STANISLAUS COUNTY, Calif. — It's been two weeks since the usual busy season wrapped up at the Modesto Reservoir, but a Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office boat was still making patrols Sunday as yet another family mourned on the reservoir's banks
On Saturday morning, a 49-year-old man drowned in the reservoir while catching clams with a friend, family members said while setting up a memorial Sunday. The man's family declined to provide his name, in shock that the son, brother and good friend could be gone so soon.
"You feel very safe because there's a lot of areas you can literally walk over," said reservoir visitor Elizabeth Lanto. "But, there's patches probably where it drops off."
Family members said the man got caught in one of the sudden underwater drops.
"I saw quite a commotion of people gathering and then, in a matter of five minutes, the helicopter was here and took off," said Stephen Wong, who witnessed the recovery while camping Saturday.
In just a few minutes, a tragedy repeated itself. The drowning marks the 10th in Stanislaus County so far this year, topping the previous annual record of eight drownings in one year.
"Prayers out to their family," Wong said. "It's really unfortunate. You would hope that on a nice weekend like this, everyone is taking the precautions."
First responders also hope people take precautions like wearing life jackets, which Wong and his family prioritize before getting in the water. But, not all families are the same.
"I'm part of the problem too," Lanto said. "(My kids are) not wearing jackets, but again, we're under the assumption like, 'Oh, it's safe. We can walk. It's not that deep.'"
Lanto's assumption and sense of safety were challenged Saturday, watching the tragic recovery from afar and after a full-speed jet ski narrowly missed one of her children who was swimming.
"Next year, I think we're definitely going to be wearing the jackets," Lanto said. "They were giving out free life jackets, which I thought was very thoughtful."
The free life jackets can be requested all day on weekends at the reservoir's main dock or at the main entrance station on weekdays.
Out of the tragedy comes change for Lanto and her kids — something that first responders and the victim's family said they hope to see more of before it's too late.
"It's sad that you come out here to have a good time and it ends in tragedy," Lanto said.
Watch more from ABC10: Stanislaus County officials urge caution after spike in drownings
