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Whitewater Rescues: True Stories of Survival, Bravery, and Quick Thinking
Read over 75 of the most compelling true stories of canoeing, kayaking, and rafting rescues ever submitted to the American Whitewater Accident Database.
Risk is a part of everyday life, but it takes a special person to grab a paddle and choose to navigate a canoe, kayak, or raft over whitewater. After all, when you mix people and moving water, accidents are bound to occur. Sometimes, inexperienced paddlers make terrible mistakes; other times, expert paddlers get caught in dangerous conditions. Regardless of the circumstances, these life-or-death moments can end in tragedy—or can become the setting for heroic rescues.
Charlie Walbridge has been a river guide, a paddling-related business owner, and a member of the American Whitewater Board. That’s where he began some of his most important maintaining their accident database and producing bi-annual reports of US whitewater fatalities. Over the years, the lessons learned and the practices developed from this information have saved countless lives.
In Whitewater Rescues Charlie shares more than 75 of the most thrilling true stories of survival, bravery, and quick thinking ever submitted to the American Whitewater Accident Database. The narratives are uplifting and inspiring, and they spotlight the courage and ingenuity of whitewater paddlers.
Read rescue stories
Charlie’s goal is to help paddlers stay safe by sharing what has worked for others. There is much to admire and learn from each of these stories. Perhaps they will also be useful to you.
Risk is a part of everyday life, but it takes a special person to grab a paddle and choose to navigate a canoe, kayak, or raft over whitewater. After all, when you mix people and moving water, accidents are bound to occur. Sometimes, inexperienced paddlers make terrible mistakes; other times, expert paddlers get caught in dangerous conditions. Regardless of the circumstances, these life-or-death moments can end in tragedy—or can become the setting for heroic rescues.
Charlie Walbridge has been a river guide, a paddling-related business owner, and a member of the American Whitewater Board. That’s where he began some of his most important maintaining their accident database and producing bi-annual reports of US whitewater fatalities. Over the years, the lessons learned and the practices developed from this information have saved countless lives.
In Whitewater Rescues Charlie shares more than 75 of the most thrilling true stories of survival, bravery, and quick thinking ever submitted to the American Whitewater Accident Database. The narratives are uplifting and inspiring, and they spotlight the courage and ingenuity of whitewater paddlers.
Read rescue stories
Charlie’s goal is to help paddlers stay safe by sharing what has worked for others. There is much to admire and learn from each of these stories. Perhaps they will also be useful to you.
336 pages, Paperback
Published April 16, 2024
2 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 11, 2025
I read "River Rescue" by Les Bechtel and Slim Ray to learn about the dangers of whitewater and how rescues are performed. I was researching the info for a book I was writing, but found the whole process fascinating. The foreward to that book was written by Charlie Walbridge who appears to be the foremost expert in the field. I live in Buena Vista, Colorado on the Upper Arkansas River, so when my river rat buddy Dr. Chris Walters offered to loan me this new book of Walbridge's, I jumped at it.
"Whitewater Rescues" is an extraordinary collection of true-life stories drawn from the author's decades of river-running experience (and the American Whitewater Accident Database). Each account captures the danger, quick thinking, and teamwork that define whitewater rescue, while providing both drama and valuable safety lessons. Walbridge’s "inside baseball" knowledge as a paddler, guide, and safety advocate gives the book credibility—he understands not just what went wrong, but how people survived. The result is a compelling mix of crazy river tales and moments of courage that honor the people who risk everything to master this powerful force of nature.
"Whitewater Rescues" is an extraordinary collection of true-life stories drawn from the author's decades of river-running experience (and the American Whitewater Accident Database). Each account captures the danger, quick thinking, and teamwork that define whitewater rescue, while providing both drama and valuable safety lessons. Walbridge’s "inside baseball" knowledge as a paddler, guide, and safety advocate gives the book credibility—he understands not just what went wrong, but how people survived. The result is a compelling mix of crazy river tales and moments of courage that honor the people who risk everything to master this powerful force of nature.
December 12, 2024
I like the focus on studying what worked, but this book seems like more of a collection than a study and didn’t seem to analyze incidents to highlight things that made a successful outcome more likely, and often, because these stories tend to focus on the climax of the incident, there’s not enough info for a reader to be able to analyze on their own either. A few takeaways:
CPR can be effective on people who have drowned- do it!
Be prepared with swiftwater rescue training, but also how you will use it. Time is essential and we’re unlikely to magically be thinking rationally in the moment. That being said, be open to adapting.
CPR can be effective on people who have drowned- do it!
Be prepared with swiftwater rescue training, but also how you will use it. Time is essential and we’re unlikely to magically be thinking rationally in the moment. That being said, be open to adapting.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews