Sometime's it is easier to let those who experienced the danger and fear explain their rationale. Below is an excerpt from Youtube user Ted Engelhard, who had a scary swim while kayaking in upstate New York.
"If you can't hear my moans there's a good chance I'm underwater. I rationalized it several ways, none of which were legitimate. It was the last significant whitewater creek from the Ohio line to 20 miles past the NY line I hadn't run and really wanted to check it off the list. I knew it was deep because I camped back there 4 days solo this summer getting to know the run and clearing wood.
The spot I almost died was actually where I took my baths. A deep pool is a critical safety feature on a sticky hole because you can ball up and sink to the bottom to get washed out which is sort of what saved me. The flume of doom 1/4 mile downstream from here used to be the bottom leg of Belson, Like the falls it is near impossible to set safety without hiking in.
We spent a lot of time analyzing the flume before we ran it, even changing our strategy after scouting from the bottom compared to our original plan from the top. I rushed scouting Gage's because it was getting late. If I would have brought my binoculars like I should have known I needed I would have been able to tell how bad the boil was on river right and that the only way out was on the left.
My #1 mistake was treating a creek like something to be conquered instead of enjoyed with respect."
