riverman wrote:
"Wilko" wrote in message
...
Bob P wrote:
In desperate circumstances, you're better off taking off the PFD and
diving down to follow the bottom current out of the backwash. Few people
who get in (low-head-dam) trouble have the knowledge or composure to make
that radical move, however.
I've given that some thought. Over the years, this option seems to have
surfaced on RBP a couple of times. My main concern would be what happens
after you get out of the hydrolic, and what would happen if taking off
your PFD wouldn't get you out. I'm fairly ambiguous about whether or not
that would be a smart thing to do. It's the main reason why I have a PFD
with a front zipper though... so that I can quickly take it off if needed.

This boondoggle arises all the time.

As far as my experience goes, the old "take off your PFD and flush out the
bottom of the hole" strategy is an urban legend. Everyone knows the rule,
but afaik, no one knows anyone who has actually had to do it. Its in the
same legendary category as putting maggots in an open wound to stymie
gangrene from forming, ...

Actually, maggots are now occasionally used in hospitals to eat dead flesh.


I think if you were actually trapped in a hole with sharp enough edges to
keep you in, you would be underwater and tossed around so much that you
would have no idea which way 'down' was, let alone how to crawl along the
bottom. Also, once you shed your pfd, the force of the water would almost
certainly prevent you from using the rocks along the bottom anyway, as you'd
be plastered down there at best, or slammed among them at worst...

--riverman


As I said, it's a desperation measure. If you can keep your head above
water long enough for someone to rescue you, you're better off not
taking the chance.

However... If you look at the typical water flow of a low-head, the
water first goes down and along the bed, away from the lip of the dam
before it doubles back. It's the only path where the water takes you to
safety rather than holding you against the top flow. I've never use it,
and I certainly don't intend to experiment, but the logic is reasonable.