Many of you emailed news@claycord.com yesterday morning asking what was happening in the canal near the corner of Bancroft & David in Walnut Creek.
Nobody was in danger, several Firefighters from ConFIRE were in the canal with ropes and other equipment practicing water rescue training.
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Why are they rescuing water
Practice makes perfect.
Considering the number of lives that have been lost at that very spot over the years, that seems like the perfect place to practice.
In 1973 three Rafters were drowned there, in 1985 or 86 another one rafter was lost there, and last year two Rafters drowned there…It used to be a great spot to watch Bull Frogs in the mid 1960′s before the Army Corps of Engineers channalized the natural creek bed.
I read the headline and was really excited to take a water rescue class this thursday. Its my day off and I thought that would be fun and possibly useful. Needless to say, I was disapointed.
In the early 1970′s I had dropped a brass clapper valve from our neighbors suction hose into the canal. A few homes at the end of Maria Ct. back up to the canal and are allowed to use canal water. I waited for the neighbor to come home from work.
I tied a safety line around my chest with a bowline knot and my neighbor tied the other end to a chainlink fence post. We knew about the canals reputation.
I went into the tranquil looking water. NOT!! I immediatly knew why so many have lost their lives in the canal. Mostly in the summer months when there has been some partying. The current is quite strong and I am a strong swimmer. I had my feet knocked from under me several times before I got the hang of it using the safety line.
Anyway I found the clapper valve with my feet and then stooped down to pick it up. I tossed it up onto the bank and my neighbor pulled me up the sides, as they are so slick with moss it is impossible to get out without help of some kind.
The canal is no place to be playing around or trying to swim in. Many neighbors have stretched lines, ladders up the slimmy sides etc. to aide any victims that get swept away.
The city use to send out brochures to all residences telling of all the fatalities through the years involving the canal. Do they still do that?
Be Safe and stay out of the canal.
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