near drowning last night!

#1 08-13-2012, 01:43 PM

Hi.

Last night I was fishing and despite the heavy winds (white caps) was at a spot i rarely have been all year. Never mind fishing at 7:30pm. Im usually off as i focus on early fishing to avoid the swamp boats. Not many boats out at this time. I just somehow ended up out there. Anyways. I start to head in and see a boat with two people in the water just behind and two inside. As I come closer I can see arms waving and then hear the two young girls SCREAMING. It wasnt a nice sound. Someone was drowning. The boat had become disabled (as i understand) the guy operating it had backed up (rental boat) and cut the tow rope up around the prop. The tube was punctured and down floating in the water. The girl in the water couldnt swim and in the rough water must have panic'd. The guy jumped in to recue/assit her without a life jacket. His boat was disabled and floating away from a loved one. When i got there his head was low in the water and she was holding him up. I drove up on them as i had my anchor line strung from my front hook to the top cleat on the driver side (starboard). She grabbed on and i grabbed him. he couldnt open his eyes and could hardly hold my hand. I assessed that he wouldnt make it to the back of my boarding ladder without possibly loosing him. At 7:30pm with overcast and rough waves, chances of him going under the boat were too great. How would I spot him if we lost him. I had my extra life jacket stored in the portal below my knees and without letting go was able to retrieve it and the girl and I were able to swing it around him and get a couple buckles on. It hit me that I felt right at that moment that thats when i saved his life. then i jumped in the back passed my net up and dragged him back behind my console so i could grab him again and brought him around to the ladder and hauled him in.

We then 911 it and i transported him and the 3 passengers to the dock for assistance. He couldnt get out of the boat on his own even after emergency services put oxygen on him and waited for fire to assist on the lift (big guy but young). Im very glad i had a live well on board at the back as he vomitted about 1/2" full of stomach and alot of water into it.

Im posting this so that anyone who thinks they dont need a life jacket can get it into their thick skull that they do need one. I personally wear mine even with passengers on board as I dont want to burden them with the responsibility to save my life. I had my a/m unit on while this happened and had i been knocked overboard i would have surely been better off. i was also alone.

Please everyone take this and understand how quickly things can go sideways. Im not posting looking for comments on what went wrong. Mistakes were made and the details of how exactly he ended up the way he did are fuzzy as i did not interogate them on how they got that way. I just want to get through that its not a good feeling as i remember holding the limpness of his hands. Imagine if it was your family or someone you knew.

I hope the gentleman has recovered and is 100% well today.

Everyone please be careful!!!

Please no comments on this! Just read and pass the link on if you feel the example can benefit another.

JohninAB · #2 08-13-2012, 01:49 PM

Glad you were able to assist them and very good message in your post!

Albertadiver · #3 08-13-2012, 01:55 PM

Lessons to be learned by all here.

Good on you for being in the right place and time to assist!

Badback · #4 08-13-2012, 02:01 PM

Well done pelada trochu!!!!

SnoochyBoochy · #5 08-13-2012, 02:09 PM

What do you mean no comments? Are you kidding...You saved probably 2 people dude. Here's the thing your a HERO hahah as little cred as you may want, you are literally a legit HERO and you deserve to be thanked and applauded! So a big thank you for being in the right place at the right time. And yes I am also very surprised when I see boats buzzing by on the NSR with no one wearing PFD's ??? And believe me it is probably about 80 percent!!!

Snooch

bwackwabbit · #6 08-13-2012, 02:11 PM

Good on Ya! For both the rescue and for spreading the word on how to avoid this in the future.

Cheers.

saddleup · #7 08-13-2012, 02:18 PM

Thanks for sharing the wakeup call... I know I needed it...

Sundancefisher · #8 08-13-2012, 02:25 PM

Great job being in the right place at the right time. Good karma!

New2Fishing · #9 08-13-2012, 02:31 PM

great job... u saved 2 lives...

cmcclung · #10 08-13-2012, 02:35 PM

WOW! Good job, and a great reminder!

YeeHaw · #11 08-13-2012, 03:37 PM

Good on you, glad to see ppl still willing to help others when its needed the most.

hiddenwalleye · #12 08-13-2012, 04:59 PM

Well done and good on you for quick thinking and not losing your cool!!

A REMINDER TO ALL OF US THAT IT CAN HAPPEN THAT FAST!!

To all My Fellow Brethren, SAFE TRAVELS, ALWAYS!!

Tight Lines

HW

0liver · #13 08-13-2012, 05:56 PM

This is probably going to draw some flack... but the big guy you saved was probably drunk as a skunk... jumped in to save the girl and ended up being the one saved..

this is just my opinion though, so don't chew me out too much...

Good on you for saving him and the girl, alot of people wouldn't have went to the lengths you did... +1,000,000 karma points

Speckle55 · #14 08-13-2012, 06:14 PM

Grats on the Rescue ...good for you being there ..wow lucky

i hope they give you some recognition!!!

David

WayneChristie · #15 08-13-2012, 06:31 PM

way to go, no comments my azz,

you did a very great thing, and I for one am proud of you. could have been relatives of anyone on this forum. thank you.

#4fisherman · #16 08-13-2012, 08:05 PM

Great job, man. One for the rescue, one for the post. I ALWAYS were a PFD or jacket of some type. The only one in my boat who doesn't is my thickheaded 25 year old son. Gonna tell him this story! Thanks.

redranger15 · #17 08-13-2012, 08:14 PM

Great job on doing what needed to be done. I think you got some good karma coming your way.

FishingMOM · #18 08-13-2012, 08:36 PM

I think OP is a perfect example to put in AO as a feature on safety.
He should also "win" 1 year subscription of AO!

HINT HINT!

anyone agree!

bwackwabbit · #19 08-13-2012, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishingMOM

I think OP is a perfect example to put in AO as a feature on safety.
He should also "win" 1 year subscription of AO!

HINT HINT!

anyone agree!

X2 and since he's local if we ever meetup I'm buyin' that dude a cold one!

Smasher · #20 08-13-2012, 09:01 PM

You did an awesome thing out there and i hope the sun shines down on you for many days to come. Saving two lives, and probably more if people learn from your experience, is something that will be a part of you forever. Great job!

super mario · #21 08-13-2012, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FishingMOM

I think OP is a perfect example to put in AO as a feature on safety.
He should also "win" 1 year subscription of AO!

HINT HINT!

anyone agree!

x2

BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES · #22 08-14-2012, 12:47 AM

Never mind any prize , or circumstances of the people you saved , could have been easily another tragic story on the news . Water is a very deadly thing , takes only seconds for you day to go from good to dead .

You sir have done something most people couldn't do , stay composed and do what you had to .

I am going to pass this onto a few friends I have in the media , you deserve something much more special than a pat on the back . You sir are a hero . You did , don't cut yourself short also , I am going to send you a message on some particulars on the incident .

You deserve a metal of bravery .

Kim473 · #23 08-14-2012, 05:54 AM

Good on you for saving two lives!

Most people would not have even recognized the situation like you did, never mind keeping their composer and doing what you did. You deserve to be recognized at one of those city ceromonies that they hold for heros like you. Its not allways the police or fire rescue that save lives. Its real Heros.
Hope all are doing well.

#24 08-14-2012, 09:02 AM

Thanks Guys. Your kind words are appreciated. I can see that it was a razers edge of timing as to being a rescue and a recovery. So im glad I was there.

I was there while emergency services assisted and I cant see much difference between what i did and what they do every time out. I acted clearly and calmly. But I dont feel my life was in danger so I cant say I feel Im a hero. Might be their guardian angel.

Im still processing the event. But just the way my guts/intuition changed my mind about fishing that area was a bit weird so I have to say that God had a hand in placing me there. I actually backtracked about a 1/2 mile while underway to come back to it as i had another spot in mind.

I will stand behind this message. 100% of the time every occupant should have a life jacket on while the boat is moving. Take it off while at rest if you will but if the former was mandatory it would likely cover most of the at rest stuff too. Besides my a/m unit is so comfortable i never really notice it much. Certainly not while moving.

#25 08-14-2012, 01:11 PM

pechetr · #26 08-14-2012, 01:48 PM

Well done Pelada...If I may add to your comments about the importance of life jackets, I would also add as a former Emercency Services provider that everyone and I mean everyone be trained in First aid and CPR. You just never know when you will need to rely on that training.

Good for you for stepping up to help. Unfortunately in this day and age, not many would have.

bb356 · #27 08-14-2012, 01:57 PM

Darren N · #28 08-14-2012, 02:23 PM

just read the story now. Great job under pressure - great message for all that read this.