# Self Rescue 101 HYDROLICS



## ob1coby (Jul 25, 2013)

If it hasn't already happened, I think everyone should check out the "hard to watch swim" video. Not for critisizm or otherwise, but to consider what you would do in that situation. The question was asked, but not answered and I would also likt to know some fundamentals when swimming/stuck in a hydrolic. I realize every situation will be different, but in general do most hydrolics take a majority of the water down and out? several people stated that you should swim down in the hopes of getting washed out. 

Now I'm a big guy with a big PFD. After I've "burped" my drysuit and I'm stuck in a hydrolic should i try to swim down with the PFD on or do stome people actually consider taking their PFD off in order to get deeper?? that seems epicly stupid to me but I'm not sure I can any deeper with my PFD. 

Also, in that videos, it did not seem like a very strong current pulling her back into the hydrolic. Should she have tried swimming out or can I trust that the current is much stroger than it looks?? 

Thanks for any thoughts.


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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

How about a link to the mystery video?

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## dogalot (Jul 6, 2005)

HYDRAULICS


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## soggy_tortillas (Jul 22, 2014)

I'm just going to make a reading recommendation here. I'm not going to give my opinion on this because I really don't have any experience to base it off of. Has anyone read William "Not Bill" Nealy's book KAYAK? I feel like the animations in the hydro-topography section are super descriptive, and they definitely helped me understand what's going on below the surface of the water.


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## SKeen (Feb 23, 2009)

I once had a bad, multi-minute beatdown under a vertical 5' curtain. First I fought it in my boat, I don't remember if it was pro-active strategy or a reaction to being tired but after a few minutes of rolls and lost breath I wound up pulling my skirt. Then another 4 -5 attempts to swim out at the surface, and finally I remembered advice to "ball up." I tucked up in a ball as I recirced to the curtain, felt it push me down and I flushed right out. I didn't have to swim down, but just ball up and let the water do the work. Always let the water do the work... well, almost always.

Also, I would not recommend taking off your life jacket, you are going to need it when you are finally swimming downstream (among other reasons).


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## slickhorn (Dec 15, 2005)

I haven't spent too much timing swimming in keeper holes. But I've done so a couple times. 

I tried swimming high in the pile for breaths, didn't work too good. I tried balling up and swimming into the drop to get flushed. I tried reaching for the green water with my paddle, which I found when the paddle was ripped violently from my hands. 

I was not too far from losing consciousness when I got a rope from my crew. 

I am not convinced that any actions I could have taken as a swimmer were getting me out of that hole. It was my job to keep trying different things, keep fighting, stay calm, and look for the rope. 

So, sure, there's stuff you can try, but there is no guarantee you'll get yourself out.


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## Whetstone (May 17, 2013)

There is a thread running on this already. Check this: http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f14/hard-to-watch-swim-rescue-56467.html


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## ob1coby (Jul 25, 2013)

Yep, that is why I refered to it in my initial post. Like I stated, the question wasn't anwered so I thought I would try it seperately. Here is the link again. 

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f14/hard-to-watch-swim-rescue-56467.html


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## BeaterBoater (Sep 29, 2014)

take a GOOD swiftwater class by people that routinely run the shit. Ask your potential instructor questions- "How many boating days outside of teaching classes do you get a year?" "What are your favorite local runs?" 

Swiftwater classes vary greatly based on the instructor. I've found a lot of instructors in the front range at least don't do very much boating if any outside of teaching. I had one openly tell me this at a pool session. The swiftwater class is only going to be as good as the person teaching it. For example I would stay away from CW's class. Just my opinion based on knowing multiple people who went through it. 

Secondly, don't take advice from strangers on the internet.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

I thought some people (like myself) did try to answer the question in that thread. But anyway, I think you're underestimating the effect of the aeration and power of the water. Even with a PFD on, you can go deep. I imagine there are circumstances where taking your PFD off out of desperation may be worthy, though I have never heard of this being done.

If the hole's powerful enough that you're being body recirc'ed, it's generally going to be futile, counterproductive, and enervating to try to swim directly out of the hole. Even while in a boat (where you have magnitudes greater power and buoyancy) it can be difficult to paddle out past a boil line.

The general rules of thumb are try to swim deep and into the curtain, change body shape if what you're doing isn't working (i.e. if balling up isn't working, try the the starfish position and see if you can catch some green water), and look for a rope. If possible, hanging onto a paddle can also be beneficial to catch green water. Any others?


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

So what i was allways told in swift water rescue cources as a guide, was to ball up, hoping you would get pushed to the bottom and get flushed, if that dosen't work try stretching out, in hopes you will catch some green water with an arm or leg.Bottom line ,change your position if it's not working. I know some raft guides that are probably still alive from balling up. Hope this helps, and that you don't have to use it!


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Would second beater boater, I was very happy with my rescue 3 courses, my trainer was a guide on a solid class 5 river, with some very serious rescue experiance. Find a good swiftwater class, If you don't allready have that training.


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## FastFXR (May 22, 2012)

Not sure where this video exists--Google doesn't help, but I'll throw my input in nonetheless.

I was an ocean baby growing up (Daytona), that ended up in the Bitterroot in Montana. We swam eddies, holes, and strainers as kids, obviously all without PFDs.
Eddies? Relax or go deep.
Holes? Go deep.
Strainers? Grab a rock and climb out. (That's not a joke either--we had a known one you could climb out of or slither down through.)

Now...now I'm old and these options don't exist so much anymore. I depend on my PFD far too much and tend to think it's a crutch in many situations. Given a little fitness, you'd be better off without the PFD, barring any physical or cranial injuries, of course.


(Just my devalued 2 cents.)


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## sfornst (Mar 31, 2009)

Practice swimming, which good SWR instructors will make you do. In the original thread I saw a plug for DownStream Edge with Nick and I highly recommend his classes. You will be more worn out from a weekend class with Nick than you will ever be boating with your buds. I have also taken a few classes with Mike Mather and he is also great. Both have you swim through holes and work on multiple scenarios similar to the video. SWR classes are even more effective if you sign up with most of your crew, it's interesting to see how everyone reacts to the scenarios they throw at you. You will also swim a lot, including through holes and eddy fences. I highly recommend ocassionally swimming holes for practice, you will learn things that you will never pick up on the interweb. And yes, anything that changes your position will help: balling up, reaching deep, swimming into the curtain, and any other advice that changes your current position. If it's a real hole I'm not sure how you would be able to take your lifejacket off, but not be able to swim out of the hole.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

*picture a wheel*

Check out the Nealy book or Jeff Bennett's "complete inflatable kayaker" they have illustrations that explain things better than just words...relevant to this thread:
Pictures a side view of a wheel representing a hole,,the top goes upstream and the bottom goes downstream so you want to be low when you get on the downstream side not high where you get rotated back in...so you go deep at the base of the drop....


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

I've read that Russian rafters will carry a small parachute in their pfd pocket. Deploy the chute if you end up in a bad keeper. The thing seems like a hazard to me, with all the rope and fabric.


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## Panama Red (Feb 10, 2015)

Hidroliks?

Ahh its good to see the knotzies out and about.

Nonsense, I have not yet begun to defile myself


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## gunnerman (Jun 6, 2013)

I can testify to what saved my ass in a nasty low-head dam hydraulic, and what I stress to all new paddlers, especially IK'rs. Do you'r


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## whip (Oct 23, 2003)

Classic late night around the fire solution. No shit there I was in the Ledge Hole at 25000 cfs. Must have recirced about a thousand times when I was able to grab a hold of 100 pound rock on the bottom. Picked it up and walked out of the hole.


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## SKeen (Feb 23, 2009)

whip said:


> Classic late night around the fire solution. No shit there I was in the Ledge Hole at 25000 cfs. Must have recirced about a thousand times when I was able to grab a hold of 100 pound rock on the bottom. Picked it up and walked out of the hole.


That is the most interesting solution I have ever heard... bottom line is keep trying, never give up!


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## xena13 (Mar 21, 2007)

The one time it happened to me, I tried balling up first. But I didn't get pushed down and out. I just kept rolling around near the surface (my buddy said he kept seeing "a$$, booties, helmet, a$$, booties, helmet" as he headed for shore to get out his rope.) I wasn't able to get any breaths during this process because I was always just below the surface. I then tried as hard as I could to swim down, but I couldn't get there. Finally I just threw my arms and legs out wide and that flushed me out. I think many situations are different and you just have to keep your head and try things until something works.


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## swiftwater15 (Feb 23, 2009)

@census: Exactly. Also why you can never judge someone else's swim.

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## AW-Evan (May 27, 2014)

re: Balling up - If you are swimming dowstream about to go into a hole, you can just "ball up" as you go over the drop and this will send you the deepest and also hopefully keep you moving downstream. If you are already in a sticky hydraulic you can't just "ball up," and expect to get out. It requires an active move to swim back into the curtain of water forming the hole, then to grab onto the thick falling water with open hands near your lower abdomen and let it take you down, and then ball up to go as deep as possible and protect yourself from the bottom of the river, as you bounce along going hopefully downstream of the surface recirculation boil line. 

This works for all but the worst hydraulics. Holes that are backed up by rocks or cliffs, or are formed by a "pot hole," present more of a problem - mostly because nearly all of the water, including the deep water that you'd normally want to tap into to take you downstream, is all being deflected and cycled back towards the hole. In these cases you almost surely need someone to rescue you or the best self rescue option might be grabbing a hand hold and hoping to climb out of the water wherever possible. Anything with this kind of recirculation is going to be firmly in the class V category and runs should only occur with competent and experienced safety in place and the decision to run these drops should not be taken lightly. On the other hand with proper swimming technique many feared hydraulics are fairly easily swam out of just by grabbing some water and going deep. Practice makes perfect.


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## jaffy (Feb 4, 2004)

AW-Evan said:


> If you are already in a sticky hydraulic you can't just "ball up," and expect to get out. It requires an active move to swim back into the curtain of water forming the hole, then to grab onto the thick falling water with open hands near your lower abdomen and let it take you down, and then ball up to go as deep as possible and protect yourself from the bottom of the river, as you bounce along going hopefully downstream of the surface recirculation boil line.
> 
> Practice makes perfect.


This sounds interesting, but I'm having a hard time visualizing it. If I swim hard into the curtain, my hands and then my head are going to hit first, which seems like it would push me face first toward the bottom, but if you're recommending catching water with my hands it seems like I'd be going into the curtain in more of a vertical position with my feet down. Would you mind elaborating a bit more on how this works? Also, know any good spots (preferably near Fort Collins) to practice? Red house hole on the Poudre maybe?

Edit: I read it again and maybe get it. You swim up to the curtain, then right as you hit rotate vertical and cup your hands down by your abdomen?


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## AW-Evan (May 27, 2014)

jaffy - your edit is exactly correct. Swim back towards the curtain - but this probably won't be your classic freestyle stroke. Most of the time in a recirculation you're going to be kind of bobbing vertically and drifting in the general direction of the hole, head in and out of the water. It's usually so aerated at the surface that getting into a swim position can be tricky, but the idea is to just get whatever kind of strokes you can to move directly at the curtain with some semblance of control (easier said than done). When you get there don't swim into it with your head (if it's powerful enough you can't quite really do this anyway). Feel the curtain with your lead swimming hand and then get both hands to it and cup the water with palms up. This will swing you vertical(ish) and start to take you down. As this happens bring your knees to your chest and try to relax and let the current do the rest. This is all going to ahppen pretty quick. After a few seconds it may be possible to feel the direction of the deep current and to start to swim that direction underwater to make sure you're past it, but in most cases you already will be and will also probably be ready to just swim up to the surface and get a well deserved breath a fresh air. 

Depending on the deflection of currents in and around the hole, just drifting in the hole may or may not take you all the way back to the curtain and this is why the instructions about swimming towards the hole are important. In certain holes you can recirculate near the surface and if you're unlucky never go back all the way into the curtain. Most people's mistake though is instinctively trying to swim away from the curtain - "that's the thing that's trying to kill me! Swim away!" But as with many things in kayaking, you've got to train yourself to trust the river. The currents near the curtain will take you down and steal your breath but will not take you down deep enough to get past the recirculation boil line. If you fight going back towards the curtain, you won't win but you will stop yourself from going all the way back to the powerful part of the curtain and will continue to get recirculated in the hole. This is why relaxing, and for some people finally giving up, actually saves their lives because they stop fighting going back into the curtain and the current finally takes them there once they've relaxed. Then they finally go deep enough to flush out. This is why what I call grabbing the curtain is important. You want to get a good chunk of the thick non-aerated water that is going the deepest and bring your body into as much as you can. I'd rather bounce of the bottom then go for another round. 

As far as places to practice this can be tricky. I think at the right flows Red House hole could work pretty well. Double Trouble on the Big South works great but I can't really recommend it. Even something less powerful but more "ledgy" then Red House might work better just to get a feel for grabbing the curtain, but I can't think of a spot on the Poudre right now that really fits the bill. A lot of the features in play parks can work well for practicing this so when we get ours it should be easy to work on it! Till then maybe Golden could suffice.


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## jaffy (Feb 4, 2004)

Thanks! It sounds like you have way more experience swimming holes than I hope to ever have, but I think it would be a very good thing to know and practice. I've had a couple pretty wild hole rides, but thankfully haven't had to come out of my boat yet. It's terrifying enough in my boat, I can only imagine being recirc'd as a swimmer. It's giving me butterflies just thinking about it.


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## jge1 (Aug 10, 2014)

Dumb newbie question: the "curtain" is the water coming over the drop, i.e. at the upstream side of the hole, right ?


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