Woman dies after kayak accident on American River

Sad news.

http://blogs.sacbee.com/crime/archives/2011/09/by-marjie-lunds.html#mi_rss=Our%20Region

A 57-year-old Davis woman who taught high school in Fairfield has died after her kayak flipped Sunday night in the American River at the Watt Avenue bridge.

The woman was identified as ....... The website of Vanden High School in Fairfield identifies her as a faculty member in visual and performing arts.

Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/crime/archives/2011/09/by-marjie-lunds.html#ixzz1X7rsys8R

Sad ...

 

RIP. Sad.

I was walking at Watt yesterday morning and at the current flows there are some tricky spots with fast current running under the Watt overpass - I can easily see folks getting tossed in that area - be careful there.

From the comments:

People jumped in and tried to rescue her, according to cbs, but they could not pull her free from being held against the pillar.  The water bent the kayak

Sad.
I used to see people get pinned all the time there when the little Watt Ave walking bridge was there. They demolished it for that very reason.
When water that fast pins you against something you are pretty much FUBAR.

The wife and I fish/kayak the American every so often and her coworkers thought it was her. 

Very sad the unfortunate loss of life 

I do not know the specific details about this. However from my observations I have seen several mid 40's plus people flip their SINK kayaks on the American at riffles or when landing. In fact I have saved a few kayaks because I was more alert then they were, the people were fine. For the situations I observed it seemed as though the group was more interested in talking and looking at each other then paying attention to where they were going/what they were doing. The lower American is a strong river and should be treated like a loaded gun, with caution.

What a horrible way to pass. 

RIP.
AR or any of our Nor Cal rivers have spots that aren't very forgiving to paddlers.
Make sure you got your head on a swivel on the river.

Make sure you got your head on a swivel on the river water.

+100

Very Very Sad. 
3 in 2 weeks, seems the heat is leading to some careless behavior.

Very sad. It must have been horrible being there and not being able to help. Everyone seems to be assuming that she was a new kayaker, although I didn't read that in the article. They probably weren't aware of how risky it was going out at night near that bridge without being experienced.

sad.. just sad. RIP.