# drowning on swirley canyon sf payette Idaho



## Sidnye (Dec 9, 2003)

This is a cut and past from the statesman. Water still kinda high on the sf and very cold. 
Swirley canyon doesnt have a lot of big water but it does have some wicked eddie fences.
Tragic. Prayers for the family



2012-06-19T04:44:56Z 
PATRICK ORR Idaho_Statesman
Coupons View All 


By PATRICK ORR — [email protected] 
Four adults and two kids put in near the Danskin Station, about six miles east of Garden Valley, some time before 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Boise County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Dale Rogers said.One woman fell out of the raft when it hit some rapids. Tracy Ruby, 45, jumped in the river to try to help the woman, Rogers said, and a man with the group did the same.The others in the raft were able to pull the first woman and the man out of the water, but could not find Ruby, whose 6-year-old son was in the raft. The group was not with a guide.Ruby was found about six miles downriver near Alder Creek Road by two people who pulled her to the bank and attempted CPR, Rogers said.The stretch of river where the woman drowned is known as “Swirly Canyon.” It has both rapids and strong currents, especially when river flows are high in the late spring and early summer. Sunday’s death was the first rafting fatality in Boise County this season, Rogers said. But Southern Idaho has had at least one other drowning this year: A Nampa fisherman died in the Snake River near Marsing in March.Rogers said the three adults who went into the South Fork were not wearing life vests. Sheriff’s reports say that Ruby and another woman in the boat discussed putting them on as the raft approached the rapids, but didn’t have time before the first woman fell in. Fellow rafters tried to throw Ruby a life jacket when she was in the water, but she wasn’t able to reach it, Rogers said. It’s unclear whether the other adult and the two children in the raft were wearing life vests, the deputy said.Patrick Orr: 377-6219 Twitter: @IDS_Orr Copyright 2012 Idaho_Statesman. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


----------



## codycleve (Mar 26, 2012)

I saw the river rescue team responding to this accident... They pulled over just down stream of the old dam site... Thoughts and prayers go out to their family... Puts a bad feeling in your stomach when you get passed by a rescue boat..


----------



## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

Sidnye said:


> Rogers said the three adults who went into the South Fork were not wearing life vests. Sheriff’s reports say that Ruby and another woman in the boat discussed putting them on as the raft approached the rapids, but didn’t have time before the first woman fell in.


Sad sad story, but this is un-excusable. If there are rapids, put the pfd on. I don't give two shits if will mess up your tan lines or any other "too cool" reason.


----------



## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Sidnye said:


> Sheriff’s reports say that Ruby and another woman in the boat discussed putting them on as the raft approached the rapids, but didn’t have time before the first woman fell in. Fellow rafters tried to throw Ruby a life jacket when she was in the water, but she wasn’t able to reach it, Rogers said


Unbelievably tragic. 

I have been wearing my life jacket on completely flat water that I wouldn't have normally in the past just because my kids are along. To set a good example and to be ready to go in after them in a worst case scenario. 

This boggles my mind.


----------



## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

completely preventable. wearing a pfd and not jumping in after someone are the most basic of the basics in terms of boat safety. very sad.


----------



## idahofloater (Feb 23, 2011)

carvedog said:


> Unbelievably tragic.
> 
> I have been wearing my life jacket on completely flat water that I wouldn't have normally in the past just because my kids are along. To set a good example and to be ready to go in after them in a worst case scenario.
> 
> This boggles my mind.


This ^^ 

Be careful out there. Always dress for the swim. Be a roll model.

Boggles my brains too.


----------



## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

carvedog said:


> I have been wearing my life jacket on completely flat water that I wouldn't have normally in the past just because my kids are along. To set a good example and to be ready to go in after them in a worst case scenario.
> 
> This boggles my mind.


Me, too, but she doesn't have to die in vain. The rest of us can learn from it and if we're already wearing our PFD's (both because it's a good idea and to be a good example to our kiddos) we can keep doing so.



mania said:


> completely preventable. wearing a pfd and not jumping in after someone are the most basic of the basics in terms of boat safety. very sad.


I'll jump in after one of my girls, only as a last resort, but never for another person or animal.


----------



## tcat (Mar 4, 2011)

This is so sad. I finally took a swift water rescue course this spring. I recommend it and I plan on making it biannual event. That was the most important three days I've spent improving my boating skills.


----------



## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

tcat said:


> This is so sad. I finally took a swift water rescue course this spring. I recommend it and I plan on making it biannual event. That was the most important three days I've spent improving my boating skills.


Good for you tcat. Important to have those skills in your quiver. No swift water class is necessary to know that you need to wear an LJ on class 2-3 water in mid June in Idaho. That is the tragedy of this. That a six year old had to watch his mother drown in such an unnecessary manner is still.......inconceivable to me.


----------



## brmidjones (Feb 27, 2009)

get a comfortable PFD and leave it on. jumping in the river only increases the chances of something bad happening, the first three rules of river rafting #1 stay in the boat,#2 stay in the boat, #3 stay in the boat.


----------



## ginaderin (Jun 21, 2012)

Hi Everyone, 

Tracy Ruby was my friend and had been my friend since 7th grade. Thank you for all the condolences and yes lets all learn a lesson from Tracy, please do not raft without a life vest! Just to let you all know, the girl she jumped in for was her friend not just some random stranger.


----------



## shonuffkayak (Feb 2, 2011)

ginaderin said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> Tracy Ruby was my friend and had been my friend since 7th grade. Thank you for all the condolences and yes lets all learn a lesson from Tracy, please do not raft without a life vest! Just to let you all know, the girl she jumped in for was her friend not just some random stranger.


Not only raft. But any water activity even on a flat water lake should include use of a Pfd. Condolences for you friend. Hopefully in this tragedy knowledge is gained.


----------

