Bend ‘water rescue’ actually stuck kayak retrieval

What might have appeared to onlookers to be a rescue on a fast-running stretch of the Deschutes River in Bend Friday morning actually was officials helping a kayaker recover his craft, which the current had lodged against a rock in the riverr, officials said.

Two kayakers were paddling just above the Bill Healy Bridge shortly before 9 a.m. when one kayak was forced against a large rock in the middle of the river, said Bend Fire Department Battalion Chief Dave Howe.

Bend fire crews were called in just before 9 a.m. to check on the pair and help recover the kayak, which was wrapped around a rock upstream from the Bill Healy Bridge, he said.

The fire department used a rubber raft and five personnel to reach, free and bring the kayak to shore in about a 30-minute operation, Howe said.

“Before you venture onto the river, be aware of the power of moving water and the hazards associated with river activities,” Howe said in a news release, also reminding river users to always wear a personal flotation device and to abstain from alcoholic beverages until safely back to shore.