SLAVE LAKE - you got to see this!!

CanadianZ71 · #1 01-03-2009, 08:57 PM

This was Friday nite around 11pm when this truck went thru. The day before, not to far from this area another truck with a trailer dipped its ass end in but got pulled out, luckily. We didn't notice ths happen Friday nite when we came off the lake at night around midnight. This is straight out from Joussard on Slave Lake. We went out on sleds and a truck as well, but where this happened there was a crack over the width of your hand and I guess it just wasn't stable ice. We fished there all day and the ice was 12" but there were quite a few trucks going back and forth from the shore to the little shack village. When we went back this afternoon to get our gear we left in the shack, we stumbled on this. The biggest load that day I seen was a Super jacked up Ford deisel hauling a tandem axle trailer with a mini house as an ice shack, looked nice but you got to have a big set of nuts to go over a mile out from shore after when told there are signs of poor ice stregth.

xtabo.media · #2 01-03-2009, 09:33 PM

wow.
thats going to be an expensive retrieval bill!

gramps73 · #3 01-03-2009, 10:28 PM

be tough to get insurance for something like that
make you want to go

Shmag · #4 01-03-2009, 11:19 PM

Yep, some people just don't get it

There was another one that broke through by assineau bay on slave a few days ago as well. In 10ft of water, so i am not sure if any of that one is sticking out of the water or totally covered.

Penner · #5 01-04-2009, 08:41 AM

Ouch, that's about $100k gone to the bottom. He drove a Ford so he couldn't be all that smart to begin with.

I wonder if insurance would ever cover such a thing?

My rule is 18" plus before I drive any vehicle on any lake. I do not want to hear ice cracking while I'm driving on it. 18" of thickness seems to be the turning point for a 1/2 ton pick-up. On Slave you must have even more respect for. That's one big lake and the wind can move the ice around very easily. Not to mention lake currents. One can never be too cautious.

Divert · #6 01-04-2009, 10:41 AM

The guy who owned the truck is a cousin of my partner at work, Ya might not have been the smartest thing in the world but now it looks like he might loose the use of his hands all together from frost bite. After he went through he was able to get out fine but his wife was still in the passenger seat. He had to jump back in to get her out. But once out it got worse, no one in sight. They had to walk for a long while to get to the closest cabin on shore, apparently when they got there his hands were frozen stiff, I guess he went to the UOFA burn unit yesterday to see if he would ever be able to use his hands again. So it would be nice if the insults were held back, ya the guy maybe wasnt the smartest but with my job (Paramedic) I see that pretty much EVERYONE has a bad idea a few times in there life. Just a good thing that most live through it. And FYI he wasn't driving at a high rate of speed at all.

bobalong · #7 01-04-2009, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divert

The guy who owned the truck is a cousin of my partner at work, Ya might not have been the smartest thing in the world but now it looks like he might loose the use of his hands all together from frost bite. After he went through he was able to get out fine but his wife was still in the passenger seat. He had to jump back in to get her out. But once out it got worse, no one in sight. They had to walk for a long while to get to the closest cabin on shore, apparently when they got there his hands were frozen stiff, I guess he went to the UOFA burn unit yesterday to see if he would ever be able to use his hands again. So it would be nice if the insults were held back, ya the guy maybe wasnt the smartest but with my job (Paramedic) I see that pretty much EVERYONE has a bad idea a few times in there life. Just a good thing that most live through it. And FYI he wasn't driving at a high rate of speed at all.

Unfortunately there are always members on here that love to dwell on the negative, and seem to enjoy it when other fellow outdoorsman have grief, never really understood it. There could have been 3 ft of ice and the guy hit a gas pocket, it wouldn't matter there are always that few that still find it necessay to kick a guy when he's down.

#8 01-04-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobalong

Unfortunately there are always members on here that love to dwell on the negative, and seem to enjoy it when other fellow outdoorsman have grief, never really understood it. There could have been 3 ft of ice and the guy hit a gas pocket, it wouldn't matter there are always that few that still find it necessay to kick a guy when he's down.

++++

Hope your friend and his wife make a full recovery Divert!!! Made my heart sink reading the story. All I could imagine is me being in that postion with my wife....my whole world....still stuck in the truck. Is it still funny BBJ?

packhuntr · #9 01-04-2009, 12:49 PM

Looks like a wreck all right. Folks have been dying for a long long time when around ice, (thousands of years),, its serious stuff. Thankfully the ones laughing arent much for fishermen, or they would probuably wind up in trouble themselves.... Easier to pretend they are avid than prove it, hint hint, to the one who spouts off about being a top notch fisherman, yet all weve seen are pictures off a cell phone of afew little pike and a guided catfish

. Anyone who has spent their lives enjoying the outdoors can GUARANTEED tell afew stories of their own...

buckmaster · #10 01-04-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobalong

Unfortunately there are always members on here that love to dwell on the negative, and seem to enjoy it when other fellow outdoorsman have grief, never really understood it. There could have been 3 ft of ice and the guy hit a gas pocket, it wouldn't matter there are always that few that still find it necessay to kick a guy when he's down.

x2, thanks bobalong!

bobalong · #11 01-04-2009, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packhuntr

Looks like a wreck all right. Folks have been dying for a long long time when around ice, (thousands of years),, its serious stuff. Thankfully the ones laughing arent much for fishermen, or they would probuably wind up in trouble themselves.... Easier to pretend they are avid than prove it, hint hint, to the one who spouts off about being a top notch fisherman, yet all weve seen are pictures off a cell phone of afew little pike and a guided catfish

. Anyone who has spent their lives enjoying the outdoors can GUARANTEED tell afew stories of their own...

Sort of reminds you of the old saying....Don`t sing it, Bring it......doesn`t it.

pecker · #12 01-04-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckmaster

x2, thanks bobalong!

x3 . hope all goes well with the guys hands . great job at saving his wife .

Gord · #13 01-04-2009, 02:45 PM

When I saw those pics my heart sank and after hearing about the fellow involved, I feel even worse. To all you people who feel it is okay to comment about how stupid this person is, get a brain. This is someone's son, daughter, wife, husband, dad, mother etc. BBJ, you should be ashamed of yourself, did a lot of people cheer when you fell down awhile back? Did anyone ridicule you because you can't walk on ice?

**** happens and it sometimes happens even when the proper safety precautions are taken. Don't revel in others people's misfortune because karma can be a bitch.

Gord

rugatika · #14 01-04-2009, 03:08 PM

ice is a dangerous thing to read and no matter how experienced you are you can never be so safe as to be 100% safe. Hope everything turns out good for him and his wife.

Best wishes for a speedy and 100% recovery.

Rug

thorne · #15 01-04-2009, 03:13 PM

Once again it takes some guys, and in this case his wife, to remind us of a few things that we all should be doing, but sometimes get lazy and complacient( sp??) about. Know your total Veh. load weight. KNow the body of water you are on. Know the Ice thickness, conditions, and type, know what is required for your veh, then add a f*** factor.

http://ice-glaces.ec.gc.ca/App/WsvPa...10167&Lang=eng

Here is a link to a simple Ice load chart, there are more specific ones available. I spent 16 years in the military and I have done a few Ice Recce jobs. I have seen alot of guys get hurt or worse because ya, it's cold, and ya its a pain in the ass to do the reasearch and of course getting out every little bit to auger a hole and do a physical check, and ya I am guilty of it to, but I bet this guy won't think so in the future and neither should we. At least him and his wife did alot better then the poor guy clearing ice for his kids in a Bobcat. Best of luck to the guy and his wife, trust me my heart goes out to you!!

#16 01-04-2009, 03:22 PM

I don't believe BBJ meant any cruel intent to make a joke out of it. Before Divert posted what the whole story was everyone just thought the guy lost his vehicle. Then we found out about the wife and the man's hands being frost bitten. I don't think its a laughing matter anymore once I found out someone was injured and I'm sure BBJ feels the same.

redneck posse · #17 01-04-2009, 03:36 PM

i wasn't going to post on this but. although i'm glad the guy and his wife are okay, why would anyone drive a half ton truck or bigger on the ice right now anyway.. with out checking ice thickness ??? every one seems to forget that november was above average temps, and most if not all the big lakes where still some what open untill we got the cold snap. again while i'm glad everyone is alive. seems to me his truck is right about where it should be. hope he counts this as a lesson learned. i know i did

calbeau · #18 01-04-2009, 04:03 PM

give the guy a break.he was driving on 18" of ice and following the tracks of other people that had already driven out there(from the story i was told)any one of us probably would have driven in the exact same tracks on any given chance.hope the guy makes a 100% recovery and i feel terrible for him.not sure why everyone always has to be critics.

Jamie · #19 01-04-2009, 04:14 PM

Just remember guys 7 of the first 9 post were negative. This isnt all on BBJ.

It just goes to show that everyone will jump to conclusions every now and then.

I am VERY sure if BBJ and the others had known the whole story this wouldnt have been a issue.

Best of luck to the unfortunate Outdoorsmen.
Be carefull on that ice everyone.

Jamie

slingshot · #20 01-04-2009, 04:45 PM

So where are your feeding frienses comments now?

Marlin07 · #21 01-04-2009, 04:59 PM

I drove on the ice today, i may have been lucky I guess. I feel bad for the guy and his wife. i had a buddy hit a gas pocket a few years ago and went through when there was 3 feet of ice. It can happen at any time. Laughing about it only makes me sour to say the least, I guess some people have nothing better to do.....

JohninAB · #22 01-04-2009, 05:08 PM

Sorry to read of this incident. Hopefully everything turns out okay for those involved.

Walleyes · #23 01-04-2009, 05:59 PM

Sure hope the fellow outdoorsman is allright,, sucks to see people get it when they are just out there doing what we all enjoy.. My best to him..

2 Tollers · #24 01-04-2009, 06:21 PM

Divert sure hope your buddy comes out ok. That would have been quite an ordeal with getting his wife out and then a long cold walk. Slave is a tricky lake even with thick ice due to the gas pockets.

Pass on all the best.

CanadianZ71 · #25 01-04-2009, 06:44 PM

The post was not intended to start any troubles amongst everyone, I posted it because, for all I know it could have happened to my group and many others that use Slave Lake as a great get-a-way for ice fishing. I got my info. from Bernie whom we rented a shack from at LadyHawk and he was the guy conducting the traffic making sure all were aware of what the conditions are. My hat goes off to Bernie for taking the time to inform us personally, and for Victor the other guy with a 3 ft. wide track vehicle who plows the rode for us ice anglers.

Let's be safe out there this season. I have fished 4 different lakes thus far and they all seemed to have great ice, and ask my buddies, I told them the ice is good this year, well what a wake up call. Better safe then...not safe.

My wishes for a speedy recovery and hope all is well for future trip to Joussard.

SNAPFisher · #26 01-04-2009, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamie

Just remember guys 7 of the first 9 post were negative. This isnt all on BBJ.

It just goes to show that everyone will jump to conclusions every now and then.

I am VERY sure if BBJ and the others had known the whole story this wouldnt have been a issue.

Jamie

Sorry Jamie, I know what your saying but "think before you type" comes to mind. I've typed some stupid, stupid things on these boards. One thing I know I'll never knock on though is a laugh at someones else's grief. Un-freakin-believable!! That kind of behavior and thinking is totally unacceptable and there is no excuse.

The best of wishes to those that this happened to. I feel for them.

Wolverine Boy · #27 01-04-2009, 07:47 PM

I've done lots of ice-fishing but I have never heard of 'gas pockets'.

The only real dangers I was aware of on ice were driving on ice that isn't thick enough, driving near weed beds as the weeds can transmit heat through the ice and keep it thin (I found that out the hard way with a quad) and driving too fast and building up a 'pressure wave' which will bust the ice near shore.

Can someone tell me exactly what these gas pockets are, how they are formed and how they can cause you to go through thick ice?

Thanx.

Bassett · #28 01-04-2009, 08:30 PM

Yes we all agree, pretty stupid to be driving that big load on poor ice conditions. Before we all make fun of the guy/gal is he/she ok???

Bass...

bbell · #29 01-04-2009, 08:39 PM

Wolverine;
Gas pockets are caused by natural gas seeping out of the lake bottom. The constant bubbling of gas bubbles causes open holes or thin ice. The action is similar to current in rivers. Unfortunately the air pockets will move from year to year. So you can't even gsp them as next year they may move.

Slave Lake is by far the worst lake I have seen for air pockets. Especially Faust Bay, but I have seen them off Joussard, Shaws Point and Spruce Point. I have seen them also on Calling Lake and North Wabasca Lake.

Deano · #30 01-04-2009, 08:49 PM

That is absolutely terrible. I hope the best for the people involved.
I know some people watch car racing just to see wrecks. Seems like other people feel the same way about ice fishing.

Deano