American Whitewater Accident Report - January - July 2025

[eckilson]

https://www.americanwhitewater.org/resources/repository/AccidentSummary_Jan-June_2025.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawM6EbBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFEM1U4NVI1ZmNTeDlPRXczAR4jBQ7WIli0XQHoLRkSs4TJYhCa8kClnE_f-Cek-pkB3LiqDhbNJe6p8naRTQ_aem_0khzxXAAzKVK1sk1jBMlOg

• 25 fatal accidents reported
• 14 involved recreational kayakers, mostly in rivers with fast current or mild rapids.
• Life vests were not worn in 15 of these incidents
• 7 deaths occurred while boating alone

Descriptions are always informative, and a little chilling. Only 2 canoe accidents, but the accident on the class II section of the St Croix caught my attention. I run class II rapids all the time without a helmet - did it just last week, and none of us are getting any younger.

Condolences to all that lost family members. Thanks to Charlie Walbridge for continuing to put this together.

 

[ABT]

Sobering reading. I have a friend I paddle with occasionally that is in his 60’s and is a dive instructor, and absolutely refuses to wear a pfd as he is a “strong and capable swimmer” due to his diving, or his “wetsuit provides enough buoyancy with his skill level”. Just can’t make him do it. But he’s an adult, set in his ways, and capable of making his own decisions. I worry about having to explain his reasoning to his daughters if something happens though. I don’t think it will be much consolation to them.

The major risk here is strainers/sweepers, as evidenced by the incident on the Current river. That woman was reportedly a veteran kayaker, but the river has caught many people unaware this year as we had major flooding both last Fall and this Spring that put many many more trees in, and she wasn’t wearing a pfd. They didn’t make it to the report but there have been multiple additional deaths on the Meramec this year, and at least one was a 20yo from out of state that came off a raft and didn’t resurface. No pfd, and likely alcohol involved. In conversations with many people around here I often hear how it’s “more dangerous with a life jacket” if you get caught up in a strainer as straps, etc can get caught on the branches/roots/etc. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, it’s impossible to convince some people that you’re still better off with one and it’s shocking how prevalent that sentiment is. Again, adults that can make their own decisions, but when you read some of these incidents it just drives it home.

Some of them stand out to me for other reasons. A 5 year old child and his 27 year old father? While the mother and daughter made it to shore and either watched or worried until the worst was confirmed? Or a 22 year old wife tangled in her board leash over a drop while her husband was unscathed? How long could they have been married? Whether warranted or not the survivor guilt is probably crushing that guy.
Some just feel different than the veteran WW kayakers or groups of rafting guides running class IV at high flows, fully knowing it’s life threatening and understanding the risks (and frankly doing it in some part because of the risk). No less a tragedy for them or their families of course, but it does feel different than the 5 year old child whose parents made the worst mistake of their lives. My oldest is turning 3 in a few weeks and I am obviously hoping to get him on the water more and more as he gets older, so that one was particularly tough to read.

 

[Pseudonym]

Thanks for sharing. Here's the St. Croix canoeist excerpt from the article:

On June 14th two men were paddling on the St Croix River, which forms the border between Maine and Canada. Despite being experienced paddlers their boat capsized in a long class II rapid. One man made it to shore, but his 78-year-old partner washed some distance downstream and drowned, despite wearing a PFD. First responders said that he was “pretty banged up,” and a head injury might have contributed to his death.

I bought a WRSI whitewater helmet this year on clearance. And I know my buddies are going to tease me!

I'm 42. Just old enough to have learned to ski without a helmet, and I hated when my parents started making me wear one. Now I wouldn't ski without it.

 

[ppine]

In cold water everyone is a bad swimmer.
PFDs, dress for immersion, carry the right equipment.
Practice rescues. Do it all the time.
Help people get over the trauma of being in fast moving water.

 

[dutchlennart]

I have friends or former paddling buddy's i refuse to go with them on the river, because their way thinking about safety is not like mine. I do not want to call their loved ones..
Probably a mix of luck and skill have kept my out of these situations. I have seen the pain it does when it happens.

 

[ppine]

dutch,
I have had the same experience. I quit paddling with a guy because he would "forget to put on his PFD" while paddling cold water with hip waders.

 

[eckilson]

I'm 42. Just old enough to ...

I'm 65, and definitely not in the physical condition that I was even a few years ago. I realized that during my swim on the Dead - I was exhausted. Tough to deal with getting old, and I am not even that old yet.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Here is the description of the two canoe accidents.

Canoeing Accidents

There were two canoeing fatalities in the last six months. On March 23rd a fisherman died on Sherman’s Creek in central Pennsylvania. The man, who was not wearing a PFD, had anchored his canoe in strong current. The anchor line pulled hi stern underwater, swamping the canoe. The man was caught in the anchor line while trying to release it. His partner escaped unharmed. On June 14th two men were paddling on the St Croix River, which forms the border between Maine and Canada. Despite being experienced paddlers their boat capsized in a long class II rapid. One man made it to shore, but his 78-year-old partner washed some distance downstream and drowned, despite wearing a PFD. First responders said that he was “pretty banged up,” and a head injury might have contributed to his death.

 

[dutchlennart]

Swimming whitewater is hard, and tiring for all paddlers.. no matter your age. Thanks for the reminder. I have not paddled much whitewater the last couple of years. I need work on my swimming before i get back into whitewater paddling.

 

[Erica]

Thank you, eckilson, for posting.

It appalls me when small children are put in a boat without a pfd. My daughter wore one with a crotch strap and a “heads up” flap at the neck. She was comfortable and happy in it. We also practiced swimming with it on and falling off a SOT.

On the Mégiscane I did a lot of rock walking in swift current and deeper spots. My foot got caught several times. Luckily it was shallow enough I could work it free, but it took some effort. Really hit home how easily a caught foot could cause a drowning.

 

[VA paddler]

The St Croix is bumpy - lots of rock dodging. But a 'long' rapid there is maybe 100m - not very long, and it's typically pretty shallow, and barely classifies as C2 water. I suspect the head injury was the culprit.

 

[Gamma1214]

And I know my buddies are going to tease me!

Yet another reason to trip solo. The only testosterone on the river is mine and only the critters make fun of me (and they probably do but that's ok 'cause I can't speak critter.)

 

[gumpus]

Swimming whitewater is hard, and tiring for all paddlers.. no matter your age. Thanks for the reminder. I have not paddled much whitewater the last couple of years. I need work on my swimming before i get back into

Thank you for highlighting swimming skills!!!

80% of Americans say they can swim yet less than 50% can swim 25 meters or tread water for one minute. In my local river you're likely to need several minutes and 100-200 meters to reach safety even if you make good decisions. In my opinion a PFD is not a substitute for basic swimming skills.

 

[dutchlennart]

Swimming whitewater i learned properly only when there was a atrificial whitewatercourse where i was part of a bunch of voluntary safety and rescue people..bfore i paddled much whitewater kayak and rolled lots... Swimming on flatwater is usefull. still whitewater Swimming drains you a lot quicker.

 

[Erica]

I’ve practiced swimming easy whitewater with a pfd on. It’s more difficult than it sounds, keeping your feet up, when you’re being pummeled this way and that and crashing into this or that rock.

 

[gumpus]

Swimming whitewater i learned properly only when there was a atrificial whitewatercourse where i was part of a bunch of voluntary safety and rescue people..bfore i paddled much whitewater kayak and rolled lots... Swimming on flatwater is usefull. still whitewater Swimming drains you a lot quicker.

One of the good things about whitewater is that most people can recognize that it is dangerous. More people drown in moderate (2-4 mph) current since it may look safe and even feel safe if you step in and feel the current on your feet. One time I was interviewed by a TV reporter the day after a local drowning and standing right next to the river (flowing 3.5-4 mph) she said "it doesn't look too bad". I could not believe it! I don't know the official definitions of flatwater and whitewater but in my experience sometimes the only difference is whether there are obstacles in the water that help the water froth up and make noise My local river can reach 6 mph quietly.

I also live near Lake Michigan which takes about 50 people per year. I'm just a big proponent of swimming skills as the foundation for water safety.

 

[Alan Gage]

On the Mégiscane I did a lot of rock walking in swift current and deeper spots. My foot got caught several times. Luckily it was shallow enough I could work it free, but it took some effort. Really hit home how easily a caught foot could cause a drowning.

I had the same takeaway on one of my trips doing the same thing. I'd always heard paddlers talk about foot entrapment but I'd never experienced it before. I was surprised how often my foot ended up caught between two rocks while wading and how difficult it was to remove at times.

Alan

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Swimming whitewater

I’ve practiced swimming easy whitewater with a pfd on. It’s more difficult than it sounds, keeping your feet up, when you’re being pummeled this way and that and crashing into this or that rock.

Swimming in whitewater with a PFD is only marginally related to regular swimming in flatwater with no PFD. There are different scenarios that involve different techniques and hence muscle groups.

1. You have lost your boat and paddles and are swimming alone. The technique is to get on your back with your feet downstream. The usual way to get to shore is to use some sort of backstroke. With the pushy current and rocks to avoid, plus sucking holes and reversals to escape, this requires a lot more energy than doing a recreational backstroke in flatwater or a pool.

2. You are separated from your boat but have held onto a paddle. You have to learn how to cradle-hold the paddle and backstroke with it. This requires even more energy, and a lot of practice to make the paddle blade contribute to your backstroke.

3. You have held onto your canoe but you can't re-enter. Go to the upstream end, assume the feet-downstream, backstroke posture and hold onto the stern of the canoe with one hand. You will have to swim yourself and the canoe to shore with just one hand. This requires a tremendous amount of energy and swimming strength. Often, it's too much and you have to let go of the boat and save yourself.

4. The current is carrying you into a sweeper. Good luck. Pray. Some advocate switching into a traditional stomach-down, head-forward swimming posture, and then trying to launch-up your belly onto the sweeper trunk. I've never been in this situation and never want to.

 

[dutchlennart]

The passive swimming is a good first step that is learned ages ago. The active part was when i did stuff o. The ww course to actively go to a swi.mer to help her or him. Or to quickly cross.the course or get to gear in recirculatie eddies. An agressiviteit and active way to swim through rapids is great fun and very usefull back on rivers. It takes a lot of energy as well.
Having a couple of whitewater safety and rescue courses helped as well. The practice really maked the difference. Sadly it also took away a bit of the spirit away of keep in your boat. That is the quickest method of getting in a saver position.


Strainers are defenatitly places where if you see then in advance, my tactic will be let go of your gear get active and go agressieve towards the other bank.

 

[scoutergriz]

One of the good things about whitewater is that most people can recognize that it is dangerous. More people drown in moderate (2-4 mph) current since it may look safe and even feel safe if you step in and feel the current on your feet. One time I was interviewed by a TV reporter the day after a local drowning and standing right next to the river (flowing 3.5-4 mph) she said "it doesn't look too bad". I could not believe it! I don't know the official definitions of flatwater and whitewater but in my experience sometimes the only difference is whether there are obstacles in the water that help the water froth up and make noise My local river can reach 6 mph quietly.

I also live near Lake Michigan which takes about 50 people per year. I'm just a big proponent of swimming skills as the foundation for water safety.

there's a river near me with a lot of small swifts and a couple of class 2's that I've run annually for about 30 years. While it's generally in the 45-65cfm and 1/2-2 mph summer, fall, and winter, I've also seen it at 320cfm, 4-7mph, and 3' above mean level after spring storms. Every spring we run it with full rescue gear knowing full well that the odds are that some people will run it thinking it's safe for novices because all the normal froth and backeddies are smoothed out, and the rocks are hidden