BOLTON, Conn. (AP) — Two men are dead after a canoe overturned on a Connecticut lake Wednesday, authorities said.
Environmental conservation police responded after the canoe overturned on Lower Bolton Lake, about 15 miles east of Hartford, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
One man was pulled from the water and pronounced dead at a hospital. Emergency responders recovered the body of a second man later in the evening. Both men were believed to have been in the canoe when it overturned, according to the environmental agency.
Neither man was identified.
The lake is a popular spot for swimming, canoeing and fishing.
Dave S.
Member
Registered: 11/01/07
Posts: 346
Loc: Coventry, ct
Wow, that is awful! I drive by there on my way home from work everyday and saw that yesterday but didn't know what happened. More proof that everyone needs to wear a life vest this time of year with the water as cold as it is.
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2266
Loc: Tolland CT
From the Connecticut March 2024 Boaters Guide:
Connecticut Life Jacket and Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Laws. There must be a wearable life jacket for each person aboard every vessel in Connecticut. Each life jacket must be readily accessible and properly fit the intended wearer. Life jackets must be worn by anyone in or operating a manually propelled vessel from October 1st through May 31st.
In addition, life jackets must: Be U.S. Coast Guard approved, Have a legible label, Be in serviceable condition, meaning all straps, buckles, seams, and material are in good condition, intact, and able to perform.
I've seen it first hand . They hit the water and the cold shock can make you involuntary suck up a lung full of water and it's all over . The guy I pulled out of the CT River had about a minute left to live . I sometimes wonder if he knows how close to death he was .
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"Politically correct" was initially coined by Leon Trotsky to refer favorably to those whose views remained in sync with the ever-shifting Bolshevik Party line. This was important, as "not PC" people risked prison or death.
cat_in_the_hat
Member
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2266
Loc: Tolland CT
The guy at Cabelas who properly fitted me 10 years ago is the reason my wife is not a widow. I made a foolish decision, but one made while wearing the vest that allowed me to make shore.
I wish they would emphasize it in the reporting when the victims are not wearing PFD's. Maybe eventually, people will understand the dangers of cold water immersion without proper gear and flotation devices.
Don P
Member
Registered: 05/03/07
Posts: 19718
Loc: CLINTON, CT
I rowed throughout high school & college in Buffalo. We rowed in rough water, and cold water between icebergs, but those were the good old days. Most of our rowing was in fairly protected canals (along the Niagara River, narrow lakes and canals in Canada, Syracuse, etc).
No Way should a coach take rowing shells with anyone let alone kids out into LIS this time of year with such cold water temps, and with wind/chop. The coach should be fired for very poor judgement, risk to minors and also be sued personally and club/school by the 27 members of the rowing team (24 rowers and 3 coxswains), and those in the coach boat that was swamped.
I started wearing my Astral YTV PFD while fishing on my 24 foot seaway HTS. I’m a good swimmer and freedive spearfish. I however do not swim well if unconscious. The YTV is very comfortable and cost $140, never needs service, and I wear it. When I whitewater kayaked you had to wear a pfd. No one but the squirt boaters even gave it a thought. I have two inflatables that are available for guest, if they can’t swim or under 12 pfds are mandatory. I fish anywhere from inshore to 50 mile out and had a good friend loose his son at sea, never found a body. I don’t want to do that to my family!
I know Chris and his dad very well. Very, very sad. I'm afraid to find out the names of the others, I probably know them too. Grim.
While there's no excuse for hauling ass in the dark, the DEEP saying the wall is well marked is bs. People run up on that damn wall every year, lucky there aren't more fatalities. It's especially hazardous for boats coming from the SE, you can see two lighthouses and a bell but the wall lurks in the dark. These guys were supposedly at a wedding on block.
Does anyone know? Did that Boat completely go over the wall to the other side? According to what I read they found that Boat over in front of Harbor 1 marina, been in that River many times and the information doesn’t make sense to me?
That’s odd….they should be back on top by now. With the current coming out of the river, and the current of LIS tides I would think they’re on the surface out in LIS…..but there are a lot of smart agencies and smart people with more info on where they started in the water….so they should have a pretty good idea where they are with the start location, river flow and LIS flow.
I forgot how long it takes for the body to float after someone drowns, but it’s several days before that happens, but I agree by now I would think the bodies would be on surface floating?
Don P
Member
Registered: 05/03/07
Posts: 19718
Loc: CLINTON, CT
Originally Posted By: Gone Bunkers
Does anyone know? Did that Boat completely go over the wall to the other side? According to what I read they found that Boat over in front of Harbor 1 marina, been in that River many times and the information doesn’t make sense to me?
I don’t know either….but they said they hit about 9:15PM and Monday it was an 11:06PM high tide there….so they hit a lot of rock but at speed could easily go over the breakwall straight or flipping. There is fairly minor bow tip damage but boats plane up high at speed, and you can see massive damage on the bottom of the hull 6’+ from the bow, and probably most of the bottom from there to stern. My guess is they ended up on the West side of the East wall they hit and in the channel.
It could happen a million different ways, but looks like they hit at speed bow up, then as rock intact was made the port side tipped port and grazed rocks…the boat could have continued rolling to port or that rock could have then thrown the boat rolling to starboard……boat could have landed hull down or a combination if it was rolling in the air. However it happened it was a brutal crash and landing.
Can’t imagine as a parent, family and friends waiting to hear every second of every day since if they found the bodies….Awful.
Has anyone heard the latest on the other 6 of 9 hospitalized? They said the supposed driver was in critical condition. Thought I heard at least 1 was released fairly early on after the accident.
The story I got was that they saw the wall at the last moment, swerved to the East(right), and clipped the pylon with a glancing hit on the port side. That accentuated the roll, as the pylon skirt is tapered. Apparently the men were behind the center console, ladies up front. The men took the t-top on the head when it collapsed, either by contact with the pylon or when it hit the water at speed. The people up front were thrown clear. The man in the hospital was pulled out of the water by the women. I won't be surprised if some of what I was told isn't 100% accurate, but the damage fits the story.
Nick_S
Member
Registered: 07/15/14
Posts: 955
Loc: Wallingford, CT
Damn. Hate to see this. I've been running and gunning the river for 14 years in my CC and prob 10 years before that in my aluminum and this has to be the worst story in my time.
Plenty of night trips and re-entries back into the river. Yes the Eastern wall is tricky at night, but we live in an age of Super accurate digital mapping and sonar. This never should have happened. It's the captains job to get people home safe. Guessing the captain wasn't experienced. Maybe not his boat(dads?). Either way we all need to approach the river with caution at night.
New guys on the river...
The flats on the east side give you a narrow window to run through if you aren't using the channel inbetween the walls. Most use this area because it's no wake inside the walls. Always slow down when entering the area at dark. Zoom in on previous tracks out to find your way in. Overlay radar if you have it to see the obstructions. Never take anything for granted, bad things happen fast on the water.
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