Almost Died Today
- Thread starter barrabas74
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Cobalt
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Glad your ok. I had a similar experience so I can relate. This happened while I was still back east on a Friday night about 1 year ago on a very dark and chilly night. It was during one of my many scotch tastings I hosted for some friends and myself. We had all started with the blended scotches before graduating to the single malts. By the time we had made it to bottle number 10 we were all kinda twisted and I decided I was going to drink straight from the bottle of Glenmorangie, well I put it to my mouth and tilted my head back, the bottle went straight down my mouth and got stuck, all the while draining in me. As I started to black out, I had a choice either spit the bottle and it's contents on the floor or just blackout and see if I wake up later or not. My friends were to far gone to help me and mrs cobalt was asleep in the chair. I tried but I could not bring myself to spit out such fine scotch, in a bit I started to see two bottles, then four, then eight, it was incredible, it was almost like seeing a bright light at the end of a tunnel, so wonderful. When I got to 64 bottles, something slapped the bottle out of my mouth and when I looked it was the devil himself. I said "what did you do that for, you a-hole" and he said, "I don't have enough scotch for you and me both down there, so you are not invited to my party...."
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your lucky and probably had an alert guardian angel. i used to kayak once, gave it up for rafting so i could enjoy a good cigar and scotch while still moving down the rivers. you might give that some thought :thumbup:
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What a close call. 
Glad you're ok and hope you recover without any problems !
Sag.
Glad you're ok and hope you recover without any problems !
Sag.
Bigfattyt
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I have had more than my share of near death experiences. I have had a .30-06 bullet come so close to me I felt the air brush me. 3 wheeler accident (broke ribs and tore diaphragm and almost suffocated in the van on the way to the emergency room, I laid down on my back, then after breathing out, could not breath back in, and could not even move....till mom saw me turning colors and grabbed me upright), near misses with motorcycle accidents, almost broken my neck several times, and the two worst experiences ever have been near drowning experiences in water (one a neck injury that left me at the bottom of the pool for a while).
Just something about near drownings that stick with you. Hopefully you feel better, and it gives you some perspective.
Just something about near drownings that stick with you. Hopefully you feel better, and it gives you some perspective.
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Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It was a good reminder for me how precious life is and to keep on fighting even if things are tough.
I wish you well.
Dan
I wish you well.
Dan
JTR357
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Glad you're OK Man.
I almost drowned a couple times & I know the feeling you're talking about.It's a horrifying experience.Eventually time heals all wounds.Just hope you can learn from this experience.
Everytime I go deep sea fishing,I always wear a life jacket now.
Take it Easy,
I almost drowned a couple times & I know the feeling you're talking about.It's a horrifying experience.Eventually time heals all wounds.Just hope you can learn from this experience.
Everytime I go deep sea fishing,I always wear a life jacket now.
Take it Easy,
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Water does not forgive mistakes. Fighting for your life underwater is indeed a lonely experience. I've never grown afraid of the water but experiences similar to yours have taught me an immense respect for it and taught me to prepare as much as possible. Glad you won the fight, that's what it's all about.
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Glad you're ok, bro. Lack of air, whether it's a grab loop inside the skirt or getting pushed down repeatedly in a recirc hydraulic, is no fun and can bring some perspective to things.
Spooky when it happens, for sure. Assuming you're heading back out, you might practice blowing the skirt while underwater by placing both hands behind you and pushing against the back deck just behind the cockpit combing. I've got some tight neoprene but by rolling forward while handpressing the back deck, they will all blow the skirt.
I've had students slip the grab loop inside the boar before. We started slipping duct taped wiffle (sp?) balls around the grab loop to remind them and give a larger fixture to grab when bailing out of the boat.
Forced exit was one of the first reasons I stopped wearing "water sandals" in a kayak. Though most kayaks nowadays use movable bulkheads rather than footpegs, it is easy to get a sandal strap caught on your way out. Dive booties are a much better alternative when in the boat.
Glad you're safe, buddy. :thumbup:
Spooky when it happens, for sure. Assuming you're heading back out, you might practice blowing the skirt while underwater by placing both hands behind you and pushing against the back deck just behind the cockpit combing. I've got some tight neoprene but by rolling forward while handpressing the back deck, they will all blow the skirt.
I've had students slip the grab loop inside the boar before. We started slipping duct taped wiffle (sp?) balls around the grab loop to remind them and give a larger fixture to grab when bailing out of the boat.
Forced exit was one of the first reasons I stopped wearing "water sandals" in a kayak. Though most kayaks nowadays use movable bulkheads rather than footpegs, it is easy to get a sandal strap caught on your way out. Dive booties are a much better alternative when in the boat.
Glad you're safe, buddy. :thumbup:
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barrabas74
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I hadnt thought to try that Paddlin Man, I guess I just had so much goin through my head. I hope I can get my composure back together enough to go back out some time. This is the first bad experience I have had (hope its my last) Kayaking, never been caught in Hydrolics but I have heard thats a scarry thing. I hope it does not discourage anyone from trying the sport, its great fun. Indeed I have a greater respect for water, I didnt have it for the flat stuff and it caught me.
I am VERY glad and have a different perspective now on my life. I definatley feel different today, everything seems different.
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Glad your okay, the good Lord was looking out for ya!
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I had a similar experience 5 or 6 years ago. While floating down a lazy north Georgia river my kayak flipped and the paddle got away, leaving me upside down in about 3 feet of water. When I couldn't get the skirt loose, I started trying to use my hands to push myself back up from the bottom - but my arms weren't long enough for me to get my head above water. That's when it dawned on me that I was in trouble and my family was just far enough downstream that they couldn't reach me in time. I shifted my attention back to the skirt, which finally gave way and let me free of the boat. I was only under for a minute or so, but it felt a lot longer - like you said, its a strange feeling. Glad you're okay, brother.
Mike
Mike