West Fork of Little River – Mentone Alabama
Sunday 2/6/22 - 45 degrees Sunny
1050 CFS (Little River Canyon Mouth Gage 20 miles downstream)
Lake Howard to East Fork Little (Lower West Fork)
Put on approximately 11:30 am; .Paddlers: 13
Carin Burford was an experienced paddler with more than 10 years of experience. Carin paddled most weekends and was more than qualified to paddle this run.
In the 2nd Rapid, as the river turned left, most of the current ran directly to the center rock forming an upstream pillow. There was a shallow line to the left (very scrapey). The right line through the slot required a diagonal maneuver facing right to go around the middle rock.
Carin did not clear the center rock and hit the rock sideways while trying to drive to the right. She quickly flipped upstream. Her boat did not wash off the rock. Carin was pinned underwater with the bottom of the boat against the rock, boat angle 110 degrees with cockpit facing upstream.
From the boulder on river right, Carin’s boat not be reached. A Rescuer attempted to float the rope under her boat hoping she could grab it. The Rescuer did not see any movement or attempt to exit by Carin.
Two Rescuers were able to reach the center rock. The center rock was about 1-2 feet above the surface of the water. Carin’s boat was tilted approximately 110 degrees down with the cockpit facing upstream. They tried to dislodge Carin’s boat by lifting from the stern and attempted to pry Carin’s boat free using a paddle. A Rescuer entered the water downstream from Carin’s boat in an attempt to lift and dislodge the boat. The Rescuer also attempted to pull Carin free from his downstream position. Carin’s spray skirt was not covering the opening of the cockpit.
A rope was tossed a rope from the River right boulder to attach to the stern with a sling. 3 Rescuers attempted to pull horizontally toward the river right but could not move her boat. Rescuer then climbed along the submerged boat from the downstream side and reached under to attach the sling and rope to the forward grab handle. Rescuers pulled from a downstream diagonal angle without success.
The rope pull was repositioned to the river right rock. Rescuers pulled upward at a sideways angle from the river right rock. The boat came free and Carin floated out of her boat. Based on some partial video from upstream, we estimate Carin had been submerged 7 minutes.
Rescuers jumped from the rock to grab Carin and pulled her to the river right shore. CPR was started and performed continuously for 20 to 25 minutes until EMS arrived. A Rescuer had a phone and hiked up the hillside to call 911.
The Fire/EMS team arrived at the riverside maybe 15 to 20 minutes after the call. The EMS technicians attached the mechanical CPR device and took over. After 30 or more minutes, the EMS team halted resuscitation efforts. The EMS team set ropes and extracted Carin up the steep cliff and hillside.
Examining Carin’s boat, there was a sizable indention in the right bow. This would be the downstream side of the nose when the boat was inverted. This appears to be evidence of the reason for the pin. There was a subsurface rock/shelf that was holding the boat preventing it from washing downstream. By changing the pull angle, we were able to overcome the push/weight of the current and dislodge the bow from the subsurface rock/shelf. Based on post-accident visits, a subsurface log was observed below the position of Carin’s boat. We believe that log and the rock shelf may have hindered Carin exiting her boat.
