Steve: That is horrible... What brain surgeon didn't check around the pool for things like that??? I have been afraid too, cause it wasn't from lightening but rather from standing barefoot on a freshly steam cleaned, still wet carpet and putting an antenna wire on an old TV that my Mother electrocuted herself and died at 35 in 1974. The high voltage box in the TV discharged and hit her with about 3500 volts, Chuck
----- Original Message ----- From: Steve Brettell To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 7:55 AM Subject: Re: [VFB] Boating Safety Question In the pool: no, the poor kid who jumped in first took several thousand volts from a high voltage line that was too close to the newly built pool. It was a ground fault through the water. And it sure made it unattractive to put your toe in after that. We had a 13 year old girl hide under a tree in my neighborhood just last week. It was the tallest oak on the block. The lightning killed her. It's dangerous stuff. Many years ago I was in a log building on a hill top in Virginia with no trees anywhere around, but with a power pole about 10 feet from the corner of the building. Three of us were in the office, sitting on a desk or leaning on a file cabinet, while one of us was talking on the phone. Lightning hit the pole, and came in through the phone line. I remember marveling at seeing the other two rising into the air, and then I was lying on the floor looking up. I guess we were hit by it. Didn't feel a thing, but got quite a burn on my butt where it was touching the metal. On 7/9/07, Chuck Alexander <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Steve: Good idea about being under a bunch of trees.. The trees here are sooooo thick because I live in, and the lake is IN the Talladega (Alabama) National Forrest and the trees are thick as cat's hair cause the Govt won't thin them out, which causes a lot of Forrest fires, but you are right.. Usually ppl who get stuck under trees I think are ppl who are, say, on a golf course and they run up under asingle tree for cover, and it acts like a lightening rod..But under a million trees, those odds go to a million to one, instead of one to one... On that Pool, that would be last one OUT would be a hard boiled egg right??? LOL,Chuck ----- Original Message ----- From: Steve Brettell To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 6:54 PM Subject: Re: [VFB] Boating Safety Question We're having a lot of people in our area hit by lightning recently. I think that being cautious is the best idea in this situation. If you don't want to go home, pull onthe shore and wait it out. Being in the woods is different (though still a risk) than being under the only tree in the area. Your safest place is in the car with the windows up. Of course, then you die from the heat. When I was younger, there was a short in one of our local swimming pools, and we learned the hard way about the conductivity of water. The first one in was the rotten (ie hard boiled) egg. On 7/9/07, Chuck Alexander <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: Bill: I definitely put down the "Lightening Rod" and head for home.. My problem is the lake is HUGE.. It's the watershed for local towns and from the boat launch to where I often fish is nearly 2 miles, and using trolling motor only (that is all that is allowed) it is at least 25 minutes to the ramp..This time of the year it can be Sunny and clear.. Next minute BAM.. Lightening everywhere..I'm just trying to be as safe as possible cause I was standing in the yard one day a few years ago and lightening struck the Wood Heater smoke stack that I was only about 25 ft away from, and it was such a fireball, I was nearly blind for three days.. Scared the heck outta Me.. I've been very afraid of lightening ever since, Chuck ----- Original Message ----- From: Bill To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 3:36 PM Subject: Fw: [VFB] Boating Safety Question I have fished out of aluminum Jon boats for 38 years and have never heard of anyone getting hit by lightening. With that said i think your pretty csafe no matter what you do i for one put down my graphite rods and depending if it's going to keep up i may or may not head for the house.. ----- Original Message ----- From: Chuck Alexander To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 3:52 PM Subject: [VFB] Boating Safety Question Folks: I've had something that I have wondered about in boating safety.. Now that we are getting rain for the first time in months, and some thunder and lightening to go with it.. I have an aluminum Jon boat.. The lake I most often fish is lined with very tall pine and oak trees.. They say lightening usually strikes the highest or tallest point..But, they also say that since lightening is attracted to water, then it will strike the highest point ON the water. But it also strikes metal easily.. So, if I am in my boat and it starts lightening which would be the safest measure??? 1. Stay in the middle of the lake going to the launch, thus being the lowest point around (but, I'd be the TALLEST point in or on the water) ? 2. Hug the bank (but that puts me closer to the tall trees)?? 3. Get on the nearest bank and out of the metal boat till the lightening passes (but that would put me under those tall trees)? Thanks... Chuck -------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.2/893 - Release Date: 7/9/2007 5:22 PM ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.2/893 - Release Date: 7/9/2007 5:22 PM
