Warning

This is the first post I have  done in awhile but I feel it is very important.

Yesterday again I heard screams from the river across from the house just below the diversion. Four rafts (14ft Maravia rafts were going over the diversion and out of the four, three capsized. These are high quality white water rafts. I again went into my rescue mode. Two rafts were swept into the willows. One upright and the other capsized. I raced to the other side of the river and determined all had made it out of the water. One boat  was floating down the river upside down.  Of the one in the willows, all was lost. Oars, rods, dry bags etc. After talking  to the survivors it was evident none was experienced at rowing. I ran home and got my oars and floated the boat to the landing. The  other two went past the landing. A friend of mine was just behind in his boat and I told him to look for those two on his way to Maidenrock.

When the river was very high that wave below the diversion was just a big wave. Now at 5000cfs that second wave has a curl like a rooster tail. When I talked to the floaters, they said that wave stood the boat up and then it sled back and flipped.

For the experienced oarsman this diversion  is no problem. For the inexperienced I hthat ave one thing to say. Stay out  of that stretch of river—Silver Bridge to Divide.

This makes six boats that have capsized there this year. All due to novice people on the  oars.

For the latest  conditions and techniques to float that stretch, stop at the fly shop and talk to Craig, Lia or myself.