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Morris mourns loss of a paddling friend
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
By MORRIS STEPHENSON -
My deepest sympathy goes out to family, relatives and friends of Chris Odum. I know I can speak for all members of the Creek Freak Paddlers of Franklin County and the entire paddling community.
Chris, 38, drowned Saturday afternoon when his canoe capsized on the Blackwater River. He battled for his life after his canoe went over the four-foot dam at Rocky Mount's water treatment plant. The dam is just upstream from the Route 220 bridge river access.
The river was swollen after some four to five inches of rain had fallen during a three-day period in the mountains around Callaway. Both the Blackwater and?Pigg Rivers were "born" there.
My friend Lt. Karl Martin of the VDGIF called Monday morning and gave me his official report of the accident. At the end of his report, he told me that those in Chris's party had all the right equipment and did the right things. "It was one of those tragic things," he said. He did, however, remind all paddlers, regardless of experience, to use good judgment and stay off the rivers after heavy rains.
The U.S. Geological Survey gauge at Route 122 showed the Blackwater River was rolling at 11 feet and 4,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) on Friday at its peak.
Saturday, the river had dropped to a shade over four feet by Saturday afternoon.
eisure and beginners can float sections of the BW upstream of the dam at two to three feet.
After talking to Karl, I talked with Lisa Zeigler, Chris's companion for 20 years as of April. She gave me her account of what happened.
Chris, Greg Austin and Noel Zeigler were in canoes, while Lisa was floating in a yellow kayak. Actually, Lisa was the first to go around the dam after her kayak flipped and she was tossed out. (Note-Her kayak was returned by Brian Hart who lives in the Blue Bend area. A kayaker who found it left it with Brian.) Before the floaters reached the dam, Lisa said someone behind her yelled to her. She leaned to turn around, the kayak tilted and started started taking on water. The kayak flipped while she was still behind the dam, she said. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the kayak up on the bank, Lisa was washed through the fish ladder, which is part of the right side of the dam. She recalls Chris telling her to let the kayak go, but she said she didn't want the kayak coming in from behind her and hitting her on the head.
Lisa said Austin was going to take a look at the dam from the left side of the river before he decided if he was going to attempt going over it. However, a limb Austin was holding snapped. Austin had no choice but to go over the dam on river left, or the left side, she remembered. Noel Zeigler, a non-swimmer, was behind them, along with four other kayakers whose names she did not know. Noel Zeigler elected to get out of his canoe and tie it to something on the embankment. After she was washed down the river, Lisa Zeigler finally managed to get out. "I was weak, and when I got out, I was so cold I was shivering."
Chris went over the dam a little left of center because he had drifted too close to the structure to stop, Lisa believes. "When he went over, the canoe flipped back toward the dam," Lisa continued."Chris was wearing a life jacket and was a strong swimmer. He never gave up. I saw him go down and come up three times. They tried throwing a rope bag to him, but he couldn't hang on," she said. Lisa did not know how much time passed before they managed to get Chris out of the water. She said one of the women in the group of kayakers knew CPR and was telling Austin what to do. "What he (Austin) was doing was working," but the effort was unsuccessful. Chris and Lisa have two teenage sons, who did not make the float Saturday.
The couple was big supporters and very active members of the Creek Freaks. Everyone who knew them agreed they were a fun couple and a joy to be around.
The last time I talked to Chris and Lisa, it was at Hema's. Of course, the three of us were talking about paddling. I will never forget that day. Chris said something about he had always admired me and thanked me for what I had done to promote paddling in the county and helping start the CFs. His compliment touched me.
Before the conversation ended, he said something like he wanted to paddle with me one day soon. It was something he had always wanted to do, he added.
I thanked him and told him anytime they were going to float to give me a call because I'd like to paddle with them just as much. Something in the back of my mind tells me we passed each other during one of the three Pigg River Ramble floats, but I'm not sure which one.
I really got to know Chris and Lisa through the Creek Freak paddlers. They, like myself, loved the river. I liked them a whole lot. And I deeply appreciated what Chris had said when we last talked. It meant much to me, and I will never forget it that evening. Maybe one day in another time and place, Chris and I can make that float together. I'd like that.
Lost Boats: Anyone who finds lost canoes or kayaks should report it to the sheriff's department or Jennifer Martin, Creek Freak president, at 420-3235.
Morris mourns loss of a paddling friend
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
By MORRIS STEPHENSON -
My deepest sympathy goes out to family, relatives and friends of Chris Odum. I know I can speak for all members of the Creek Freak Paddlers of Franklin County and the entire paddling community. Chris, 38, drowned Saturday afternoon when his canoe capsized on the Blackwater River. He battled for his life after his canoe went over the four-foot dam at Rocky Mount's water treatment plant.
The dam is just upstream from the Route 220 bridge river access. The river was swollen after some four to five inches of rain had fallen during a three-day period in the mountains around Callaway. Both the Blackwater and Pigg Rivers were "born" there. My friend Lt. Karl Martin of the VDGIF called Monday morning and gave me his official report of the accident. At the end of his report, he told me that those in Chris's party had all the right equipment and did the right things. "It was one of those tragic things," he said. He did, however, remind all paddlers, regardless of experience, to use good judgment and stay off the rivers after heavy rains. The U.S. Geological Survey gauge at Route 122 showed the Blackwater River was rolling at 11 feet and 4,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) on Friday at its peak. Saturday, the river had dropped to a shade over four feet by Saturday afternoon. Leisure and beginners can float sections of the BW upstream of the dam at two to three feet.
After talking to Karl, I talked with Lisa Zeigler, Chris's companion for 20 years as of April. She gave me her account of what happened. Chris, Greg Austin and Noel Zeigler were in canoes, while Lisa was floating in a yellow kayak. Actually, Lisa was the first to go around the dam after her kayak flipped and she was tossed out. (Note-Her kayak was returned by Brian Hart who lives in the Blue Bend area. A kayaker who found it left it with Brian.) Before the floaters reached the dam, Lisa said someone behind her yelled to her. She leaned to turn around, the kayak tilted and started started taking on water. The kayak flipped while she was still behind the dam, she said. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the kayak up on the bank, Lisa was washed through the fish ladder, which is part of the right side of the dam. She recalls Chris telling her to let the kayak go, but she said she didn't want the kayak coming in from behind her and hitting her on the head. Lisa said Austin was going to take a look at the dam from the left side of the river before he decided if he was going to attempt going over it. However, a limb Austin was holding snapped. Austin had no choice but to go over the dam on river left, or the left side, she remembered.
Noel Zeigler, a non-swimmer, was behind them, along with four other kayakers whose names she did not know. Noel Zeigler elected to get out of his canoe and tie it to something on the embankment. After she was washed down the river, Lisa Zeigler finally managed to get out. "I was weak, and when I got out, I was so cold I was shivering." Chris went over the dam a little left of center because he had drifted too close to the structure to stop, Lisa believes. "When he went over, the canoe flipped back toward the dam," Lisa continued. "Chris was wearing a life jacket and was a strong swimmer. He never gave up. I saw him go down and come up three times. They tried throwing a rope bag to him, but he couldn't hang on," she said. Lisa did not know how much time passed before they managed to get Chris out of the water. She said one of the women in the group of kayakers knew CPR and was telling Austin what to do. "What he (Austin) was doing was working," but the effort was unsuccessful.
Chris and Lisa have two teenage sons, who did not make the float Saturday. The couple was big supporters and very active members of the Creek Freaks. Everyone who knew them agreed they were a fun couple and a joy to be around. The last time I talked to Chris and Lisa, it was at Hema's. Of course, the three of us were talking about paddling. I will never forget that day. Chris said something about he had always admired me and thanked me for what I had done to promote paddling in the county and helping start the CFs. His compliment touched me. Before the conversation ended, he said something like he wanted to paddle with me one day soon. It was something he had always wanted to do, he added. I thanked him and told him anytime they were going to float to give me a call because I'd like to paddle with them just as much. Something in the back of my mind tells me we passed each other during one of the three Pigg River Ramble floats, but I'm not sure which one. I really got to know Chris and Lisa through the Creek Freak paddlers. They, like myself, loved the river. I liked them a whole lot. And I deeply appreciated what Chris had said when we last talked. It meant much to me, and I will never forget it that evening. Maybe one day in another time and place, Chris and I can make that float together. I'd like that.
Lost Boats: Anyone who finds lost canoes or kayaks should report it to the sheriff's department or Jennifer Martin, Creek Freak president, at 420-3235.
Action may prevent another river tragedy
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