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July 2nd was a sad day in the Alaskan boating community as the extremely well liked "Geno" Shumar met death in the frigid waters of Eagle River.
Geno, a Class IV-V boater, met misfortune in the Class II waters of Anchorage's local Eagle River. He was running the short bridge to bridge run that has become popular with the new boat launch.
Geno was playing in the new whirlpool rapid that was created in the 100 year flood two years ago. The rapid was a left hand corner with the first half of the corner on a 30' cut bank that formed the whirlpool at the end. Just past this the shore was fairly thick with alders and sweepers.
Preliminary reports from his boating companion that day are that Geno flipped and wet-exited at the whirlpool. He made it to shore between the cut bank and the sweepers. AS companion atempted to get over to help he watche Geno slip back in the water due to the slippriness of the clay shore there.
Geno was attempting to get back to the shore and his companion saw him coming into the sweepers and was yelling for him to get back out into the current where he would've been safer. Unforntunately either Geno did not hear him or didn't percieve the danger that was there.
Geno was swept under a sweeper and after fifteen minutes his companion went for help seeing that he could offer no aid. This young man is suffering alot of torteous feelings right now second guessing himself. Looks as if he made the best decisions though.
Geno's body was found a couple hours later a couple miles down stream. Geno was a three boater with many acomplishments to his credit. he was a go for it guy that one would've never expected such a death on such an "easy" section. Sweepers are a threat though and hopefully Geno's death will keep us consious of kust how serious the threats of sweepers are.
Danny L. Crow
P.S. Will post details
if different as they come. The kayaking community was meeting with
Geno's companion this evening for a debriefing. We want to offer
our prayers to Geno's fiancee and his family and to Eric the young lad
he was boating with.