I just got back from the Upper G, and while it was a total blast, i was always nervous about the sieves and undercuts, they're EVERYWHERE.    My buddy rock spatted what appeared to be a flat rock, his boat and him were sucked under,  and spit out the underside, friggin scary.  

On a brighter note, met up with JP and a bunch of others out east,  the scene at Pillow and Sweets was awesome!!!   I splatted postage due, and was pulled 8 feet up onto the rock by a mob of people only to be showered with Jagermeister and beer for my efforts, when i told the mob i wanted to seal launch back in, they insisted i be picked up and thrown from the rock...  it was in no position to argue, so about 15 people lifted me above their heads,  while in my boat,  and threw me back into the water...  only in WV...

Here is the link....(for monday)

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/103358609.html

swimming on the Gauley is ok in most places - I swam the whole thing on a riverboard a few years ago and it was a hoot. Staying safe on the G is more an issue of making sure you don't go in the wrong place and put yourself in position to swim into something bad. Knowledge of the river is key - as in your example of kayakers dying in Initiation (I believe you meant this one and not Insig). This is one where the move is a straight shot through a wave train as long as you know to stay on the left side of the river, but someone blunders into the pin spot every few years.

The bottom line is that the most important thing you can do when you head to the Gauley is follow someone's lines who really knows the hazards.

ok, I've "fallen out of" plenty of different crafts on the Gauley with no board or fins over the years, and to me it all seems a lot like swimming. As long as you know where the hazards are and have not put yourself in a position to swim in front of one of them, it's not that big a deal. Once again, knowledge is the key.