An Epsom kayaker came dangerously close to drowning on Sunday, Aug. 10, when his kayak got stuck on a fallen tree in the Suncook River.

It took rescue crews about 45 minutes to get to Dennis Jenkerson, 43, who was clinging to the tree as the waters, swollen from the recent rains, rushed by him.

Epsom Police Chief Wayne Preve said Jenkerson’s head was just above the water when crews arrived, and he was conscious and alert.

Officer Brian Flemming was the first to respond to the call, which came in just after 3 p.m., and saw Jenkerson trapped in his kayak in the river just east of McDonald’s on Dover Road. Preve said Jenkerson’s kayak had become snagged on the fallen tree and his legs were stuck inside it.

“It was going at a pretty good clip down there,” said Preve of the rushing Suncook.

The kayak was filling with water, and could have dragged Jenkerson down had he not been hanging onto the tree trunk, Preve said.

Firefighters from Epsom, Concord and Chichester went out in a boat to get Jenkerson and also got stuck on the tree. They were able to get out of the river safely with the help of others on shore, Preve said.

Jenkerson was taken to Concord Hospital, Preve said, with what might have been some leg injuries.

Preve said the fallen tree Jenkerson got hung up on resulted from the bank erosion caused in the floods of 2006 and 2007.

“We don’t recommend that people do any kayaking in the river because there’s debris underneath the water that people can’t see,” Preve said.