An interesting...and slightly scary adventure on Travers this past Sunday.

[Jack&7]

Well, I figured some fishing was in order this past weekend and I wanted to get down to Travers for some June walleye action. So on Saturday morning, we packed up the boat and I loaded my father into the truck and hit the road in the early afternoon. It usually takes about 2.5 hours to get there from Cochrane and we wanted to get there for the evening.

We are trucking down Hwy. 2 over the hills around the Okotoks -Aldersyde area when my truck starts acting funny. I actually thought my tranny was slipping because it seemed that I had no power going up the hills no matter how much gas I gave it. It's a '98 Ford F-150 that has seen it's better days but still gets me where I need to go. I was telling my Dad how it reminded me of Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop with the banana in the tail-pipe! Ha ha...

So finally we get to around High River and things are getting bad. I can't break 80 km/h on the highway and we decided to turn around to head back home. It was really hard to scrap the fishing trip but now I was worried whether I would even be able to make it home. All of a sudden the engine races and it seems like there is this big build up of pressure. Then something lets go with a bang and now my muffler is really loud. So I pull over and take a look under the truck and see that where my catalytic converter used to be is now glowing yellow-white hot! I seem to have my power back so we head home cautiously and I curse my truck. That was Saturday.

Sunday comes and weather is very good so we try again but this time, both my parents are going and we are pulling the boat with their vehicle. Everything goes fine and we hit the water for 6 pm. We try a few spots but things aren't looking promising so we head to the dam/water inlet structure from MacGregor Lake up at the north spur. Fishing is so-so at best with a few smaller 'eyes but nothing to get too excited about. We were the only boat out there so I guess i missed the memo that fishing was sucking at Travers! Anyway...there are a few shore fishermen including two younger Asian kids catching a few eyes that were obviously too small and keeping them! We let them know that we saw what they were doing but they didn't care. One of them just kept running back up to the car and I assume stashing fish there. Of course, I can't get cell service out there usually and this was no exception...can't do anything about this except watch and get mad!

They seemed to stop keeping small 'eyes once two more fishermen showed and set up right next to them on the northern jetty of the inlet structure. Now they had people watching their every move so they settled down.

We fished until about 10:15 pm and decided to pack it in and head for the launch at the provincial campground. Usually about a 15 minute boat ride. Well its dark now and we get half way when suddenly the boat dies...no power. I try to start and it doesn't seem to have enough juice to turn over. So I switch to my other battery and that one can't do it either! Both of these batteries were bought brand new from Cdn. Tire just a few weeks ago.

We are totally dead in the water and I have no power whatsoever...not even nav. lights. Now I'm starting to worry just a bit, because I know we are the last ones out on the water and it is DARK! Thankfully, the wind was blowing out of the south so it blew us into the northern shore which was close by. Definitely one of the things I was happy about because if it was a west wind, it would've blown us out into the wide open water and across the whole damn length of the lake!

So now that we are on shore, I needed to decide how to get some help. Both of my parents are getting up there in age with my Mom being 62 and my Dad is 77 so I had to worry about them. Environmental issues were my first concern since they get colder a lot faster than I do so I gave them all my extra clothes which I always pack. I had a rough idea of our location so I considered walking out but I knew that the campground was still approx. 2+ miles away as the crow flies and a lot farther than that following the shore and over some rough terrain in the dark, so I ruled that option out. Plus I would have to leave my parents to fend for themselves and I didn't like that idea either. I cursed myself for not bringing my GPS unit with me...I held it in my hand at home and decided to not to take it! Won't make that mistake again!

So just for the heck of it, we decided to try our cell phones and surprise: we had service! I was shocked. Thank God for small miracles! So immediately I called 911. That's when things got interesting. The operator I got seemed like a younger woman and even though I very clearly and explicitly explained what the situation was, where I thought we were located and what I needed from her, she had no idea how to help! Now I must tell you that I am a professional firefighter and I have been to the the emergency dispatch center in Calgary that dispatches for all of southern Alberta on numerous occasions. I know how the system should work. I asked her for the RCMP to see if they had a boat that could come get us...or maybe a 4x4 to come get us over land. She had no idea who to call or if they even could provide that service. I told her we were on Travers reservoir (on the northern shore of the western spur of the lake) approximately 2 miles east of the Little Bow Prov. Park. She had no idea where that was in the province! All she had to do was Google it! So she puts me on hold for a few minutes while she tries to figure out where we are! Now I'm getting mad! She then comes back to me to ask what the nearest town is....and I told her Champion or even Vulcan...she then asks me to clarify what I want her to do. She actually asked me if I wanted a tow truck! I guess she assumed that's what I was asking for since I said we were stuck on the lake! I said, "Are you kidding me!?! Sure! If it can drive on water!"

Now I blow up at her and she tells me to calm down! I tell her that I am in a world of shyte stranded on a lake in the dark with two elderly people who are cold and her inexperience or lack of common sense is not helping me. I realize it is pointless in trying to reason with her so I just give up. At that point, I actually thought, "If this is the help I have to rely on, I'm screwed!"

She tells me that she is going to put me on hold again while she finds out if there is a volunteer fire dept in Champion or Vulcan. So while she does that, I try to keep my parents from getting worried by keeping them busy and getting them to have a snack and stay warm. The temp was dropping pretty quick...I think it was around 8 degrees at that point. I lit one of my old road flares that I have on board that burn for 45 minutes just to give us some light (which always helps with the psychological stress). The 911 operator finally comes back on with me after about 5-7 minutes and tells me that she has dispatched the Champion FD and they are waiting to get everyone to the hall first before they roll out and once they do, she will connect me with them.

Once they get on the air and I spoke with them, things went MUCH smoother. I explained where I was and they had a pretty good idea from the description. They told me that they had a 14 ft. Zodiac with a 60 hp so they could tow us in. That was a relief! They said they were 15 min away from the lake and it would probably take another 30 minutes to reach us. I told them that was okay and that I would light another flare as I heard them approach.

They showed up, I threw them a line and we were under way. They slowly towed us in to the launch where the rest of the guys were waiting and they even helped us load the boat!

All was well once you took the "idiot factor" out of the equation! They knew what needed to be done and got to it. We arrived back home around 3 AM. I don't know what has happened with the boat because I haven't had the time to even look at it yet.

So the lessons I have learned:

-Always be prepared...there is no such thing as being too prepared. We had clothes, food, and signalling devices (both audible and visual). But I wish I had my GPS and we commented about how that spare 15 hp motor we have sitting in my garage at home should be mounted on the side as a back up. But I didn't have a flashlight! Flares did the trick but flashlight would've been easier.

-Make sure that someone knows what time you plan on getting off the water. If you don't show, they can call and get the wheels in motion.

-A back up communication system would be a good idea. Cells don't always work.

-somebody REALLY didn't want me to go fishing to Travers this past weekend...between the truck blowing up on Saturday and the boat on Sunday, I think I will be leaving Travers alone for a little while!

I would like to publicly thank the guys from the Champion volunteer FD. They did a great job. I am sending them a little "thank you" pack. What could've been a really crappy situation was not so bad in the end because they handled thing professionally. My hat goes off to them.

But one thing I am curious about and will be checking into: what is the emergency response plan for Travers reservoir? I would hope that there is some type of plan (who is responsible for what, what resources are available, etc) considering it is a such a busy chunk of water with a provincial campground attached to it. I would think the potential for water rescues would be high. If anyone has any knowledge on this, I'm all ears. Based on what I witnessed, it seems like the plan was being made up on the spot at the dispatch center. I definitely got the sense that she was flustered and unsure of what to do. The amount of time it took to get things organized left me a little astounded.

I was left with one strange feeling though: what would've happened if I was really panicked and I got the same 911 operator? What if it was a child calling her? What if I had called to report an overturned boat with people in the water? Or a heart attack? Things that make you go hmmmm....

And please....I am not saying all these things to bash the 911 system. I
am just saying that for someone who is ussually on the receiving end of the dispatcher, I am left with a feeling of uncertainty when I actually had to call 911 to get help for myself.

Sorry for the long read...

[dodger]

Long, but interesting.
Bottom line is everyone is A.OK!!
Dodger.

[SushiUnagi]

Hi Jack,

Wow glad you and your parents made it back safe. Really sorry to hear your uneventful yet scary weekend.

I was actually @ that very same spot on Sunday and did see the 2 asian guys fishing by the inlet. Didn't see them catch anything at the time though. I think I left around 6ish and got the boat out of the water by around 7ish. My radar didn't show much fish around the area, but I did see some swimming near the surface.

Thanks for sharing the story and hopefully it won't ever happen to you again. Definitely a good lesson learn not just for yourself but for everyone boating and fishing out there. Usually things like these happen when you least expect it.

My '09 bayliner's engine seems kinda tough to start too...sometimes I have to crank it 3 or 4 times in order for it to start. Makes me wonder what would happen if it really dies or wouldn't start when I am out stranded like that.

Originally Posted by Jack&7

Well, I figured some fishing was in order this past weekend and I wanted to get down to Travers for some June walleye action. So on Saturday morning, we packed up the boat and I loaded my father into the truck and hit the road in the early afternoon. It usually takes about 2.5 hours to get there from Cochrane and we wanted to get there for the evening.

We are trucking down Hwy. 2 over the hills around the Okotoks -Aldersyde area when my truck starts acting funny. I actually thought my tranny was slipping because it seemed that I had no power going up the hills no matter how much gas I gave it. It's a '98 Ford F-150 that has seen it's better days but still gets me where I need to go. I was telling my Dad how it reminded me of Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop with the banana in the tail-pipe! Ha ha...

So finally we get to around High River and things are getting bad. I can't break 80 km/h on the highway and we decided to turn around to head back home. It was really hard to scrap the fishing trip but now I was worried whether I would even be able to make it home. All of a sudden the engine races and it seems like there is this big build up of pressure. Then something lets go with a bang and now my muffler is really loud. So I pull over and take a look under the truck and see that where my catalytic converter used to be is now glowing yellow-white hot! I seem to have my power back so we head home cautiously and I curse my truck. That was Saturday.

Sunday comes and weather is very good so we try again but this time, both my parents are going and we are pulling the boat with their vehicle. Everything goes fine and we hit the water for 6 pm. We try a few spots but things aren't looking promising so we head to the dam/water inlet structure from MacGregor Lake up at the north spur. Fishing is so-so at best with a few smaller 'eyes but nothing to get too excited about. We were the only boat out there so I guess i missed the memo that fishing was sucking at Travers! Anyway...there are a few shore fishermen including two younger Asian kids catching a few eyes that were obviously too small and keeping them! We let them know that we saw what they were doing but they didn't care. One of them just kept running back up to the car and I assume stashing fish there. Of course, I can't get cell service out there usually and this was no exception...can't do anything about this except watch and get mad!

They seemed to stop keeping small 'eyes once two more fishermen showed and set up right next to them on the northern jetty of the inlet structure. Now they had people watching their every move so they settled down.

We fished until about 10:15 pm and decided to pack it in and head for the launch at the provincial campground. Usually about a 15 minute boat ride. Well its dark now and we get half way when suddenly the boat dies...no power. I try to start and it doesn't seem to have enough juice to turn over. So I switch to my other battery and that one can't do it either! Both of these batteries were bought brand new from Cdn. Tire just a few weeks ago.

We are totally dead in the water and I have no power whatsoever...not even nav. lights. Now I'm starting to worry just a bit, because I know we are the last ones out on the water and it is DARK! Thankfully, the wind was blowing out of the south so it blew us into the northern shore which was close by. Definitely one of the things I was happy about because if it was a west wind, it would've blown us out into the wide open water and across the whole damn length of the lake!

So now that we are on shore, I needed to decide how to get some help. Both of my parents are getting up there in age with my Mom being 62 and my Dad is 77 so I had to worry about them. Environmental issues were my first concern since they get colder a lot faster than I do so I gave them all my extra clothes which I always pack. I had a rough idea of our location so I considered walking out but I knew that the campground was still approx. 2+ miles away as the crow flies and a lot farther than that following the shore and over some rough terrain in the dark, so I ruled that option out. Plus I would have to leave my parents to fend for themselves and I didn't like that idea either. I cursed myself for not bringing my GPS unit with me...I held it in my hand at home and decided to not to take it! Won't make that mistake again!

So just for the heck of it, we decided to try our cell phones and surprise: we had service! I was shocked. Thank God for small miracles! So immediately I called 911. That's when things got interesting. The operator I got seemed like a younger woman and even though I very clearly and explicitly explained what the situation was, where I thought we were located and what I needed from her, she had no idea how to help! Now I must tell you that I am a professional firefighter and I have been to the the emergency dispatch center in Calgary that dispatches for all of southern Alberta on numerous occasions. I know how the system should work. I asked her for the RCMP to see if they had a boat that could come get us...or maybe a 4x4 to come get us over land. She had no idea who to call or if they even could provide that service. I told her we were on Travers reservoir (on the northern shore of the western spur of the lake) approximately 2 miles east of the Little Bow Prov. Park. She had no idea where that was in the province! All she had to do was Google it! So she puts me on hold for a few minutes while she tries to figure out where we are! Now I'm getting mad! She then comes back to me to ask what the nearest town is....and I told her Champion or even Vulcan...she then asks me to clarify what I want her to do. She actually asked me if I wanted a tow truck! I guess she assumed that's what I was asking for since I said we were stuck on the lake! I said, "Are you kidding me!?! Sure! If it can drive on water!"

Now I blow up at her and she tells me to calm down! I tell her that I am in a world of shyte stranded on a lake in the dark with two elderly people who are cold and her inexperience or lack of common sense is not helping me. I realize it is pointless in trying to reason with her so I just give up. At that point, I actually thought, "If this is the help I have to rely on, I'm screwed!"

She tells me that she is going to put me on hold again while she finds out if there is a volunteer fire dept in Champion or Vulcan. So while she does that, I try to keep my parents from getting worried by keeping them busy and getting them to have a snack and stay warm. The temp was dropping pretty quick...I think it was around 8 degrees at that point. I lit one of my old road flares that I have on board that burn for 45 minutes just to give us some light (which always helps with the psychological stress). The 911 operator finally comes back on with me after about 5-7 minutes and tells me that she has dispatched the Champion FD and they are waiting to get everyone to the hall first before they roll out and once they do, she will connect me with them.

Once they get on the air and I spoke with them, things went MUCH smoother. I explained where I was and they had a pretty good idea from the description. They told me that they had a 14 ft. Zodiac with a 60 hp so they could tow us in. That was a relief! They said they were 15 min away from the lake and it would probably take another 30 minutes to reach us. I told them that was okay and that I would light another flare as I heard them approach.

They showed up, I threw them a line and we were under way. They slowly towed us in to the launch where the rest of the guys were waiting and they even helped us load the boat!

All was well once you took the "idiot factor" out of the equation! They knew what needed to be done and got to it. We arrived back home around 3 AM. I don't know what has happened with the boat because I haven't had the time to even look at it yet.

So the lessons I have learned:

-Always be prepared...there is no such thing as being too prepared. We had clothes, food, and signalling devices (both audible and visual). But I wish I had my GPS and we commented about how that spare 15 hp motor we have sitting in my garage at home should be mounted on the side as a back up. But I didn't have a flashlight! Flares did the trick but flashlight would've been easier.

-Make sure that someone knows what time you plan on getting off the water. If you don't show, they can call and get the wheels in motion.

-A back up communication system would be a good idea. Cells don't always work.

-somebody REALLY didn't want me to go fishing to Travers this past weekend...between the truck blowing up on Saturday and the boat on Sunday, I think I will be leaving Travers alone for a little while!

I would like to publicly thank the guys from the Champion volunteer FD. They did a great job. I am sending them a little "thank you" pack. What could've been a really crappy situation was not so bad in the end because they handled thing professionally. My hat goes off to them.

But one thing I am curious about and will be checking into: what is the emergency response plan for Travers reservoir? I would hope that there is some type of plan (who is responsible for what, what resources are available, etc) considering it is a such a busy chunk of water with a provincial campground attached to it. I would think the potential for water rescues would be high. If anyone has any knowledge on this, I'm all ears. Based on what I witnessed, it seems like the plan was being made up on the spot at the dispatch center. I definitely got the sense that she was flustered and unsure of what to do. The amount of time it took to get things organized left me a little astounded.

I was left with one strange feeling though: what would've happened if I was really panicked and I got the same 911 operator? What if it was a child calling her? What if I had called to report an overturned boat with people in the water? Or a heart attack? Things that make you go hmmmm....

And please....I am not saying all these things to bash the 911 system. I
am just saying that for someone who is ussually on the receiving end of the dispatcher, I am left with a feeling of uncertainty when I actually had to call 911 to get help for myself.

Sorry for the long read...

9/11 operators are taught to talk,,,

your thread is about preparedness which should be a sticky thread with other safety tips -not sure how sticky's are posted though-

Not to hijack your thread,, but here's a similar monty python/911 situation.

During winter for 5 months a year I'm stationed alone at a boat access only locale, not a spit from Vancouver but quite dangerous in Winter. The body of water is managed by 4 seperate municipalities. It's 3:00am, I awake to an avalanche from across the inlet where a power station is and where 3-4 engineers do over nighters. The avalanche (which I'll tell you at the end of this), lasted about 20 seconds and then smaller ones for an hour. No lights at the station,,, I call 911,,, the where are you calling from took about 10 minutes to work out, including linking me with several other municipalities AND THEN "why are you calling it in, why haven't they called it in?" I'm sorry what? "because they might be dead",,,

other brilliant questions,,,

- did you see the avalanche?
- how do you know it was an avalanche and not a jet?
- if you're in North Van how can you see Port Moody?

911 in the end dispatched me to a search and rescue arm of the RCMP. So I picked up another phone and simultaneously called hydro and heard helicopters half an hour later.

The Avalanche dropped straight down 500feet into a lake causing a wave of mud water and slush and anything it carried another 800 feet down a service road taking out everything standing. It was 10 feet deep, 80 feet wide and the length of the road and took two weeks to remove. Nobody was onsite that night. Due to the fiasco with 911, Hydro and I exchanged numbers in case i needed true emergency assistance.

[WayneChristie]

Glad it turned out the way it did for you! . Had a bad experience with an emergency call long time back, no 911 so had to call the operator, car upside down in the ditch, body hanging in the seatbelt, could hear talking, didnt know if it was a survivor or not, so managed to find a phone up the road a ways. Operator was totally only concerned about how I was going to pay for the charges to call the RCMP since it would be long distance. could have cared less about someone maybe bleeding to death in the wreck. I am afraid I lost it on her, put my military service to good use and taught her some words she might never have learned anywhere else. I also made sure the RCMP and her phone company knew about her attitude and hoped she lost her job over it.

[Lambo]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, man! Glad you and your parents made it back safe. Be glad it wasn't windy and rough on the water. Several years ago, friends of mine from Chestermere lost their daughter on Lake Newell when their boat quit and the rescue party showed up unprepared and unqualified for the rough conditions and the rescue boat capsized too. There should be better emergency plans in place for all these lakes.

I would have come and got ya if you called. So I guess if we go fishing, we'll take my boat.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by Lambo

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, man! Glad you and your parents made it back safe. Be glad it wasn't windy and rough on the water. Several years ago, friends of mine from Chestermere lost their daughter on Lake Newell when their boat quit and the rescue party showed up unprepared and unqualified for the rough conditions and the rescue boat capsized too. There should be better emergency plans in place for all these lakes.

I would have come and got ya if you called. So I guess if we go fishing, we'll take my boat.

Search and rescue in Brooks because of that incident has better equipment and hopefully training now. Very sad that it took a tragedy like that to bring about changes.

[Drewski Canuck]

I tooo have a personal demon. He has over the years taken great delight in bringing me as close to death as possible as he plays with me while I try to do the things I truely enjoy: hunting and fishing. What more can I say than grin and bear it. There are angel guardians watching you, trust me. In the worst situation you simply have to have faith that all will work out in the end, and not panic. Don't let your personal demon enjoy his handiwork too much, and realize that all you can do is take all the steps reasonable to avoid the inevitable.

Drewski

[luckyme]

thanks for sharing your story man, i am glad to hear you and your parent are safe.I'm sure if there are fellow fisherman around they will happy to help too.

[Albertadiver]

Thanks for sharing the various stories guys.

I had a similar one in getting lost last fall hunting.

Here was my experiance....

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=43701

As a scuba diver, I felt it very important to take my rescue diver ticket, mostly for myself, to give me confidence and the skills to self-rescue on the water in an emergency.

I also pride myself in knowing that if I come across a situation on water or on land I have a little more training than the average joe to help others.

Volunteer fire departments do a selfless and crucial job. Good on you for sending them a little care package. It lets these boys know thier efforts are appreciated when probably fairly often they go to calls with no thank you's.

[SushiUnagi]

Actually thinking more of your story it got me thinking of cell coverage...

I too, noticed that my blackberry has a BIG X for reception while I was on the lake at Travers on Sunday. I'm with Bell. Which service providers are the rest of you with? According to Rogers' coverage map it seems they do have coverage all across southern alberta. Which one do you use Jack?

I guess on the flip side it was a good thing you brought your cell phone with you and eventually had reception. Imagine no reception/phone and you had to go with Plan A...walk back to the docks.

[Calgaryguy1977]

Holy crow dude! Add in a bear or two a mountain lion and maybe an action scene and you have yourself a hollywood blockbuster! All jokes aside though, I'm really glad you made it out fine!!

It's funny you brought this up though as I think of this kind of thing anytime I go fishing in the wilderness. I drove up to spray lake the other day and just told my common law gf that I was going fishing. I didn't say where though. Anything could have happened to me. I drove narrow windy dirt roads uphill into the middle of nowhere through 2 avalanche areas. There is definately potential for an auto accident. All that aside, I could have been attacked by an animal with nobody around to see as there wasn't a person in sight. I usually go fishing by myself on weekdays, so it's pretty empty in most places.

This raises the question though what type of gear a person should bring for safety. I often think of things like bear mace or a loud horn to scare off any dangerous wildlife although I carry nothing of the like. As far as cell phones go, the place I work has a device that amplifies cell phone signals......every park should have one or several of these!! On top of that there should be a universal water related emergency number as it is a much different situation than most 911 operators would probably be prepared for.

[nicemustang]

Sorry to hear about yuor story. Glad everything is OK. Makes a guy think and make sure you are well prepared.

[Jayball]

Thank you for you post. I fish with my young children all the time... and could never forgive myself if something happened and I was not prepared to handle an emergency.

Your post has motivated me to double check all the safety gear on my boat.

Thx.

[DarkAisling]

I find the failure on the part of the 911 operator to be distinctly uncomfortable. If it had been me calling, I would have had no idea what I needed in the way of help . . . and from the sounds of things would still be stranded out on the lake.

On a personal note, I've had to call 911 three times in my life and the operators have been very good all three times. I can get completely hysterical if the emergency is mine, and all three of the operators calmed me down, got me talking sensibly, and got the police on the way.

I'm very pleased to know that you and your parents are okay.

[Jack&7]

Originally Posted by SushiUnagi

My radar didn't show much fish around the area, but I did see some swimming near the surface.

Sushi...there seemed to be a pile of fish in 15'-20' range, but they weren't interested in anything I threw at them! And as the sun went down, there were a bunch of little buggers surface feeding which was kinda fun to watch. After I had pretty much gave up on trying to catch anything, I tossed a floating Rap at them and it was funny to watch them jump and scatter.

Originally Posted by Fishingnutter

Not to hijack your thread,, but here's a similar monty python/911 situation.

FN....All I can say, is "Wow!" That is quite the story!

Originally Posted by Lambo

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, man! Glad you and your parents made it back safe. Be glad it wasn't windy and rough on the water. Several years ago, friends of mine from Chestermere lost their daughter on Lake Newell when their boat quit and the rescue party showed up unprepared and unqualified for the rough conditions and the rescue boat capsized too. There should be better emergency plans in place for all these lakes.

I would have come and got ya if you called. So I guess if we go fishing, we'll take my boat.

Lambo...we are DEFINITELY taking your boat until I figure out what the hell went wrong! LOL!

I remember hearing that story from Newell and it was incredibly sad...and trust me, I was thinking about that exact story while we were out on Travers. But as for the emergency plans for these large bodies of water, I would just be happy to know what the plan is. Are these things easily found out? Not likely. I think that information would be just as important to a fisherman or woman same as what type of fish are in the lake or how good the action is. I was thinking that a well-marked sign at the boat launch of these lakes with a "What to do if..." list on it would be helpful. Info like whether or not cell phones work in the area or who to call if they do...that kind of thing.

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Search and rescue in Brooks because of that incident has better equipment and hopefully training now. Very sad that it took a tragedy like that to bring about changes.

Wayne...unfortunately, we all live in a reactionary society. It always takes a tragedy to bring about change. I see that every day in my job. I can think of very few examples where somebody is successful in bringing about change by being proactive....and if they are, they took their fair share of ridicule to do it or had to overcome ridiculous hurdles to make it happen.

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

There are angel guardians watching you, trust me. In the worst situation you simply have to have faith that all will work out in the end, and not panic. Drewski

Drewski...you are exactly right! I do have faith and believe somebody is watching out for me. And you hit the nail on the head: panic is your worst enemy in these situations!

Originally Posted by luckyme

thanks for sharing your story man, i am glad to hear you and your parent are safe.I'm sure if there are fellow fisherman around they will happy to help too.

Lucky...I don't doubt fellow fishermen would help. I would if the shoe was on the other foot...but I knew we were the last ones on the lake.

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

I also pride myself in knowing that if I come across a situation on water or on land I have a little more training than the average joe to help others.

Volunteer fire departments do a selfless and crucial job. Good on you for sending them a little care package. It lets these boys know thier efforts are appreciated when probably fairly often they go to calls with no thank you's.

I too, take pride in that same fact. And I have used those skills "off the job" in more situations than I care to remember.

As for volunteer departments, some of them are very well trained. Others, not so much. And it's the same in the professional departments. I do find it funny how there seems to be animosity between volunteer firefighters and professional full-timers. The pros think the volunteers are a bunch of slacker 'wanna-be's' and the volunteers think the pros are a bunch of know-it-all pr*cks! I don't believe that at all because I got my start on a very well trained volunteer department. You'll find bad apples now matter what dept. you are a part of.

Originally Posted by Jayball

Thank you for you post. I fish with my young children all the time... and could never forgive myself if something happened and I was not prepared to handle an emergency.

Your post has motivated me to double check all the safety gear on my boat.

Thx.

Well I'm glad this motivated you to make sure you are prepared. I have taken the kids fishing as well (and actually was going to take my oldest on this trip...very glad I didn't!). The point you raised makes me wonder how some people think it's perfectly fine to make sure that the kids are wearing their lifejackets while they leave their own behind. If you all hit the water, what use are you to help your kids survive? You won't last long and then they are left to fend for themselves.


Thanks for all your comments, guys...and here's to hoping I don't have any more 'adventures' any time soon!

[Fishfinder]

Originally Posted by nicemustang

Sorry to hear about yuor story. Glad everything is OK. Makes a guy think and make sure you are well prepared.

X2!
Bright side is it coulda been much worse I spose, had that cell not worked.
Thanx for sharing Jack, glad the fams ok

[The Fisherman Guy]

Wow, I am very glad to hear through all the adversity you and your parents made it home safely. Kudos to you for holding your composure together to keep your parents calm in an emergency situation.

Being prepared for the worst certainly assisted in making things more comfortable for your Mum and Pop. I am sure they are very proud of you for your career in the Fire Department, and the way you took control of the situation.

I can't help but think that there is a problem with the 911 dispatch system, which correlates roughly to the safety regulations of high rise construction in downtown Calgary.
You bring up a very good point; What if the person placing the call had no idea where they were, or had the experience you have. How would that have affected response time?

A child has already been killed from falling debris in downtown Calgary from negligent work practices, yet objects continue to fall?????
What has to happen to get tighter procedures implemented to increase safety? Lives are at stake!

Reactionary tactics are a terrible detriment that will result in more negligent deaths and injuries. I can only hope that these important issues will be addressed accordingly, in the most timely way possible.

Again, I am VERY happy to hear you and your parents are okay. Good job man!

[pikester]

Wow, amazing story with a good ending thank goodness! Does make you think about preparedness all right. Just as a side note, Travers is bad for signals of all kinds; I've even noticed that my onboard GPS craps out in spots there so even if you had yours it may not have worked where you were.

[Commander B]

Glad to here everyone was ok!!
Used one of these when i had some quad trouble. Life saver!!!!

The simple monitor plan is acessable by any PC so some one can check up on your location. + it has the 911 button and transmits the location

http://www.findmespot.ca/en/index.php?cid=102

[dodger]

Originally Posted by Commander B

Glad to here everyone was ok!!
Used one of these when i had some quad trouble. Life saver!!!!

The simple monitor plan is acessable by any PC so some one can check up on your location. + it has the 911 button and transmits the location

http://www.findmespot.ca/en/index.php?cid=102

Well this looks like a great device as my wife always worries about me because I am on the boat alone 90% of the time on lakes in the middle of nowhere.

Do you have to sign up with a carrier for your signals / messages??
Thanks Dodger.

[AlbertaAngler]

Do you have to sign up with a carrier for your signals / messages??
Thanks Dodger.

No. The signals are done from the device by Satellite. There is a subscription fee for the spot after the initial purchase

[braxxtonn]

"You can never be too prepared"

[dodger]

Originally Posted by AlbertaAngler

No. The signals are done from the device by Satellite. There is a subscription fee for the spot after the initial purchase

Is it a one time fee or monthly?
Dodger.

[AlbertaAngler]

Originally Posted by dodger

Is it a one time fee or monthly?
Dodger.

It's a yearly fee and depends on the services you want. Here's the link:

Spot Canada

[Jack&7]

I must say...that SPOT website is pretty cool with some great info. I really liked the 'SPOT adventures' section. Stories of trips people have taken and the routes they took.

That SPOT device definitely would've helped me in our situation had the cell not worked. I might have to look at getting one of these...

Stay safe out there, everyone!

[tacklerunner]

Holy crap buddy. You had an eventful weekend. I would never question your ability to "save the day" but can understand how people panic and start questioning themselves and end up making stupid decisions.

Great thread. Likely made a lot of people think and take the neccessary precautions for their next trip and hopefully thereafter. Unfortunately, in due time all with be forgotten and some will revert back to being lazy and careless. I guess that's why you have your job.

It's like all of the warnings to stay off the Bow right now. You know there's just someone out there that's going to challenge it just because someone told them not to.

There's a fine line between Risk and Calculated Risk & Preparedness.

[Jack&7]

Originally Posted by tacklerunner

Likely made a lot of people think and take the neccessary precautions for their next trip and hopefully thereafter. Unfortunately, in due time all with be forgotten and some will revert back to being lazy and careless. I guess that's why you have your job.

It's like all of the warnings to stay off the Bow right now. You know there's just someone out there that's going to challenge it just because someone told them not to.

You are 100% correct my friend! Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who over-estimate their abilities and easily get themselves into situations that quickly go bad.

There are also those who are just plain stupid! I hate to sound callous, but I call 'em as I see 'em.

There are also those who are very careful, calculate the risks and plan accordingly.

Regardless of which category you fall into, I have realized time and again that fate (or whatever you believe in) does not differentiate and will throw a wrench into the gears when you least expect it. At that point, I guess that's where it matters what category you fall into because your level of preparedness and ability to deal rationally with the situation will determine the outcome.

Just as an update on the situation (for those of you who are interested): I have tracked down who took my 911 call and have supervisors looking into the call and they will contact me with the recordings for further discussion. I will post the findings at a later date.
I also looked into the motor...and it seems I had two problems. The first (and easier of the two) seemed to be a faulty deep cycle battery that I purchased from Canadian Tire. I took it in to be tested and she was wonky all right! I just bought it 2 months ago (this was it's maiden voyage). They replaced it no question.

The second issue seems to be in the motor...but we are still diagnosing that one. I have a neighbour who is an airplane mechanic who is really handy with all things mechanical. He also buys boats with blown motors and overhauls them to flip. We will probably start ripping things apart this weekend. I really hope it's not serious because that will really screw with the rest of my summer fishing season!

So it looks like you will have to teach me to fly fish a lot sooner than you thought, eh?