Date of Event: 3/2/2019
Canyon involved: Rocky Creek
Region: South Wolgan, NSW
Country: Australia
Submitted by: Hank Moon
Source: Rob Largent via OzCanyons FB group
Injury: Twisted knee
Description of Event, by Rob Largent:
I’d like to comment on the incredible skills and talents of the canyoning community. On Saturday, 2 March: after finishing Twister and eating half a lunch at the beginning of Rocky Creek, our group climbed down the hole and set up a camera to take photos through the canyon – and to just have a good time. While still near the beginning area, several people appeared as they were floating an injured woman on a lilo. A group separate to the injured woman’s group happened to have a lilo and donated it to be used as a floating stretcher in the water and as a not-so-floating stretcher over the rocks. Together they had hauled her up to the climb-down, climb-up hole at the start of Rocky Creek.
The woman had a shorty wetsuit, good footwear and a helmet. She was adequately dressed for a canyon. Additionally, she had an appropriately sized party. She had put her foot in a hole and fell over in a twisting manner with her jammed foot unable to move. This took out her knee and she was not able to use her leg for support or for movement. She was in intense pain.
While working out how to get her to the top of the hole I stated that I left my rope at the car and a member of yet another group said that he had 50 metres and a harness. We set up with a 2 to 1 mechanical advantage and then six people slowly pulled half a meter at a time while people at the top and bottom kept her aligned in the hole. Once at the top the lilo was used as a bed with a space blanket over her.
An advantage that we had over other groups is that we had a medical doctor with us. In a quick discussion it was clear that the best course of action was to use a PLB. We know that a PLB is a device of last resort and the decision to use it here was based upon a real need and a quiet consensus. With the decision being made, at 2:30pm the PLB was activated.
As other groups were emerging from their Rocky Creek excursions, one group was asked to call triple-o as soon as they had reception to alert or confirm that there was an injury at Rocky Creek, that a PLB had been deployed and to give some details. Half an hour later another exiting group was asked to call triple-o to double confirm the incident.
The helicopter arrived at about 4:30pm and started a grid search. Four people who had climbed to the highest points that they could get to were armed with colourful clothing as flags and were now violently waving these over their heads. On the ground near the injury four people took a second space blanket and holding it taut, used it as a mirror trying to show a bright spot in a dark canyon. Two paramedics were lowered down. When there were a few seconds to converse with a paramedic I asked if they were alerted by the PLB or by the triple-o calls. The answer was PLB.
Every group in the canyon helped or offered to help. There were people who did not know each other working beautifully together; loaning or even giving away gear. About half an hour after the paramedics arrived our group left heading back to the cars.
Sometimes accidents occur even when wearing all the right gear. Sometimes people just slip, trip, fall or take out a knee. I don’t know the people that I met on Saturday but there was an impressive amount of skill and talent displayed by them and I appreciate their desire to use it to help an injured person that they (and I) didn’t know. I really hope that the person who gave up his lilo gets it back.
I am hoping that this is seen as an expression of what happened from my point of view. In my own way it is also letting you know that your fellow canyoner is a person who has for years been refining their skillset. I saw it in action on Saturday.