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[buck]

 A young girl drowned this evening will tubing down the Chilliwack River just upstream from the Vedder bridge. Two girls were in a cheap plastic boat when they hit a log jam.
One girl made it to shore but the other was sucked under the jam. My heart goes out to the parents who showed up just as search and rescue were recovering the body.
Everyday make sure you and you buddies stay away from any logs or jams when you are tubing.

[troutbreath]

Thats terrible news. Another week or so the water will be so low and warm it would be lots safer for that kind of thing. I also recommend doing the lower river below the crossing.

[bentrod]

That is terrible news.  I can't imagine the thought of loosing one of my kids.  Remember, lower water doesn't always mean safter water.  many times this can expose more logs, snags etc.  It only takes a few inches of moving water to make an incredible amount of hydraulic force, (enough to suck you under or into wood).  The river near where I live killed 2 people last year during the lowest flow of the year.   

[chris gadsden]

This is so so sad, a river like the Chilliwack Vedder is not a place to have young people doing such things or for older people either but many will continue to do so.

I see people doing it all the time and there is several other close calls eack year by tubers, swimmers and fishers each year. Many do not wear life preservers either.

As we all age I think we should be wearing the preservers that inflate at the pull of a cord, I think come coho season I will just do that.


As tragic as this is we must all learn from these terrible incidents.

[bentrod]

One more thing.  I hate to sound like I'm preaching, but I really consider all of FWR folks friends.  Next time you cross the river, look downstream.  If the current is headed into wood, think twice about crossing there.  Swift water, even a foot deep can be really difficult to gain your footing if you go down.  I am as guilty as the next guy for crossing in stupid places and I pray that I'll never be so bold again. 

[Coho Cody]

IMO the vedder is no place to be swimming or tubing....unless in its lowest reaches ie. train bridge, kwb.........even then it can still be very dangerous. there are many other smaller rivers that are way more suitable for tubing and swimming.

terrible news though, my heart goes out to the family

[Fish Assassin]

That is very tragic. Don't be deceived by low water. It's faster flowing than you think it is.

[chris gadsden]

Chilliwack Progress

Young girl drowns tubing in Chilliwack River


By Robert Freeman - Chilliwack Progress

Published: August 13, 2008 11:00 PM
Updated: August 13, 2008 11:07 PM

A 16-year-old Chilliwack girl tubing down the Chilliwack River with a friend drowned Wednesday evening when she got sucked under a log jam.

Police say two brothers of the girl, whose name is not being released, were also tubing in the area and made a desperate attempt to save her.

"They risked their own safety to try and free her," said Const. Lea-Anne Dunlop, but the force of the river current was too strong.

However, eyewitness Peter Buck, a federal fisheries employee familiar with the river, said he doesn't believe the two men in their late 20s were related to the girl.

But he agreed they risked their lives to save her.

"I thought this one guy was going to drown too," he said. "I'd say he came within 10 seconds of drowning himself."

The girl was "wrapped around" a log, pinned by the force of the river, and the two men were trying to pull her free, he said.

Buck was driving along the top of the dike about two kilometres upstream from the Vedder Bridge when he heard screams and saw the two men at the log jam.

"I heard yelling and screaming, 'grab her, grab her,'" he said.

One of the men got hold of the girl's arm or hand, but he couldn't pull her free because of the current.

"He wasn't able to pull her off the log, and she got sucked under," Buck said.

The girls were tubing in a "cheap plastic raft" in an area above the bridge where the river narrows into a "chute" that runs into the log jam, he said.

"It's just a deadly trap for anybody coming down there on a rubber raft, especially if you're not aware of the danger," he said.

Tubing is relatively safe in the waters below the bridge, but "definitely" not above the bridge, he said.

Chilliwack RCMP were called to the scene at about 6:45 p.m. The police and BC Coroners' Office are investigating.

[Athezone]

My deepest condolences to the family of this young girl. So tragic. Myself, not too long ago made a 20 foot crossing near Peach Rd. which at its deepest came up to my belt line and the water was swirling and moving fast but such was my determination to reach my goal I plodded on and made it. I shook my head though upon reaching shore and thought to myself how foolish I was. As I fished throughout that July day surrounded by beauty and shining sun I watched no less than 4 float tubes and one aluminum canoe containing a man and a woman go floating by. In each case I waved and shouted Hello to them and smiled for the fun they all seemed to be having. But I also thought of my crossing and its foolishness and that with the water only waist high and I knew that if any of the floating tubes or canoes were to flip they would be in much deeper water and in more peril. Of all the crafts I had seen only the man and women in the canoe had on life jackets. Please!!! If you are going to enjoy a day out on the water wear a life jacket or some other safety device and be aware of your surroundings. This river will kill you and it does'nt show compassion if you make a mistake. Please, for your sake and your families sake Be Careful out there.

[jetboatjim]

A few weeks back me and a fellow kingfisher pulled a guy out of the cap, he thought he could wade the t/o of spencers pool . we got him out down river but wearing rubber waders and no felt soles he was lucky to be alive. he told us he has been wading the river for many years  ........could have walked around in 20 minutes.

btw; a life vest wont help much if you go into a log jam. better to scout the river ahead if your rafting/tubing.

so sad about the young girl.

[bentrod]

I don't really like where this discussion is headed.  There's too much talk of "common sense", brainer-no-brainer decisions, etc.  Whether it is meant to or not, it sounds like we're attacking the mental capacity of the girl.  The fact is, it's not that simple.  When you're in the water with a group of people, you do get distracted.  You are trying to relax, and not look out for every potential danger.  A couple of more fortunate tubers might get through a section un-scathed and you let your guard down.  Things happen.  I think it's time for compassion.  Her parents and loved ones are in a state of tremendous pain right now and will be for some time.  For those younger ones who like to tube; please, just avoid these areas.  Go somewhere else that is deemed relatively safe. 

[buck]

I watched in disbelieve as a second tuber got caught up in the same tree that the girl that drowned did. Fortunately he was a a big young man and had the strength to power his way off of the tree.
This protruding tree is about a foot beneath the surface of the water and your into it before you can react. I'm hoping for cooler temperature before someone else looses their life in the same area.

[ever_hopefull]

I don't really like where this discussion is headed.  There's too much talk of "common sense", brainer-no-brainer decisions, etc.  Whether it is meant to or not, it sounds like we're attacking the mental capacity of the girl.  The fact is, it's not that simple.  When you're in the water with a group of people, you do get distracted.  You are trying to relax, and not look out for every potential danger.  A couple of more fortunate tubers might get through a section un-scathed and you let your guard down.  Things happen.  I think it's time for compassion.  Her parents and loved ones are in a state of tremendous pain right now and will be for some time.  For those younger ones who like to tube; please, just avoid these areas.  Go somewhere else that is deemed relatively safe. 

I don't often post, but felt I had to in this instance.  I fully agree with Bentrod and bothered by the the way the discussion was going.  There will be plenty of time at a later date for Monday morning quarterbacking on what could have / should have been done.  Right now the family is grieving, and I am sure they would be greatful if we remind our kids that the river is dangerous, teach them how to read it, how to avoid dangerous situations, and how to protect themselves etc.

I for one am not going to be critical of this 16 year old girl and her friends.  We all have done stupid and risky things at one time or another, if not this way but in other ways (drinking too much, or driving too fast, or taking chances to get to that 'honey hole', or taking one last cast before heading back in the dark, etc etc etc), the only difference is we were lucky and got away with it and she did not.  That is a tragic event and my heart goes out to the family.  I cannot imagine the pain they are going through, and would be totally devastated if this was my son or daughter.

In the meantime a home made sign a couple hundred metres upstream warning people of the upcoming dangerous area might be useful and help prevent a repeat tragedy.  I certainly don't condone tubing in this area, but am not going to cast a stone at this point either - this is not the time.  This is one of those 'teachable moments' in time and hopefully the immortal teens and early twenty-somethings will listen.

My 2 cents - for what it is worth.

[Coho Cody]

I don't really like where this discussion is headed.  There's too much talk of "common sense", brainer-no-brainer decisions, etc.  Whether it is meant to or not, it sounds like we're attacking the mental capacity of the girl.  The fact is, it's not that simple.  When you're in the water with a group of people, you do get distracted.  You are trying to relax, and not look out for every potential danger.  A couple of more fortunate tubers might get through a section un-scathed and you let your guard down.  Things happen.  I think it's time for compassion.  Her parents and loved ones are in a state of tremendous pain right now and will be for some time.  For those younger ones who like to tube; please, just avoid these areas.  Go somewhere else that is deemed relatively safe. 

I agree fully with bentrod

[Rodney]

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