This summer, at least two people have died in Vermont swimming holes.
These picturesque spots tend to be more secluded, and Vermonters are known for keeping their favorite spot a secret. But swimming holes can be dangerous, especially after the kinds of heavy rains that Vermont's been doused with recently.
Jon Wehse is chief of Stowe Mountain Rescue, which responded to both of the incidents this summer. Wehse spoke with Mary Engisch about safe swimming, starting with the basics of how swimming holes are formed.
This interview was produced for the ear. We highly recommend listening to the audio. We’ve also provided a transcript, which has been edited for length and clarity.
Jon Wehse: I guess you'd have to say, bring out your geology books from high school. Each swimming hole is a little bit different, but they're all natural, typically rivers, they're in canyons in Vermont. They're made out of hard granite carved out through the millennia. So each one is unique. It's got deep fissures and cracks and deep pools and cascading waterfalls. But I agree, there's many of them in the state of Vermont that are absolutely stunning and a great place to go relax on a hot summer afternoon.
Mary Engisch: Tell us about the formula that all swimmers should kind of keep in mind when it comes to swimming holes, and especially in terms of rainfall and water levels.
Jon Wehse: We have a simple formula, high rainfall equals high water levels, and that typically equals high danger — not because the water is deeper, but because the high water has changed the formulation of whatever the swimming hole might have been yesterday.
High rainfall and flooding creates debris. Rocks move, trees get trapped and creates what we call strainers, and then they get submerged under water. So there could be a submerged debris, could be a log, could be a tree, could be a tree root, a cascading waterfall that you slide down may have rocks and sticks in them, and these are the most dangerous places for swimmers. Most of our deaths occur in either turbulent water, where it's frothy and aerated, caused by waterfall. Because the water is aerated, it doesn't provide as much buoyancy for swimmers, so they sink faster. And then that turbulent water creates what's called a hydraulic, and that hydraulic is a spinning motion that can keep a swimmer stuck underground or underwater, and they can't surface because they're not strong enough to break free from that hydraulic. So those are the two main elements that cause swim deaths.
Mary Engisch: Beyond paying attention to the rain, what are some other key safety tips that you can share with folks who do want to venture out to their favorite swimming hole and be as safe as possible?
Jon Wehse: Sure, the biggest thing to remember is that the swimming hole that you went in last week may not be the same this week. Again, the water levels may have risen. There could be some aerated water, just because of the way the water is coursing through the rocks. And if you jump into this water, if you can't see the bottom, if you can't see the debris underneath it, you're increasing your likelihood of hitting something. Yeah, it was great yesterday. It may not be great today.
So it's always good to be careful. Prior to jumping into your favorite swimming hole, go in carefully, look underwater, make sure that there's no debris there. And then stay away from anything where you can't see. A cascading waterfall sounds really cool to slide down, but you don't know what's under that frothing water. So unless you can see directly down through the green, what we call green water — clear, crisp water that's not aerated — try to stay away from that.
A cascading waterfall sounds really cool to slide down, but you don't know what's under that frothing water.Jon Wehse, Stowe Mountain Rescue
Mary Engisch: What should someone know if they do find themselves in a dangerous situation at a swimming hole?
Jon Wehse: You know, if somebody's in trouble, obviously, the key would be to get them out of trouble, but what happens all too often is the second person would jump in, and now we have two problems. So, you know, understanding that there are dangers with water, with swimming holes, and then making sure that you're swimming with a buddy, that's always important, but that doesn't resolve any issues if you're doing dangerous things, jumping into aerated water or getting stuck underwater.
You know, enjoy our nature, but with all nature comes inherent risks. Those risks and obviously tempered with awareness of what's going on with the water, understanding how water flows, and being safe and careful as you enjoy that. We've touched on debris underwater. So make sure that you're clearing your swimming hole before jumping in, looking at like a rock slide, a waterfall, if you're going to slide down it, making sure that there's nothing to get you stuck.
Many of our accidents happen very unexpectedly. They're upstream of these strainers, and somebody slips and falls, and then all of a sudden they're tumbling down through a waterway, totally unexpected. So it's a purely an accident. So the problem is that enjoying that upstream, serene location can lead to a problem if you're not paying attention, or if you slip and fall and then accidentally fall into this bad situation. So be careful with whatever you're doing. Water is inherently dangerous, but it's also wonderful and calm and peaceful, but it can go it can turn on you in an instant.
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