I have a CO2 automatic PFD that will self inflate and turn the wearer face up. It is similar to the S.O.S. Suspender style of PFD. Despite being as compact as possible it is still bulky and I still find it a relief to take it off and tend to put it on only when I am running some "dodgy" water. That is until last September: -
In September 2005, while fishing a river in the East Kootenay's with fellow VFB'er Mel Hocken with my Southfork pontoon boat I left it a bit too late when approaching a sweeper (a tree that has fallen into the river but is still anchored to the bank). With the sweeper coming up, I left it too late to move out of its way. I flicked my line behind me a placed my rod under chin, pinning it there against my shoulder while I took to the oars. The first stroke with the oars and I caught a crab (when the angle of the oar is incorrect and digs down). A second later, I was swept by the strong current into the tree - an extremely dangerous situation as a person can be swept under water and trapped by the tree. I grabbed at braches of the tree only to find that it had sharp spikes making it difficult to hold on. My rod (a Hardy Gem with a Loop FW reel & Triangle taper fly line was pulled from me and at the same time, I came off the pontoon boat seat and into the water. I grabbed onto one of the pontoons for all I was worth and shouted for help. I was swept along a high bank hanging on to the pontoon for dear life. I noticed Mel on the other side of the river reeling in his rod. "You are not *XYZing helping me!" I shouted with some chagrin as I swept past. Some considerable distance later, my feet touched bottom and I was able to get ashore. Shortly after, Mel joined me and I told him that I had lost my rod & reel. Together, we made our way through the trees and bushes lining the bank towards the sweeper. As we came closer, I could see something white dangling from the tree into the water - it was my white triangle taper fly line! Arriving at the sweeper, I could see my rod in the river just under to surface moving up and down and side to side with the fast current. The cork handle was pointing downstream. Thank heavens that the drag was fairly tight and that the reel was very light. Mel found a long branch about 12 or 13 feet or more long and as he attempted to catch the white line, I leaned out over the undercut bank to grab the rod. It worked and I got my rod & reel back losing just the fly. I was not wearing my PFD when this happened. I was extremely fortunate. Another of my nine lives gone! Neville (Nev) Gosling Greater Vancouver, B.C. Canada
