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Know before you go.
That’s the message Henrico County Fire Battalion Chief Scott Archibeque wants people to heed before they head out to enjoy the James River.
“I think everyone underestimates the power of water until they’re in it, and then they realize they aren’t able to do what they want to do,” Archibeque says.
Over Memorial Day weekend, two women lost their lives when their group, which had set out from Powhatan for a float trip, went over Bosher’s Dam near the Edward E. Willey Bridge in Henrico. Unable to reach the shore where they intended to exit in Chesterfield County, the group found themselves going over the low-head dam, which has a 12-foot drop. At the time, the river depth was roughly 9 feet.
“You need to know your float times; river height makes a huge difference in how fast the river is moving,” Archibeque says. “Make sure you have a contact person on shore so if you don’t make a phone call by a certain time, they are calling you.”
Signs with safety procedures are posted at every public landing, but restrictions vary depending upon locality. Archibeque recommends U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices at all times.
“A lot of people say they’re strong swimmers, [but] a strong swimmer in a pool is totally different from a strong swimmer in a river,” he says, adding that people should also carry whistles for communication since voices often can’t be heard over the rushing water.
The bottom line, he says, is to have a safety plan and know your limits — and those of every member of your group. “The weakest link is the one to tailor to,” he says. “Limit yourself to what they can do.”
Real-time river levels can be found at waterdata.usgs.gov and water.weather.gov.
