Bill, I'm so glad to hear everyone got out safely. Your admonishment about being a live sissy is spot on! It may seem silly to fish with a lifejacket on, but it's the way to go; things happen so fast in a situation like that - everyone thinks they can grab for one if something happens, but it rarely works out that way.
I've gone to Orvis' inflatable fishing vest (with the CO2 canister and bladder built in), and I bought my wife a SOSpender set to use when she's fishing. Both are a bit pricey, but they provide great peace of mind. Beyond the obvious legal entanglements you could get into with WDFW should they catch you in a boat without a life preserver (and many on the list know that they target float tuber and pontoon boaters as well), it just makes good sense. I was on the Yak a couple of years ago, at the Cle Elum launch, and was trying to wade across that little inlet stream upstream of the launch. Well the stream was running higher than I was used to, and next thing I know, I was floating out into the main run of the Yakima. The area below the launch has some nasty sweepers hanging out in it, and I was a gnat's eyelash away from pulling the lanyard on my vest, when I was able to get my feet under me and recover. Scary stuff, and made me more resolute than ever that I only fish with a vest or floatation gear ON ME! I only worry about getting dunked now, not drowned. Again, glad you only lost some gear!! Sean Original Message: ----------------- From: Kent Lufkin [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 09:33:28 -0800 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: public service announcement or driftboat mishap Geez Bill, your story is my worst nightmare. I'm a marginal swimmer at best (dense body mass, can't float at all) and with waders, vest, etc, I'd probably sink like a stone. Your message fell on at least one pair of very receptive ears. Kent Lufkin >I was out drifting for steelhead down on the Lewis this last Saturday. > >Had the opportunity to experience a boat getting stuck on a rock, >then breaking up and everybody having to swim for shore. > >I was the only one to have on a lifejacket and from what I >understand, the only non-swimmer in the bunch. > >My public service announcement is "always wear your life jacket". >It's better to be a live sissy. > >Lost a little gear in this mishap too. Maybe that was because I >stooped to fishing with gear. > > >signed, > >sissy Bill W -------------------------------------------------------------------- mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .
