Rafters Run Rampant

[SilverDoctor]

Rafters run rampant

 

Rafters flocked to the river to beat the heat on the long weekend.

 

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Raft jammed

 

A raft is jammed against a bridge abutment on the Bow River.

 

Updated: Mon Aug. 01 2011 18:15:29

 

ctvcalgary.ca

 

Calgary fire crews were kept busy on the waterways this weekend as rafters headed to the river in droves to beat the heat.

 

Thousands of rafts and boats bobbed in the water of the Bow and Elbow rivers this past weekend.

 

The Calgary Fire Department's Aquatic Rescue Team dragged dozens of people out of the drink as people continued to disobey the rules of the river.

 

Between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Monday crews responded to four incidents involving overturned rafts and people in the water of the Bow River.

 

Three rafters were ejected from their boat after it hit the bridge abutment on the 10 Street Bridge.

 

The fire department rescued one person from the river and the other two rafters made it safely to shore.

 

Crews were fishing empty boats and people out of the water all weekend.

 

One police officer says he had to ask over 100 people to get off the water on Sunday due to extreme intoxication.

 

He says people were passed out on their rafts and on shore and says people need to remember that consuming alcohol in a public place is illegal and the rivers are no exception.

 

The Calgary Fire Department is reminding all river users to exercise caution when approaching bridge abutments.

 

Original article and video here.

[monger]

That's how we keep finding all these fresh beer cans in the back eddies

[troutlover]

It is insane i drove over the river last weekend and it was a solid WALL of rafts as far as i could see probably 200 and came back 2 hrs later still the same it is actually a pretty unbelivable sight. Thank goodness the lower bow is not popular for recreational floating.

[reevesr1]

Well, the lower bow could be becoming just that. There must have been 100 people at Mac's on Sunday afternoon at 5 PM. Never seen anything like it. Some rafts, lots of canoes.

[birchy]

Bikini hatch?

[Gil]

Saw a lot of rafters on Sunday, as I floated from Police to Mac. Also a lot of beach people at Mac. There should be a rule that you must be carrying a fly rod and a valid fishing licence to be allowed on the river or to park at a launch. Kidding.... sort of ....

[Flashback]

The tube hatch is a regular occurance on the Red Deer River as well. Same problems too.

[bhurt]

I was out on the river a couple of days ago with toolman and we were sitting there enjoying the day when all of a sudden we saw two plastic oars come floating down the river, then we saw a empty plastic raft come floating down the river, thinking someone might be in trouble we looked up river to see this guy pulling himself out of the river, the sad thing was he was still holding onto his plastic bag full of beer.

 

I just had to shake my head, these drunken fools are the ones that get killed. I don't mind a beer while out on the water, but really people drinking so much they get drunk and fall out of the boat and face with the realization that they could die, espically with the river so high and so fast, just takes you getting you leg caught in a rock and then you are underwater.

[Eelpout]

This is all you really need to know.

 

haha http://coloradoflyfishingreports.blogspot....uber-hatch.html

[DoubleD]

Love the tuber hatch. I actually saw a blown up bouncy castle with people on it floating past Bankside last week. Seriously. Lots of tuber shucks in the water. Filled a garbage bag.