captgfb
02-10-2006, 12:40 PM
The story I posted about the diver rescued in NZ has got me thinking. I teach a very basic water survival course for a branch of the govt and I find the psychology of survival very interesting. Also, obviously the lessons learned can help others to avoid finding themselves in the same situation. Does anyone have a story they want to share?
Here's one to start off the discussion.
In 1999 I was living on the Outer Banks of NC in Frisco, NC. My brother and a friend of ours came down from NJ to surf fish for a few days. The hot spot for big red drum and stripped bass is Cape Point. It's a true "point" of land that sticks out into the Atlantic and basically starts Diamond Shoals. The grave yard of the Atlantic. Picture a beach running north - south, then making an abrupt 45 degree turn and running south west - north east. The point of the 45 is Cape Point. The combination of wind, tide and sometimes heavy swell results in a constantly changing beach and bottom contour.
At the time nature had created an island about one acre in size that was exposed at low tide, probably 200 yards from the beach and more or less due south from the point. On our first day of fishing we were the first group to make the walk through waist deep water with our waders on at mid ebb tide. We hooked up right away and beached a few nice fish before the mob of sheep from the beach arrived.
The next day we got to the beach about the same time. Same conditions except for a stiff SW wind that had been blowing all night. We watch the current for a while and looked at the route with binoculars. After about 30 minutes we decided it looked safe. So we got suited up in waders and jackets and started the trek. For the first 50 yards everything was cool, just like the day before. Then things got interesting. The bottom was still at about waist deep but had turned from solid to quick sand. My theory on the cause is the outgoing tide and SW wind going in the same direction. That direction was also flowing right up the beach that ran SW, went right past the north-south portion of the point, and right out to sea onto a sandbar with breaking surf. Our toes would touch then sink and we were up to the top of our waders. So we would jump to get height and be pushed toward the surf. At this point we were half way to the island so we went for it think once we got there the tide had another three hours of ebb. So we should've been good to go for a few hours of fishing and the return trip. I got to the island first. I got on my hands and knees, used my surf rod as a reach pole and pulled in our friend and then my brother. We all had water up to the knees in our waders. We tried to shake of the adrenaline and get some fish. It only took about ten minutes to realize that even though the tide was ebbing the wind and swell were going push the ocean over the island. So we bucked up and started the trip back. That return trip was even worse then the trip out. We ended up getting pushed to with in about 75 yards of the surf. Back on land we all had water in our waders to our stomachs. With waders on, had we been pushed into the surf I don't think we would have ever been seen alive again.
I didn't sleep too well that night. Not because I was all that disturbed I had been in that situation. What bothered me was that my brother and friend were trusting my judgment. They are both experienced waterman but I was the local knowledge.
I still fish to the extreme sometimes. I've modified my equipment for a higher level of safety and have a little more fear and respect for nature now.
Here's another story. Not dive related but what the heck. Still a good read.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1517012
Here's one to start off the discussion.
In 1999 I was living on the Outer Banks of NC in Frisco, NC. My brother and a friend of ours came down from NJ to surf fish for a few days. The hot spot for big red drum and stripped bass is Cape Point. It's a true "point" of land that sticks out into the Atlantic and basically starts Diamond Shoals. The grave yard of the Atlantic. Picture a beach running north - south, then making an abrupt 45 degree turn and running south west - north east. The point of the 45 is Cape Point. The combination of wind, tide and sometimes heavy swell results in a constantly changing beach and bottom contour.
At the time nature had created an island about one acre in size that was exposed at low tide, probably 200 yards from the beach and more or less due south from the point. On our first day of fishing we were the first group to make the walk through waist deep water with our waders on at mid ebb tide. We hooked up right away and beached a few nice fish before the mob of sheep from the beach arrived.
The next day we got to the beach about the same time. Same conditions except for a stiff SW wind that had been blowing all night. We watch the current for a while and looked at the route with binoculars. After about 30 minutes we decided it looked safe. So we got suited up in waders and jackets and started the trek. For the first 50 yards everything was cool, just like the day before. Then things got interesting. The bottom was still at about waist deep but had turned from solid to quick sand. My theory on the cause is the outgoing tide and SW wind going in the same direction. That direction was also flowing right up the beach that ran SW, went right past the north-south portion of the point, and right out to sea onto a sandbar with breaking surf. Our toes would touch then sink and we were up to the top of our waders. So we would jump to get height and be pushed toward the surf. At this point we were half way to the island so we went for it think once we got there the tide had another three hours of ebb. So we should've been good to go for a few hours of fishing and the return trip. I got to the island first. I got on my hands and knees, used my surf rod as a reach pole and pulled in our friend and then my brother. We all had water up to the knees in our waders. We tried to shake of the adrenaline and get some fish. It only took about ten minutes to realize that even though the tide was ebbing the wind and swell were going push the ocean over the island. So we bucked up and started the trip back. That return trip was even worse then the trip out. We ended up getting pushed to with in about 75 yards of the surf. Back on land we all had water in our waders to our stomachs. With waders on, had we been pushed into the surf I don't think we would have ever been seen alive again.
I didn't sleep too well that night. Not because I was all that disturbed I had been in that situation. What bothered me was that my brother and friend were trusting my judgment. They are both experienced waterman but I was the local knowledge.
I still fish to the extreme sometimes. I've modified my equipment for a higher level of safety and have a little more fear and respect for nature now.
Here's another story. Not dive related but what the heck. Still a good read.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1517012