NYCkayaker Waterfalls / Brooklyn Bridge incident / first hand account

[Erik Baard]

Sorry "Ted is excellent but in this case he needed to tighten the tail on
both sides." should have been ""Ted is excellent but in this case WE needed
to tighten the tail on both sides."

My point wasn't that Ted's work wasn't adequate, but that in this special
circumstance it woul have been best to have two sweeps. You can't
idiot-proof a trip (a point some paddlers seem to work to prove) but while
the falls are in place we will ensure that we shepherd extra-tightly on both
sides.

Erik Baard

On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 1:14 AM, <MainYo at aol.com> wrote:

>
> Greetings all,
>    I'm one of the LIC Community Boathouse volunteers  and was present last
> Friday afternoon when the two paddlers dunked under the  Brooklyn bridge in
> front of the falls. Here's my report and  assessment.
>    Light wind, clear sky, comfortable air and water  temperatures
> constituted superb conditions for the short outing from Valentino  Park in
> Red Hook, to
> Brooklyn Bridge Park including a brief landing (with  permission in
> advance)
> on Governors Island.  Erik, John & I from LICCB  accompanied 24 paddlers.
>  The
> 24 were in 14 boats (11 tandems and 2  singles) for a comfortable boat
> ratio
> of less than 5:1.
>    The thorough pre-launch safety talk included  specific warnings to avoid
> all stationary objects because of wakes, chop &  current.  The group
> understood the need to keep a tight formation and  comply with all
> instruction.  All
> indicated their ability to swim and no  one expressed any reservations
> about
> proceeding.
>    We enjoyed smooth sailing, spectacular scenery and  good company. The
> Buttermilk crossing was textbook.  Our ride along  the east side of the
> island
> with current was quick and easy.  After landing  on Governors, some of us
> walked
> to the tall waterfall on the north side while  others strolled or sunned
> themselves on the lawn.
>    The last leg began with an orderly crossing back  toward the Brooklyn
> piers and proceeded through considerable chop up toward the  bridges.
> Everyone
> seemed to understand the effect of the nearly maximum flood  current.  At
> this
> point I was sweeping and watched most of the pack pass  neatly by the
> Brooklyn
> Bridge and it's falls.  The tandem two boats in  front of me veered right
> between the Water Taxi dock and the falls and the stern  seat passenger put
> his
> paddle on his lap and extended his arms into the air to  pose for photos
> taken
> by the front seat paddler in the tandem behind him.   He was facing SSW and
> did
> not realize his rate of closure with the array of  obstacles placed around
> the falls.  When he finally noticed that collision  with the floating boom
> was
> imminent, he and his petrified partner did  nothing to avoid but just
> watched
> as the river swept their boat from under  them.
>    I directed the photographer and her partner to go  left while I went
> right and moved in to get closer to the two wet ones.   The front seat guy
> climbed
> atop a barrel that was only slightly bigger than he  was and clung to it.
>  As
> he did this, I noticed his pfd riding up over his  head.  Clearly he was
> terrified.  The second guy clutched his boat  with one hand and the boom
> with the
> other and endured the rushing water with his  back to me so communication
> with
> him was impossible.  The situation was  stable as I paddled hard to stay in
> place.  I repeatedly shouted at the guy  on the barrel to try to snug up
> his
> pfd, but he never let go of the  barrel.  Erik and John approached from
> behind
> and told me to back away and  catch theses guys and their boat  when they
> break
> loose. Erik could  not persuade either of the two to let go and float away
> to
> be collected.   Less than five minutes into this the NYPS launch closed in
> and took over. One  officer threw a life ring at the guy on the barrel.  He
> caught it on the  second attempt but lost his grip while being pulled to
> open
> water. He  floated straight at me and grabbed my bow with one hand on each
> side
> and  appeared quite relieved.  The police boat came toward us and took him
> from
> me.  In hindsight, this was a mistake because this guy's troubles were
>  over.
>  I should have given the ok sign with one hand and point to the  second guy
> with the other.
>    The Police then went back to the south side of the  falls to get the
> other guy, and I went back to waiting for whatever floated  by.  John
> managed to
> get close to helping the guy, but capsized in the  attempt. John and his
> boat
> were swept toward me. I helped him get back onto his  Cobra, though clearly
> he
> would've been fine if I weren't there.  I watched  the last guy catch the
> life
> ring and get pulled away from the boom.  Their  tandem came at me and I
> towed
> it the 200 yards to our takeout where  everyone else was relieved to learn
> the outcome.  The Police refused to let  the two off in Brooklyn and took
> them
> to pier 11 in Manhattan for the customary  visit to the ER.
>    Two paddles were lost.  This can be forgiven  because this wasn't your
> typical middle of the water situation.  The noisy  waterfall and clutter of
> the
> barricade contributed to their fear and  confusion.  Clearly this episode
> should not have occurred and isn't  acceptable.  We at LICCB are well aware
> of the
> necessity of safety for  safety's sake as well as for the perception of
> those
> who regulate our  activities.  We operate mainly in the East River and are
> very familiar with  the powerful currents there. In this instance, fixed
> objects
> along the  shoreline presented at least as much danger as venturing too far
> into the  river.  While the paddlers who dunked ignored several
> instructions, I
>  regret not being more forceful in directing them away from trouble.  Their
> ability to get back on the boat was not an issue in this case.  This would
> have easily been accomplished had we gotten those two away from the clutter
> under the falls.
>    The very next day, eight paddlers in four tandems  and I paddled from
> LIC
> to Red Hook, around Governors Island and back.  We  enjoyed.the spray of
> all
> four waterfalls and met the same two police officers  under the Brooklyn
> Bridge.  When I thanked them for their help and  apologized for the
> trouble, they
> smiled, waved and told us to have a safe  and fun day.
> We did.  _http://picasaweb.google.com/mainyo72/LICToRedHook_
> (http://picasaweb.google.com/mainyo72/LICToRedHook)
>
> My sincere apologies to each of you for the bad publicity that this
>  incident
> has generated,
> Ted Gruber
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Erik Baard

www.licboathouse.org
www.naturecalendar.com