Off-duty Rochester police officer, son jump into action to rescue capsized kayakers on Clinton River

ROCHESTER (WWJ) — Police officials in Rochester are reminding the public to be safe on the Clinton River after an off-duty police officer jumped into action to save struggling kayakers on Monday.

The officer and his son were biking the trails at Bloomer Park when they heard yelling coming from the river, just north of the bike trail, police said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

They found three kayakers capsized with one pinned against a tree near the shore “desperately trying to hold onto his kayak.”

The officer and his son were able to help pull the three men and two of their three kayaks safely from the river. Police did not say whether the kayakers sustained any injuries during the incident or how long they had been in the water before being rescued.

“The Clinton River can be fun to explore and kayak but after heavy rains water levels can become high with a very fast current,” the police department’s post said.

Some of the river areas in Rochester are listed as “intermediate to advanced,” per the International Scale of River Difficulty , and when heavy rains factor in, they “become even more challenging,” officials said.

“There are many sharp turns and obstacles along the way. High waters and strong currents after a storm can turn this comparable class 1 or 2 river into a class 3, or at times, 4 river quickly,” the post said. “Please be safe, know the river conditions and your skill level, and have fun.”