Kayaker pinned by log in put in rapids at the West Fork of the Tuckasegee. Always scout! As always in these situations, when looking back at the footage later, there are several things that could have been done differently. In real time, things can get murky both before and during a rescue. There is a line through the rapid by driving right to avoid the log in the pour-over. If you know the log is there and are comfortable making the move, it can be done (though not recommended). Based on the beta I got from the group running, I believed they had scouted the entire rapid and were comfortable running it. After seeing the log in the rapid myself, I was no longer sure of that...We welcome comments, but please make them in a manner that benefits the paddling community.
A couple quick takeaways (some we did well, some we could have done better) from this situation are:
1. Always do your own scouting, and scout through the rapids.
2. Do not wrap ropes around your arms/hands.
3. When scouting, bring your safety gear...you never know when you will need it.
4. Give whistle blasts when the incident first occurs.
5. Act quickly and decisively, but think your way though the situation so as to not make it worse.