August 3, 2007
Waterfall Accidents An Unnecessary Tragedy
With two confirmed waterfall accidents this year in WNC, I have to pull out a little bit of harsh reality and look at this situation from a different angle. Waterfall injuries and even deaths are far too common, and it is absolutely senseless that anyone should have to suffer like this in connection with one of nature’s most beautiful creations. Historically, people are injured and die each year at North Carolina’s many waterfalls, and all of the occurrences have a common thread: the person slips and falls at the top of the falls, or (more rarely) is swept over the falls by a strong current. All judgment aside for anyone who’s ever fallen at a waterfall, this goes out to anyone who is considering doing it in the future. Folks, the solution to this problem is pretty simple.
Don’t do it. Do not EVER put yourself in a situation where a slip could send you over a waterfall. Do not climb across the creek at the top of a falls. Do not swim in a pool right above a waterfall. Do not climb the rocks beside a waterfall. Just use common sense!
I would think that people’s self-preservation instinct would tell them this already. But apparently not. Nothing except perhaps drunk driving burns me up more than people falling off a waterfall. The sad thing is that if you aren’t concerned about your life enough to keep from deliberately putting yourself in danger, you obviously don’t care about your family who must suffer the tremendous emotional and perhaps financial consequences of your decision, the rescue workers who risk their own life to haul you out of the woods, or the innocent bystanders who just don’t deserve to have to watch someone suffer a horrible death on what should have been a pleasant hike to the waterfall.
Consider the death at Moore Cove Falls last year. As if this wasn’t bad enough, it happened directly in front of his new fiancé and other families and children who were visiting the falls that day.
Most of our waterfalls are already named, and we won’t be renaming them after you when you fall.
brittany said,
November 17, 2007 @ 2:53 pm
wow, reading this makes me understand why i question humanity and the lack of compassion this society has. ever heard of an accident? they happen everyday. i have to wonder if you witnessed this accident, since you seem so sure that common sense was not used. were you there? your insensitive comments are unappreciated and unwarrented. i wonder how you can write such hurtful things, mr. mitchell. just remember that your sarcastic comments are hurtful to those who were friends and family of this man. i just hope that after all they’ve already been through, especially his fiance who i’m sure was traumatized after witnessing this accident, never have to read your comments.
Jordan Mitchell said,
November 22, 2007 @ 11:23 am
Brittany,
I understand how you could see this post as being insensitive or un-compassionate. However, the point of it is not to be hurtful, or sarcastic. The point is to bring to light a harsh reality - as I stated - that this kind of accident is unnecessary. Any kind of outdoor recreational activities are risky, and yes, accidents do happen. I have nothing but compassion for the family and the observers involved in this case. This post isn’t meant for them and honestly I hope they never have to read it either. But what about the families of those who inevitably will do this again in the future?
Falling off the top of a waterfall is no more an accident than getting behind the wheel while drunk, and then crashing. It’s a conscious decision that is made and it’s a tragedy to everyone else involved. Unfortunately, I don’t have to witness a waterfall accident - nor a drunk driving crash - to know with certainty that common sense was discarded.