Thanks everyone for the kind words and warm wishes. Crazy to sit here and think how easily this could have gone the other way and I would be sitting on a morgue slab instead of on the couch. Life is precious, if it can go wrong it will, have a plan and another plan if that one fails. The difference between life and death could be something as simple as bringing an extra paddle you don't even need. Take blankets and keep them in the truck if you or your buddy falls in. Keep a hide a key under your truck and make sure your buddy knows where it is if you go in with your keys. but most importantly, fight, fight like hell and get mad, refuse to let it happen this way, keep a level head even when you know you're screwed and you're not going to make it.
One question though... What were you planning for the 550 paracord???
The cord was wrapped around a 6 inch length of 2x4. I was about 50 yards from the shore when Jim got to me; but the plan was Travis could throw me the line to help pull me in once i got closer. There was a quarter to a half inch of ice around the bank for about 15 feet out but with it being an old gravel pit the water gets deep quick. The plan was Travis could pull me in while i broke ice.
Man Joe, glad you got out bud. I often think about falling into the bay with waders on if the boat were ever to tip. My game plan was always to just strip the waders and swim to the bank. Like you said though, at that point, there is no getting warm...
Thanks man. Stripping your waders will be next to impossible if you can't get back on the boat where you don't have to swim. Within a minute you lose most motor skills with your fingers, within two minutes your hands are completely useless; combine that with needing to tread water makes it virtually impossible. I tried momentarily to get my boots off but couldn't. If you got your waders down around your legs and couldn't get them the rest of the way off you're gone as you can't kick your legs anymore. Going underwater for the moment it might take to use your crippled hands isn't an option as you don't really have the strength to get back up. Test out what I mean. Take a bowl of ice water and let the water sit. Plunge your hands in it and keep them there for two minutes. I think you'll be shocked how quickly you loose use of them. Now magnify that because in this experiment your warm body is still pumping warmer blood to them.
Dam joe... Been wet but not like that... After I fell in in purchased a big ass knife I wear on my wader straps in case I have to cut them off me or at least my boots. Being that cold sucks bud. Get you a big ass magnet on a rope and go trolling. It will pick it up
It's surely not going to hurt to have a knife. Wish i would have had one to cut that whistle lanyard free from my life jacket. The best is to have someone else with you every time and always have a rescue plan. Like I told SS though, in water that cold you won't have the motor skills to cut off those waders. Maybe the straps but cutting them all the way down would be impossible if you have to keep treading water.
Glad your ok Joe that could have gone very bad as you know. Thank God some very small details went in your favor. I typically duck hunt the puget sound delta alone with a 15 foot sea kayak. Even if i was able to to a mud bank there would be no way id make it to a mud bank there is no way id make it to safety after being in the water. Hopefully my drysuit will keep me warm enough and the spray skirt would keep enough water out of the yak for me to flip it over in the water then paddle back.
Thanks bud, I appreciate it. This whole thing taught me every detail matters, and every tool no matter how small or seemingly insignificant can mean the difference between life and death. You won't catch me in cold water again in a kayak. If I can't say 100% that I can get back in or on it I'm not going to be in it.
