... it's even better if you have somebody in their boat in the pool at the base of Spirit (in addition to somebody on the river-right bank directly below Chaos with a throw rope).  I've seen two folks lose their paddles, try hands-rolling, swim above Chaos, and get towed into the river-right eddy above Chaos.  Both of their boats were beaten for 20 minutes in Chaos, and one had to be roped out.  Getting a swimmer out of that eddy is tough - you have to belay them across the cliff directly above Chaos.

Another option for punching your skirt with mittens or hand paddles: pop one knee out of the thigh hook, place your hands against the cockpit rim next to your hips, and ram your knee up through the skirt (I've done this intentionally and unintentionally, and it's pretty effective - you can add a hip snap to give it more force).