The tragic drowning of Wetumpka High School student Shalom Nowden at Corn Creek Park last Wednesday afternoon further stresses the necessity for safety practices on the unpredictable waters of the Coosa River.
Therese Carter and Lonnie Carden, owners of the two kayak and canoe rental shops located in Wetumpka, said they review river safety tips daily before they drop patrons off in the water.
While Nowden, 15, and his friends were just swimming, both said the same precautions apply.
“You need a life jacket when you’re playing out in that stuff. A lot of people that paddle wear a life jacket,” Carden, who owns the Coosa Outdoor Center, said. “The water isn’t very forgiving in any situation.
“There’s never going to be a rescue that happens in three minutes unless you’re using the buddy system. It’s sad for the parents, sad for his friends. It’s something that’ll give everybody in the Wetumpka community a wake up call.”
With the state of the Coosa River changing continuously, Carter said that fact further accentuates the need for a life preserver.
“I would say never swim in the Coosa without a life jacket. There are several different things out there,” the Coosa River Adventures co-owner said. “We got rocks, you could slip on them, currents that you don’t see. Our recommendation is to swim with a life jacket at all times when on the river.”
Flat water areas and a couple of other places on the Coosa, including Corn Creek Park which is currently closed to the public, are safe to swim. But for Carter and Carden, it’s how you swim.
“Certainly there are areas that are safer than others. The ones with really fast water are more dangerous to swim in,” Carden said. “There’s a huge sandbar (at Corn Creek), that area’s not so bad, but you have to be a good strong swimmer. The rocks are where it is dangerous. Swimming in the river is fun, but it’s a lot different than a swimming pool.”
In the Coosa, one wrong decision could result in injury – or worse.
“When I see kids out at Corn Creek messing around on the rocks, it worries me when they have no life jacket on,” Carter said. “One fall or bump on the head and we’re talking about a tragedy that affects all of us who love the river.”
Carden reminded everyone if they fall in the river or get swept in a current to keep their feet pointed toward to sky to lessen the chance of getting tangled up in debris. To diminish those odds even more, and to save lives, both Carter and Carden said a life preserver is necessary.
“If you properly respect the river, it’s very safe,” Carter said “But it’s Mother Nature. The current can be a lot stronger than you expect and things happen quickly. One incident can affect a lot lives; 99 percent of drownings can be prevented with the use of a life jacket.”
