Yeah, I'm new (again) to the forum, so I'll reply to this lol.
Yes and No, but its hard to say, its depends.
1- I agree, this would have helped, but not always possible to do.
2- No eddy to paddle up, camera man just couldn't get there, also, that would have been the worst place to throw rope from. Also, depending on the experience level of that paddler, rushing into a rescue situation might not have been necesary. I think hitting the shore where he did was a good call.
3- At first, there was no rescue needed, just a guy stuck in a hole, it happens. Once he swam, and didn't come out he was a bit slow, yes. But, he was in a perfect position (as far as I can tell, don't knwo whats down stream) to pull a swimmer to shore (if he had flushed out)
4- Fully agree. Too many people try to coil the rope, and throw the coil. Coil the rope, NEATLY (yes, this takes a few extra seconds, but it ensures a clean throw) and then throw the bag, not the coil (this is a skill people should try, its practiced in SRT courses, and is something not many people think about, I think)
5- Rope throw (1st) was alright, but not great. Second sucked, period. Wasn't in a great eddy, so getting out could be tricky, gotta give him some slack there. The fact that no one else jumped out to help is what bothers me, BUT, too many people throwing ropes can actually get tangled together, making a bad situation worse.
This is just the way I see it
jer