hypothermia

There has been much written about this subject and what it does to the body, let me pass on a personal experience on a subject i know all about or thought i did from past experience.
This past week, I was fishing Pa"s limestoners, caught some hefty fish, ,temp was in the 40’s in waist deep water, we fished all day in a steady drizzle, but the sight of wild trout was too much, keep fishing, towards evening,as we were exiting the stream walking was difficult.the first sign. My partner and i split up and he headed home. I headed for coffee. Not being able to get the right change out of my hand at the coffee shop . sign#2. A 60 mile drive and 2 more coffee stops. no problem,I can make it home. I am an iron man or so i thought, former marine, marathon runner and all that crap.Tough guy.

With the stereo turned up, 3 large coffees in me, I was awakened by the sound of tearing metal , the unmistakeable smell of gunpowder from the airbag charge going off and the steering wheel being wrench out of my hands as i hit a bridge over a creek so close to home. thankfully no one was in the other lane or behind me. Fell asleep at the wheel. Next time when i feel the fingers of cold creeping in i have good reminder of torn metal and broken glass to think back on. Don’t let this happen to you. There is always another day if you use you head.

Thank God you’re ok, & thanks for posting as others need to read this.
It seems that every year, we read of early season “drownings” of experienced outdoors people here in Ohio. I have long thought that these “drownings” are invariably hypothermia linked. About 25 years ago, I took a fall in a cold river in winter & felt the effects of hypothermia. Fortunately, I was with a friend & made it through safely. I ALWAYS fish with a buddy in cold weather. Like me, that feeling of “this can’t happen to me” leaves via life experiences, doesn’t it? Hypothermia is a very REAL threat that we all need to understand.

Other than the fact that you can obviously post here, how did you come out of this accident?

Your bad experience may have saved lives by your sharing here.
THANK YOU,
Mike

Glad that you are OK.

Rick

Thanks for the heads up. Thank God you are OK. You are OK aren’t you? At least you are at your keyboard. Jim

I am really bruised up pretty good, i think i have a bone broken in my foot from the brake pedal but otherwise there was a lesson learned here,

Thank god you`r ok to have a chance to fish again

Flybugpa, hope you’re doing better and on the mend. I’ve been where you are after a long, cold day and awoke in the other lane, luckily no cars coming, but scared the bejeebies out of me.

That long day on the water - with “just one more fish or one last cast” - can be deadly. Last weekend I was on my favorite stretch of the Henry’s Fork and watched two different anglers trip and fall in over their waders - one of them twice! I heard the guy who went in twice tell his buddy that he thought of bringing an extra change of dry clothes but decided that there was no way he’d ever fall in…

Needless to say, the fishing was over and they were headed home in a hurry. I’ve been “baptized” in this stretch at least half-a-dozen times, and this was the first time I thought of extra clothes - lesson learned for more than the guy who had an ice-cold drenching. Always good for all of us to be prepared and especially make sure we have a buddy with us.

Thank goodness you’re alright. I fell asleep at the wheel once, too. I sure was wide awake afterward, full of adrenalin. Thank you for reminding all of us to be careful.

Heinrich,

Glad to see you’re ok. Cars can be replaced. This should be a lesson to all of us not to take anything for granted. I don’t fish all that much over the winter, but this is certainly a lesson learned. Hope you mend quickly.

Ken

Glad you made it! Really scary stuff…Thank
God.

i bought a bigger size boots and gloves so i could put hand warmers on the top of my feet and the backs of my gloves. this has helped out alot. since my famous last words are usually one more cast.

glad to see you are ok
gary

flybug,

have done the same thing, many times going duck hunting in Santee, enjoyed the hunt, hiding the boat and putting out the decoys end up standing in waist hight waters with waders. at the end of the hunt and boating back to the landing, loading the boat and dog and trying to get warm, thinking well I made it. then driving home, I cannot tell you how many times I fell asleep, and it would get so bad that even a stupid young guy would pull over and take a nap. Good ADVICE for anyone driving if you start falling asleep pull over and enjoy a little rest.

Shacked

I had something simular happen a few years back. A fishing buddy and myself gave a river all we had (cold water and very cool weather … early in the season) and on the way home I fell off to sleep at the wheel. Lucky my buddy grabbed the wheel and yelled at me!. Had never did anything like that before … or since.

Glad you came out as well as you did. Could have been much, much worse!

Dale