River Access, Hazard and Incident Reports

Entrapment on Underwater Log in the Geo Washington / Patowmack Canal 

Yesterday, on the CCA Sunday Paddle while surfing the many delightful features at the end of 30-Eddy Rapid, I was flipped and washed into a four-inch diameter log extending directly across the main chute.  The log was about four inches below the surface (LF at 3.2 ft), with me underneath. After about ten seconds I was able to wriggle off the end of it toward river left and float free. Paddling companions retrieved my boat and paddle, and helped reunite me with them.  I am OK.

This hazard did not affect the other members of my group, who paddled blithely over it, but for medium-skilled boaters playing in this rapid (I had done 11 of the eddies and was leaning in for a 12th) it could be deadly. BEWARE, REMOVE.



30-Eddy Rapid is the last broad rapid at the very bottom of the GWCanal, just before one has to jog to the left to get into the main river. Calleva has been contacted and have kindly said they will remove it - Thank-you!

Can we get a Google maps link that pinpoints the location, for those of us that don't know where "30-Eddy Rapid" is? 

Here is one spot in GW Channel that can be hazardous, for example:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q1FGghgCCzT23HcA9

Is that the spot in question? 

David Whiteis

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> Barbara Brown

> 5/30/2023 11:09 AM

> I was there. It was much more serious than Alf’s write up. He spilled doing a practice ferry. He was jerked underwater so fast he had no time to react or take a breath. He was completely underwater with no sign at the surface that anything had happened. The log was deeper than four inches. Since we were behind the rock, reaching him would have been difficult. Fortunately he washed out before we could initiate additional emergency moves. The only evidence of a problem is the stick that has stuck up at least two years. Obviously, there is a log underneath that desperately needs to be removed.

Coordinates are approx. 39°03'17.6"N 77°19'07.7"W. It's the center/main rapid of the last set of rapids in the canal before we usually re-enter the potomac.

The rapid is also described at: https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/739/main

I talked with Barb about this, hope it is ok to add a few comments.

This rapid is also known as "exit rapid", since it is the last, fairly long (200'), rapid in the typical GW canal run. At the bottom one turns left to return to the main river channel. 

Besides eddy hopping, the rapid has three straight-ish routes down: river left, center, and river right. On the river right run, about 20-30' upstream from the bottom, and about 6' off of the rocks on river right, there has been a stick sticking out of the water for some time now. As I recall, the part sticking out above the water is only about 2-3" in diameter. Barb thinks that this stick is attached to the log that caught Alf and pulled him under. 

I am very, very, thankful that Alf is still with us. 

Jackie

The log has been removed as of Sunday 6/5/23. See the Trip Report & scroll down for Alf's short write-up about it. Thanks God it's gone!