On june 2, 2912, just before 4:pm, two people came out to the beach area located in front of the inn.  Operator drank a little less than half of a 24 ounce bud light in a can and occupant drank about half a peach fuzzy navel in a glass bottle.  The hotel manager and the sheriff's department on scene also stated that they had consumed some alcohol in their room when they had checked in about 3:00pm.  The manager said she saw an empty alcohol bottle in the room, but did not say what kind.  The couple got into a canoe which was at the beach area or on the grass beside the beach area.  The beach area is located beside a wooden dock where three girls were tanning.  They all saw the couple's pfds in the boat but said neither operator nor occupant was wearing one.  Operator and occupant paddled out approximately 25 yards from shore.  The canoe tipped over and the couple went overboard into the water.  The girls on the dock asked if they needed help and occupant said "no".  Occupant also said operator could swim.  Operator tried to flip the canoe back over and started to swim back in.  He yelled "help" and went under the water.  Two people went into the water to try and find operator.  While this was happening, the third called 911.  This was at 4:04pm.  The simmers were unable to locate operator.  One person got in single person canoe and tried to use a paddle to locate operator, but was unsuccessful.  The contributing factors in this accident are that both subjects in the boat had consumed some amount of alcohol before going out on the water.  The subjects in the boat, although not required by law, were not wearing pfds and the vessel may have been overloaded.  The 14ft approximate size canoe did not display a capacity plate for passengers or weight.  The canoe was an older model fiberglass canoe that had been painted over several times.  The canoe also had lower sides than some.  Operators weight according to his sc drivers license states his weight at 285 pounds.  Occupant' weight according to her sc driver license in 2007 indicated her weight was 220 pounds which is a low estimate.  The combined weight of both operator and occupant puts the weight in the canoe at 505 lbs.  Any shift in weight or quick movements would cause a canoe to capsize.


HENDERSONVILLE                