Kayaker TRAPPED & PINNED for 4 minutes

Oh the joy of half slice kayaks! Here I was unexpectedly pinned between two rocks on the Upper Bovra, Norway. Thankfully an air pocket was created most of the time and my crew was efficient to rescuing me. Scary stuff!

[@macfawlty]

That was a freaky pin situation and miraculous rescue from an experienced crew. Well done.

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Thanks, yea they were amazing!

[@walthanas]

That looked scary. Glad to see that you got out unharmed! The importance of having paddling buddies that are there to act immediately and effectively can't be overstated. Great that they were there for you and took prompt action!

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Exactly, quality crew is so important!

[@WhiteBirchLeaf]

Staged?🤔

[@CyndisKrist]

The irony of rapid-moving water is that the buoyancy can actually be helpful at times by pushing you out of a bad scene, but at other times the pressure can pin you. Several decisions may need to be made quickly, and sometimes those decisions make themselves - a risk everyone takes out there. So glad you came out of it.

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Thanks! And agreed! Just gotta roll with it sometimes!

[@joeleader6551]

Great rescue. The Upper Bøvra is always pretty manky rock. Stern down, bow up pins are definitely an inherent danger of paddling a half slice

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Yea learned that quickly this day...

[@willkriel-hartley1156]

Quality rescue. Glad all are ok.

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Thanks! Me too!

[@fnordpol]

Glad that you came out ok!

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Thanks so much!

[@cphoover11]

Strange when you are interested in learning more about WW kayaking and YT recommends a video of your childhood next-door neighbor. Small World this planet 👍George

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Hey Charlie no way! If you need any advice, let me know! Good to see you're looking into it!

[@brianluisi7616]

Thank you for posting, what would you do if you had to self rescue??? honestly

[@georgewilliamssr5230]

Man I've been in that very scenario more times than I care to remember. Glad you got out safe.

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Glad you did too! Thanks for watching!

[@davidbruce5228]

Good rescue but had you been in a creek boat this would not have happened.

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Absolutely agree. But where's the fun in that? JK

[@rstats2127]

Great teamwork, what shoes are you guys wearing over your dry suits and how much bigger than your regular shoe size did you order?

[@martinkepner9441]

No in the video but I go 1 size bigger in US size to account for my sock(usually polyester if I’m in a dry suit), dry suit bootie, and then a neoprene sock over my bootie to protect my dry suit.

[@rstats2127]

@@martinkepner9441who makes the neoprene bootie you wear over your dry suit bootie. Thanks for the reply

[@illuman1369]

W crew

[@ryankramer7002]

I was pinned several years ago in a kayak. My bow was down and my skirt was pressed up against the rock that was pinning me. I had to cut my way out of the boat. Needless to say, I don’t kayak anymore. It’s a dangerous sport. Glad you made it out.

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

I'm sorry to hear that. It is indeed a dangerous sport, but also comes with amazing rewards, on and off the river. I took two days off after this incident and then got back in my kayak. It's like getting back on the horse after you fall off. This was also very important to me, as i love kayaking and don't want to stop because of an unlucky mistake. Hope you consider getting back on class I-II to rebuild some confidence Ryan!

[@drosophilamelanogaster4625]

So is driving

[@jonathanhudson711]

Saw this, didn’t realize it was you at first. Damn dude.

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Yea buddy! It was me! haha when you comin out here to Greece?

[@jonathanhudson711]

Hopefully soon!

[@claytonjohnson6760]

That left boof stroke got him..send him right in to the rock.. and a perfectly placed one in a million shot that landed the lip in-between the crevice..that's when you hike out and try again another day

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Yea it was a very freak and unfortunate mistake, one in a million spots to hit, oh well!?

[@kayakboy6748]

Well done by all

[@CyBORG1208]

It's hard to tell from the video what the decision making was throughout the process and what all the factors were - can you explain a little more? Curious why you waiting to pull the skirt and come out, where your safety was (was it luck that he was there almost immediately or was that person intentionally setting safety at that spot due to a known hazard?), etc

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Good questions, actually I only had eye contact with the other paddler that you see coming up river right. As i reached for rope from him, to my surprise a rope came from behind me. I had no visual or verbal communication with the rescuers behind me, as the water was coming over my ears. We had not set safety at this point, the guys were following me and able get out quickly to assist. I waited to pull my skirt until I felt that I had secure safety around, and to first try to pull myself free using the rope. Once I realized that I wasn't able to move, then I tried to signal for someone to take my paddle in order for me to pull and start getting out. This took too much time, as I slowly was feeling the boat collapsing and i was sinking further into the water. Luckily, it all happened in time that I was able to breathe most of the time, and had proper support once I pulled the skirt and was releasing myself from the situation.

[@CyBORG1208]

@@flowandgrowgeorge thanks for the breakdown. Really highlights the importance of a solid crew, each member being attentive of each other's whereabouts.

[@drosophilamelanogaster4625]

Glad you're ok is the boat ruined?

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

The boat completely re-shaped itself in the sun after 2 days. Lettmann Kayaks FTW

[@spacesmuggling]

Would a creeker have had the rigidity and buoyancy to have made it out of that ?

[@davidritchie8051]

The bulbous bow design of most creekers are designed specifically to avoid these type of pins as opposed the bow of old like the RPM. Would they have avoided this pin? Probably, but the extra stern volume would surely have if the bow did not. Half-slices are fun as hell, but come with inherent limitations and this scenario is one.

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Given the added volume in the stern of the kayak, the situation would have most likely been VERY different, as the low volume stern initial threw my line off, my bow up into the rock, and then was easily pushed down by the current, pinning it on another rock under water. Pretty sure this wouldn't have happened in creeker.

[@ronactive]

Oje, krass. Das möchte man echt nicht erleben. Grüße ronactive

[@charlesshober8840]

this is some funny shit just swim out did not look that and say been there good times hairdryer will fix boat

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

Definitely always minimize swimming possibilities, plus what you don’t see downstream are two small waterfalls followed by a class 4+ rapid. No thanks on the swim. I agree it took longer than necessary but I literally couldn’t hear anything/communicate and tried my best to get out in my boat with my paddle…

[@MTB_Rider_96]

What? How the F$%k did his stern get pinned as he was moving with the current down river?

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

after the bow hit the rock, the stern was pushed down onto another rock, causing the intense pin. difficult situation

[@mariosteo]

WTF

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

that what i was thinking too!

[@liampurvis2477]

Was the cockpit too small to leap out of there as soon as you got pinned and the boat started deforming?

[@flowandgrowgeorge]

@@liampurvis2477 not exactly, but when i finally pulled, the current was pushing me forward, causing me to fold over my right leg, which became stuck and making the last 20 seconds quite difficult to get out... in retrospect, i should have tried to loosen up the back band, and really tried to push myself backwards, but in the moment, the water was so strong and i was running out of breath and strength 😬