Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/02/06/dramatic-rescue-of-a-man-who-entered-raging-la-wash-to-save-his-dog-video.html
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Yup. A dog alone is almost always going to be a stronger swimmer than a human trying to swim while holding a dog.
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In my early 20s, I took swift water rescue classes. They were fun, but kicked my arse. The first day, they made sure we were in the water and they worked us until we failed and needed help. Even with wetsuits, how quickly one became hypothermic and how quickly one looses strength stuck with me. That part of the training was deliberate and humbling. So many things stuck in my head, from how to ferry angle to how to tie certain knots unseen underwater, but two things repeatedly come to mind when ever I see a fast moving water. 1.) There is no fighting water. And 2.) eddy is your friend.
Edit to add: Anecdotes but germane,
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Maybe the grisliest such anecdote I’ve read was the guy who tried to rescue his friend’s dog that had fallen into a hot spring in Yellowstone back in 1981. It didn’t end well for either.
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It is more likely to need your assistance to get out of a river/waterway and that is often best done from the bank.
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The BBC’s “Saving lives at sea” has interviews with lifeboat crew. They say, “dog in the water” almost always turns into “owner in the water”, so they treat animal calls like human emergencies, scrambling the fastest boats, etc.
Humans are so dumb.
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Yes. Same. This was the first thing that came to mind. I was just 12 when I learned that story on a trip to Yellowstone. Really put the fear of nature into me.
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