Accident Report for Fractions

SOURCE -- http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/ark-strainer-story-37313.html

I was paddling high water Fractions a couple days ago with a crew of 3 other paddlers when we ran into a "situation" at Little Seidels...

I was below the drop already and watched paddler #1 drop in, he hit the meat of the hole and missed his brace, flipping. He proceeded to float into the next large hole upside down, missing 2 roll attempts. At this point I "T-ed up" for a T-rescue, but just then we pushed up onto a large pillow rock and paddler #1 had to wet exit.

Almost immediately upon exiting his boat he was flushed into a tree strainer. The tree was in the middle of the river, pinned on rocks, and had many projecting "pungee sticks". Paddler #1 hit the strainer and was pinned, just able to keep his head above water. 

At this point paddler #2 caught the eddy directly behind the strainer and paddler #3 eddied out on the right and got out and provided rope safety from that side. 

When I saw that paddler #1 was pinned, but had his head above water, and that the other 2 paddlers were beginning a rescue, I decided to quickly chase down his boat. It took me about 5 minutes and I got it out about 100 yards downstream. At this point I grabbed my rope and ran back up on the left bank.

When I got there paddler #1 was cutting his skirt free from the tree. When he did he was able to pop loose, exhausted. Paddler #2 was there to tow him to shore.

He lost his booties, paddle and skirt in the ordeal...and cut the shit out of his finger, but was otherwise ok.