After Bolton drowning, outdoors experts, public health officials stress water safety at swimming holes
July 7, 2023 | By Lisa ScagliottiIn the wake of the drowning death of a college student at Bolton Potholes on the 4th of July, outdoor recreation experts and public health officials are urging the public to use caution when visiting swimming holes and especially to recognize when it is not safe to get into the water.
Erin De Vries is the conservation director of the nonprofit Vermont River Conservancy organization that has worked to conserve the Bolton Potholes in 2018 and has since added safety messaging and public information to the popular site along Joiner Brook in Bolton.
“Vermont River Conservancy is extremely saddened by the tragic death of Samuel Paprin. Our hearts break for the young man’s family and friends in Connecticut and Vermont,” De Vries wrote in a statement following the news of the death of 20-year-old Paprin, a St. Michael’s College student from Greenwich, Connecticut. “We are grateful to all who responded on the scene including State Police, Bolton Fire Department, Richmond Fire Department, and Richmond Rescue as well as the people on site at the time,” she said.
Members of multiple local rescue agencies converge at Bolton Potholes in May 2022 for a search and rescue mission. UVM student and Vermont National Guard Member Cody Surprise, 21, drowned in that incident. Photo courtesy Richmond Rescue
Paprin’s was the seventh documented drowning death at the potholes, the most recent was just over a year ago. Michael Chiarella, director of operations for Richmond Rescue, confirmed that Paprin — like previous drowning victims at Bolton Potholes — jumped into the Eagle's Eye Pool and was unable to swim out. “The water level was high from rain in the previous days. Our message to swimmers is to stay out of frothy water. It is impossible to stay afloat or breathe in frothy water no matter how strong a swimmer you are,” Chiarella said.
De Vries agreed with that message. “Bolton Potholes has been loved by generations of swimmers, but its turbulent waters can also be extremely dangerous. This is especially true when water is moving rapidly downstream after heavy rain, as was the case on July 4th,” she wrote in a statement to share with the public. “Swift currents in streams and brooks create foamy, bubbling water and challenge even the strongest swimmers.”
The River Conservancy’s work has allowed for public access on the private land that contains the Bolton Potholes. The group has added signs and made trail improvements and has had some on-site visitor education efforts to raise public awareness of the hazards sometimes present in running water such as the brook flowing down the mountainside in Bolton.
“Across the state, more than a quarter-million residents and visitors enjoy Vermont swimming holes each year,” De Vries said. “Whether getting to a waterway for the first time, or arriving at a favorite swimming hole, it is extremely important to know your surroundings.”
Tips to those looking to swim in a running brook or river includes:
Avoid swimming 24 hours after a heavy rain.
Scan the area for any dangerous rocks, outcroppings, or man-made structures that may pose a risk.
Look closely at the surface water. If there is a strong current or frothy water, do not go in.
Check the water temperature. Cold water drops core body temperature resulting in the inability to control muscles.
Additional information and links from the Vermont Department of Health is in the July 5 update below.
See previous posts below.
Update: Bolton drowning victim was a St. Michael’s College student
July 5, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti The young man who lost his life in a swimming accident at Bolton Potholes on the 4th of July was a student at St. Michael’s College less than a month from celebrating his 21st birthday.
The medical examiner lists the cause and manner of death as accidental drowning in a death certificate for Samuel Most Paprin. The certificate issued by the Vermont Department of Health on Wednesday lists Paprin’s hometown as Greenwich, Connecticut, and his birthdate as August 7, 2002.
On Tuesday afternoon, Paprin was at the popular and sometimes dangerous swimming hole along the Bolton Valley Access Road when he got caught in a strong current, according to state police. He was pulled from the water and taken by ambulance to UVM Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
State Health Department officials remind the public to exercise caution when swimming in streams and rivers, especially after rainfall when water levels run high and fast, creating dangerous currents and containing underwater hazards.
An online bulletin from the department dated June 2022 notes that, “In recent years, multiple drownings have occurred at Huntington Gorge, Cobb Brook, Bolton Potholes, Dog’s Head Falls, Saxtons River, Hamilton Falls and New Haven River. Be cautious in these areas.”
Paprin’s death is the seventh documented fatality at Bolton Potholes.
Public safety officials urge swimmers to check water and weather conditions. “Swollen rivers and fast-moving currents can create dangerous conditions for days after a heavy rain event. Check the forecast — flash flooding can quickly turn a quiet spot into raging water.
Among tips for swimmers, officials remind people not to swim alone and to observe conditions before going into running water. “Watch the currents and listen for the sound of unusually loud rushing water. Natural waters can have hidden dangers below the surface, like formations that create a suction. Toss in a stick or short branch. If it is swept away or sucked underwater, stay out and don’t take chances,” the Health Department advice states.
It also cautions against swimming above or underneath waterfalls and to not overestimate one’s abilities. More tips on summer recreation safety including being on and in the water both swimming and boating is online on the Health Department website.
Richmond Rescue was involved in the emergency call at Bolton Potholes on the 4th. In a Wednesday Facebook post about the tragedy, the first-responder agency noted that the Bolton swimming hole has been the site of more fatalities in recent years than Huntington Gorge in nearby Huntington. Since the 1950s, the gorge has claimed at least 26 lives, the most recent, however, was in 2015.
“The Potholes are dangerous,” the post says. “We urge the public to find a safer place to swim.”
Original post below
20-year-old drowns at Bolton Potholes
July 4, 2023 | By Lisa Scagliotti Vermont State Police are investigating an apparent drowning of a 20-year-old from Connecticut at Bolton Potholes on Tuesday, July 4.
Shortly after 8 p.m., state police issued a news release of a death investigation. Det. Trooper Matthew Chin reported that police were notified of the incident at 4:29 p.m. and troopers responded to the popular swimming area in Bolton.
Subsequent investigation determined that Samuel Paprin, age 20, of Greenwich, Connecticut, had been caught in the rapids while swimming and became unresponsive, police said. He was taken by ambulance to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington where he was pronounced dead, according to Chin’s release.
Richmond Rescue, Richmond Fire Department and Bolton Fire Department assisted on this call.
The incident is the first summertime drowning in Vermont and the seventh known fatality at the potholes, a popular swimming hole along the Bolton Valley Access Road. The most recent was just over a year ago. On May 21, 2022, 21-year-old University of Vermont junior and Vermont National Guard member Cody Surprise drowned in strong currents in one of the site’s pools. The swimming hole is known to pose dangers to even the strongest swimmers, particularly after heavy rains when the water is high.
The investigation into Paprin’s death is ongoing. Chin said police ask anyone with any information regarding Tuesday’s incident to contact the state police Williston barracks at 802-878-7111.