Heros on the water and your cold weather plan to live.
The warm temp was getting to me today. Hooked up and was going to try drowning a minnow. Went to Hopewell Marina on the Appomatox river near the James. Wind was coming right down the pike, against the tide and it was ugly. Watched for a few minutes and decided not to launch. We were headed out when when in came a fire truck and ambulance. Followed closely by the Scuba rescue truck. And then Chesterfields mid-side resuce boat, which is a low side aluminum. We did a u turn and went back to be nosey.
I can't hardly express the emotions that run thru you when you watch Heros in action. On par with our military, reserves, cops, firefighter, ems, school resource officers etc. It's so humbling to think of the long list of people who stand ready to put themselves in harms way for you and I. We were saying a prayer for whomever these guys were headed out to help. We watched as a well rehearsed team parked, unloaded, dressed, launched and took off. I guess you get soft as you get older, and have kids, but my pansy-butt self was wiping tears watching men run across the parking lot in sock feet, with a gear bag over one shoulder, scuba flippers in his hands and trying to zip up his dry suit as they jump over the side of the boat as it slide off the trailer.
The waves outside of the marina were taller than the sides of the aluminum boat. They didn't wait for the Whaler. It was a few minutes behind, and left screaming with three crew in orange mustang suits. We hung around just listening to the scanner app on the phone.
Thank God, they were not gone too long. They followed a rather speedy older pontoon back into the marina. One man aboad. The rescue Whaler had his girlfriend onboard. The pontoon couple lost power out in the main James river (its wide there). They were at the mercy of the wind, waves and current, taking waves over into the pontoon. Turns out he had a new second gas can. When he switched, he either didn't open the vent or it didn't work and vapor locked him. Both of them were fine. The rescue guys got loaded up and headed home.
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Thank you lord for my blessings. Bless all those that stand for good. What an awesome place we live in.
Have a plan for when the worst happens to you out there. Especially with our cold winter weather. Those guys race to help, but if we go in the water this time of year, we only have one, very-short chance to live. Else those guys with the flippers will spend their time trying to find our bodies. I checked my rain coat pocket and my first starter kit was NOT in the pocket. My mistake and will be corrected before I launch again.
I used to carry a short candle and a easy light fuel stick, with a bic lighter, double wrapped in ziploc bag. Now I have a short, yellow fire starting flare from the camping asile at walmart. I figure at best I will have one chance to get to shore and start up a fire to stand beside, naked!!! I do keep my life jacked on all winter. May not matter if I were to hit winter water, but I want my one chance to make it to shore. I have been very bad about not keeping my cell phone in plastic bag and on my person. I do have a change of clothes, towels and a good blanket tucked away in the compartments.
If you haven't taken the time to ponder it this season, put together at least a minimal plan to live, if we run into something bad.
Hope to see you guys at the NWR soon.
Dayton
