I am a weekly visitor to the Blue Hole and I too am sick of seeing this beautiful place being trashed. My friends and I are not able to go the main hole at the end of the worn trail due to the broken glass, fear of being attacked by one of the many drunken and high men or because it's just depressing to see a bunch of young kids getting drunk.
The last time I was at the main hole I sliced my foot open on a broken beer bottle. The time before that my best friend cut her hand open on another beer bottle.
We've since found a spot that's rarely used and more private. Unfortunately, as there have been more and more visitors lately I've noticed diapers, clothing, cans, bottles, and boxes pilling up in our area as they've washed downstream. It's so sad to see.
This past Sunday a young man came running down the trail screaming for a phone, I stopped him and made a call 911 for him. Apparently his highly drunken friend had been climbing the cliff on the other side of the water when he fell head first into a few feet of water slicing his head open from ear to ear. I immediately ran back to perform some first aid and found a group of extremely drunk kids trying to calm the severely injured young man. His head was so badly cut his skull was visible. EMS was there shortly, but he could have died.
From now on when I see people bringing in alcohol I will made it a point to call police in, and I would recommend that others do the same. I'm sick of this beautiful places becoming trashed and people injuring themselves.
Brittany Golden
Brittanydachick@aol.com
Hixson
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I could not agree more with Ms. Golden, but the Blue Hole has been this way for as long as I can remember.
It is well known not to leave any valuables in your car while visiting the pocket wilderness; the area seems to be a magnet for auto theft and vandalism. When visiting with my wife and daughter I too avoid the main swimming area like the plague, it's just not worth having to deal with the drunken kids and trash.
Stepped up enforcement would help tremendously in containing the problems most have encountered. It only takes a short time to get the problem under control before the word spreads about the increased enforcement.
Please take the time to pack out what you pack in no matter where you are and remember that we are all stewards of our environment.
Bo Coppinger
Chattanooga
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In response to Ms. Golden's opinion on the Blue Hole, please remember that opinions are one thing and stories are another. I am going to address the story part of the accident last Sunday.
The 911 call was made by an adult female (late 20s) who was a member of the group. If you made a 911 call for a kid who was drunk, be aware that he was not in any way connected to the man who fell or the people with him. And I can only hope that you did report the drunk kid to the police.
If this "group of extremely drunk kids" as you called them were indeed that, don't you think that the Soddy-Daisy police would have arrested them or issued tickets? Both the police and the paramedics stated that this was just an unfortunate accident. The people involved in the incident were not drunk nor were they underage. Neither tickets nor arrests were done by the police. No parents of minors were called nor were intoxicated minors taken into custody. If the man who was hurt was a minor do you not think they would have gotten in touch with his parents? If all the people in the group were drunk kids do you really think that the police would allow them to drive away from the site?
I don't know on whom you performed first aid on or what first aid you performed. However, it wasn't the adult who was hurt, unless you are a male rock climber. To the male rock climber I can only say "Thanks!" His quick thinking and cool head helped everyone.
The only "kids" in the group were children ages 3 through 7. They were removed from the scene by another adult female. She did receive help from some adult men in carrying the children over water and obstacles. To those men I thank you for your assistance. It was a long hike with some upset kids. How nice to know that there are still some good guys out there willing to help without any thought of themselves.
What did happen is that a group of adults in their mid- to late 20s and their children went out for a swim on Father's day. Most had never been there before and didn't have a clue what a hike it is to get there. Once there, one of the men was climbing a tree to get onto a rock that many jump from. He slipped on the tree and fell approximately 15 feet to the ground and landed in the water where he cut his head open on a rock. Yes, you could see his skull. The victim was coherent and not “extremely drunk”. Yes, there was an initial concern regarding loss of blood and it did appear to be a severe wound.
Both the Soddy-Daisy police and the paramedics are to be commended for their care of all involved in this accident. What a hike for them to have to carry someone back to the ambulance.
Oh, and if you wonder about the victim, well, he was released on Tuesday and is doing well.
It is fine that you have an opinion about the Blue Hole. It is commendable that you want to see our natural resources not trashed. But please get your facts straight before you report them and verbally trash people you know nothing about. There is a difference between an opinion and the facts. Since you are concerned about this area then organize a cleanup party. Maybe that would be a positive influence on the people who do leave behind physical trash in this area.
I am responding because the women mentioned above are my adult daughters. The "kids" are my grandchildren so it is my family you are writing about. The last I checked all of my children were over the age of 21.
I am glad that others that were present know the truth. This is The Chattanoogan and not the National Enquirer.
Kathleen Derrick
Hixson