on the elbow... one was a kid (with lifejacket) a couple of decades ago
Folks, any river can present a drowning hazard. On the Elbow the hazard at this water level are the fallen trees ("sweepers") that can tangle you and hold you under.
I am just going to play it safe and spend this summer walking on the trails of suburbia armed with bear mace, a club and a life jacket (in case I get thrown in a creek). I firmly believe that speeding, hiking in the bear-infested wilderness, rafting down rivers, and getting stabbed while walking through forest lawn are entirely the victim's fault.
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Everyone is always an experienced outdoorsmen when they die outdoors. If he was an experienced outdoorsmen he would at a minimum had a helmet and should have not been on the river
The other obvious mistake is a single raft in high water (no body to set-up a safety position downstream)
