Body found near Laurel Falls, Hampton, TN

[Wise Old Owl]

At the bottom of the Johnson city press people can say what they want but I found this interesting

Mayor writes:

July 6, 2012



It is sad. However, there is no "strong current" or "hydraulic" at the bottom of Laurel Falls; especially at its current low level. It is highly unlikely that the body was pinned underneath the supposed shelf by the alleged strong current.

Also, the 2nd body was seen floating in the pool by a helicopter on the next day? That doesn't make a lot of sense. Weren't there any rescue personell at the pool? Wouldn't they have seen the body floating?

As a witness at the scene, I was fairly unimpressed with the rescue.

Read more: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News...#ixzz203knTEoS

Some outstanding thoughtless posts in the newspaper website...

Mrs Cope I understand your loss and as troubling as it is, I urge you please to upload a picture of the family and update the "about me" as a testament for your family. If you need help, or a funeral card on the website feel free to contact me for support by clicking on my name and private message.

[tridavis]

?At the bottom of the Johnson city press people can say what they want but I found this interesting

Mayor writes:

July 6, 2012



It is sad. However, there is no "strong current" or "hydraulic" at the bottom of Laurel Falls; especially at its current low level. It is highly unlikely that the body was pinned underneath the supposed shelf by the alleged strong current.

Also, the 2nd body was seen floating in the pool by a helicopter on the next day? That doesn't make a lot of sense. Weren't there any rescue personell at the pool? Wouldn't they have seen the body floating?

As a witness at the scene, I was fairly unimpressed with the rescue.

Read more: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News...#ixzz203knTEoS

Some outstanding thoughtless posts in the newspaper website...

Mrs Cope I understand your loss and as troubling as it is, I urge you please to upload a picture of the family and update the "about me" as a testament for your family. If you need help, or a funeral card on the website feel free to contact me for support by clicking on my name and private message.

Have you personally been in this pool below these falls?? Because after reading your comments, I would say, NO YOU HAVE NOT!! You cannot tell the hydraulics of a waterfall pool by looking at them, the only way to know is to be in it. As a kayak racer for 23 years I can tell you from personal experience that you can only guess as to how bad the pull is going to be.......and if the water is deep at the falls, as was stated that makes it all that much stronger. Just like you can't see the undertow ain the ocean, you can't see the pull in deep water. Now maybe if you go over, jump in and film yourself below the falls, you could show us all just how strong that current is.

[tridavis]

Have you personally been in this pool below these falls?? Because after reading your comments, I would say, NO YOU HAVE NOT!! You cannot tell the hydraulics of a waterfall pool by looking at them, the only way to know is to be in it. As a kayak racer for 23 years I can tell you from personal experience that you can only guess as to how bad the pull is going to be.......and if the water is deep at the falls, as was stated that makes it all that much stronger. Just like you can't see the undertow ain the ocean, you can't see the pull in deep water. Now maybe if you go over, jump in and film yourself below the falls, you could show us all just how strong that current is.

Oppps, I meant to add this to Wise Old Owl's quote about the Mayor....Not Wise Old Owl himslef. Sorry for the confussion.

[Tennessee Viking]

If you look at recent weather patterns for East Tennessee, the area received heavy straight line winds and scatttered heavy down pours. Sudden rainfall can cause the waterflow to increase to dangerous currents at a moments notice.

A warning to all (hikers and non-hikers) from a trail maintainer, if you cannot see the bottom of the splash pool do not attempt to get directly under the falls. It might seem fun and relaxing but the dangers are real of getting sucked under.

And never attempt to climb or jump from the cliffs. Quite a number of people of suffered injuries and death within the last couple of years from area waterfalls. Especially from Laurel Falls. Respect the falls and its waters...keep your distance from the dangers...but enjoy the scenary.

[Wise Old Owl]

Oppps, I meant to add this to Wise Old Owl's quote about the Mayor....Not Wise Old Owl himslef. Sorry for the confussion.

Well that was the confusion I too saw. Mayor is not a WB member its a post under the article - quite stunning... bet you wish you had the edit button - no worry's mate.

[Danl]

I to am very so sorry for your loss. In this day and age a lot of people now open mouth insert foot before realizing that some loved one might be perusing their loved ones life to catch a glimmer to hold onto. Just to add to what WIAPilot so eloquently stated before me, I am sure there was no hesitation on either ones part to try and help the other.

[born2weld]

If you look at recent weather patterns for East Tennessee, the area received heavy straight line winds and scatttered heavy down pours. Sudden rainfall can cause the waterflow to increase to dangerous currents at a moments notice.

A warning to all (hikers and non-hikers) from a trail maintainer, if you cannot see the bottom of the splash pool do not attempt to get directly under the falls. It might seem fun and relaxing but the dangers are real of getting sucked under.

And never attempt to climb or jump from the cliffs. Quite a number of people of suffered injuries and death within the last couple of years from area waterfalls. Especially from Laurel Falls. Respect the falls and its waters...keep your distance from the dangers...but enjoy the scenary.

If I understood right, the undertow at this particular falls extend in to the pool at the bottom past where you would normally expect them. Please everyone be careful, especially at this particular falls.

[Coffee Rules!]

Mrs. Cope, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your husband and son. I can't imagine for even a moment what you must be going through, or the pain you feel. Cherish their memories, and I hope that eventually the ache in your heart will subside to some extent.

[Creek Dancer]

Mrs. Cope - I have been thinking about you and your family ever since I read of your unimaginable loss. The pain must be all consuming.

Not sure if this will help, but I have no doubt that your husband and son were having the time of their lives experiencing the AT! What an amazing adventure for the two of them to backpack along the AT together.

If you or anyone in your family would like to some day retrace the steps of their adventure, please let us here on WB know if you need support, guidance, help or company along the way. I, for one, would find it an honor to help out. Some people may find this kind of pilgramage of sorts to be much too painful to endure, and others may find it healing to see what they saw in their last days. Just an idea...

May you some day come out on the other side of your grief and sadness and feel less pain than you do today.

[Coffee Rules!]

Creek Dancer, that was beautiful.

[ChinMusic]

Creek Dancer, that was beautiful.

She would be a great mentor for such a trip too.

[born2weld]

Thank you so much. It has crossed my mind to hike the part they did to read the log books at the shelters one day.

[born2weld]

I found this article explaining the undertow of the falls. I'm not sure if there's somewhere to post it as a warning to others. http://www.gadailynews.com/news/loca...ng-victim.html

[Captain Blue]

Mrs Cope. I am sorry for your tragic loss. If you wish to hike the part they did and read the shelter registers you should do it sooner rather than later. The shelter registers get replaced periodically. There is no set schedule. You could probably skip most of the hiking and just hike to the shelters from road access points to read the registers.

[MuddyWaters]

I am sorry you have to shoulder the unbearable pain you do, but please at least realize that others will be saved in the future, both at that site and elsewhere, because of your loss. I pray that you can find a little solace in that.

I told my son about it, since we have been in the area up there. When I told him your son was a scout, that hit home since he is too. All of a sudden he realized that could have just as easily been him, and me.

We passed on the news at a scout meeting, some others had already heard too. I imagine this happened similarly many places, and these scouts will have renewed respect for the power of moving water that they will remember their whole lives, and hopefully pass it on and share it with others as well.

[Creek Dancer]

Thank you so much. It has crossed my mind to hike the part they did to read the log books at the shelters one day.

From one mother of a Boy Scout to another, I would be honored to go with you. Perhaps we could just do day hikes to the shelters. PM if you are interested.

Take care, Cindy

[rocketsocks]

I found this article explaining the undertow of the falls. I'm not sure if there's somewhere to post it as a warning to others. http://www.gadailynews.com/news/loca...ng-victim.html

So very sorry for your loss, my family's thought's and prayers are with you during this time. I'm sure I would have enjoyed talking to your husband, as I am a welder as well, and your boy the Red Headed Stranger sounds like a neat kid, just happens to be one of my all time favorite albums given to me by my father back in 1977 when it came out. Thank you so much for posting this article, that you can think of others at this time tells me you are an amazing person, again so very sorry for your loss.

[draagonflies4]

I just read about it and it was a father and son (15) praying for the family. I know loss too well. Lost my 19 yr old in a car accident and I cannot even begin to imagine 2. Life is too precious.

[CrumbSnatcher]

mrs cope, i am truely sorry for your loss

[Mayo]

Have you personally been in this pool below these falls?? Because after reading your comments, I would say, NO YOU HAVE NOT!! You cannot tell the hydraulics of a waterfall pool by looking at them, the only way to know is to be in it. As a kayak racer for 23 years I can tell you from personal experience that you can only guess as to how bad the pull is going to be.......and if the water is deep at the falls, as was stated that makes it all that much stronger. Just like you can't see the undertow ain the ocean, you can't see the pull in deep water. Now maybe if you go over, jump in and film yourself below the falls, you could show us all just how strong that current is.

As a matter of fact, I have swam in this pool at least 50 times. I've also jumped off of the rocks on the right side of the pool, and swam along the entire face of the falls and climbed up them, and also down them from the top. I own a house in Dennis Cove and am very familiar with Laurel fork of the Doe, this waterfall, and the swimming hole where the drownings took place. There are no "dangerous currents" or "undertow", especially at the very low level the creek was at. I was there on 4th of July, and I was actually hiking to the falls right after the 1st body was found. By the way, both hikers were found wearing their hiking shoes; with their swimming shoes next to their backpacks on shore. A much more logical explanation is that one of the hikers was climbing on the rocks near the falls and fell, possibly injuring themselves, and the other went to assist and also drowned.

I am also a kayaker, and I've run this very creek more than once, as well as hiked through it on numerous occasions, so I am very familiar where the dangerous hydraulics are, and aren't. If you look at a picture of this falls ( and the flow was much lower than in the picture in this thread) you'll notice it is not a straight drop, and much of the power generated by the waterfall is dissipated before it ever reaches the pool.


It's uninformed people like Sheriff Mathes, who blamed dangerous currents, that don't know what they are talking about. I guarantee that he has never swam at the falls, so, as you say, he can't tell the hydraulics of the waterfall pool by just looking. He only has a vague understanding of the general concept.


I don't understand how the editorial comment in the Johnson City newspaper can be considered a "outstanding thoughtless post"? It is a terrible tragedy, but I would assume that the wife/mother would want to know what really happened. And, as a witness to the rescue effort, I was also unimpressed with the rescue squad. They were driving numerous ATV's up and down the AT, but nobody seemed to be doing anything. Again, with 30 to 40 rescue squad personel on site, why is it that a helicopter spots the 2nd body floating in the pool 24 hrs later?