Grand River Rescue

Two Michigan kayakers recently met their guardian angels in the unlikely form of fishermen. According to a WOODTV.com story, three fishermen pulled two kayakers out of Michigan's Grand River this weekend after their craft flipped over. If the men hadn't raced to the rescue, police say the kayakers may have drowned.

This Sunday, Richard and Shannon Briggs went out kayaking on Michigan's Grand River where three men, Nate Wellman, his father Ross Wellman and friend David Van Ens, were fishing. As the Briggs kayaked past, the men warned the kayakers that they were approaching a dangerous section of rapids. Unfortunately, Shannon and Richard Briggs didn't heed the warning.

The two went over a steep drop in the river known as a low-head dam, which caused their kayak to flip over. Luckily, the fishermen were quick to react. They pulled up anchor, fired up the motor on their fishing boat and sped toward the Briggs, saving them from the waters in the nick of time. Unfortunately, the small dog that accompanied the Briggs' didn't fare so well. He drowned in the turbulent waters.

And while the Briggs' story is certainly miraculous, there may be good news on the horizon for other kayakers out there, too. One group, Grand Rapids Whitewater, aims to re-engineer the turbulent river to remove the low-head dams and restore more natural rapids to the Michigan river. If the changes are implemented, Grand Rapids Whitewater's cofounder, Chip Richards, says that the river will be more aesthetically pleasing, better for fishing and much safer for kayakers.

Photo courtesy of Tumi-1983 via Wikimedia Commons.