Another Dam Accident
Posted on 29. Apr, 2010 by Chip Richards in Whitewater
April 24, 2010. We have the rest of the story. The two fishermen refused to talk on camera, but we have an eyewitness account of the near tragedy. Another story of a capsized boat and near drowning at one of five lowhead dams, downtown.
The two men were motoring up river on the East side, near the Post Office. Dr. Neil Colegrove, a resident of River House, was watching the scene unfold with his wife Pat. Colegrove commented that they didn’t appear to know the river. “Most boaters use the break in the dam on the West side. I asked my wife to call 911. I knew what was about to happen.”
As the driver attempted to power up over the dam, their boat was caught, turned and flipped. One fishermen jumped out and over the boil, safely downstream. The other man was bucked overboard and caught by the dams powerful recirculation. “He was no little guy,” said Colgrove, “he looked strong, but he was in there getting ‘Maytagged’ for 15 seconds or so, gasping for air.” Neither man was wearing a life preserver.
The Bridgewater dam is the most dangerous ‘coffer’ on the river, because it looks harmless. October 26, 2009, two kayakers were rescued by fishermen from the same spot. One victim was resuscitated, but their dog did not survive. http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2009/10/couples_rescue_on_grand_river.html
