The problem with lining up a double waterfall drop is you absolutely must hit the first one. In this video, the second kayaker does not and that’s when things go terribly wrong. This video by David Fusilli is a freaky first-person account of what it’d be like to nearly drown and get swept over a waterfall; it’s also a clinic on how to perform a perfect rescue under tremendous pressure.
We all like to think we’d respond the same way this rescuer does. So take notes:
- Secure your kayak.
- Get your readily accessible throw bag.
- Find a safe place with secure footing and room to throw.
- Make a perfect throw.
- Haul the victim into an eddy.
- For good measure, stomp the waterfall that just moments before presented such grave danger.
Above all else, the reason this kayaker could perform such a perfect rescue is it looks like he knew exactly what to do when the problem arose. That’s why he could stay so calm under pressure. Some are born with it. Others need to practice. But either way you should always have a rescue plan for when things go wrong.
