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Diggin It II

I write this with tears in my eyes. I lost my father a little over a year ago to kidney and liver failer. The past ten years I was taking him on vacation with my kids and wife, brought him offshore shark and tuna fishing, even entered a few tournaments. It was the best ten years I ever had with my dad. Im 46 and was able to enjoy that with him. I feel so sorry for Cody, and the family. Cody being so young will never be able to experince with his dad what I did. Hopefully we all learn from this as captains and operators to push safty no matter what the cost of gear. My deepest sympathy to Cody and family.

JackC

That was a terrible tragedy and my heart goes out to Cody and his family. In the early season and late in the year and at NIGHT I have started to wear a mustang vest (not an inflatable but a commercial model) - and its comfortable. Since its Christmas it might be good time to buy yourself or your family some comfortable safety gear (of course you need to wear it). The more time you spend on the water the odds increase that something weird will happen. Anchoring in strong currents always gives some unique challenges.

In this case personnel floatation might not have done anything but I'm not sure.

Things that have happened to me with anchor balls:

1. Boat next to me hooked my anchor line while using the ball and his anchor followed my line up into my cockpit "like a missile" - I saw it coming and hid behind the cc. Luckily no real damage but not good.

2. Towed a spring of pots for a few hundred feet (at high speed) - not that I wanted to do this but it happened when I picked up a line between the string of pots. No fun getting the anchor back.

3. Dropped anchors through old pots (twice) and had a hell of time getting the anchor back. (Did it with a few sets of hands over the gun whale working to get it back.)

My favorite technique is presently to use a Mighty Mite anchor with a heavy chain - you can normally just put the boat in reverse and straighten a tine out or even just pull up on it and pull it with no ball - I still occasionally have to use the ball but not often.

My closest call I had (kind of silly but not when it happens to you.) I was cleaning a buddies big boat after a tog trip last year - long day on the water and I had a headache. I was on the swim platform cleaning crab goo from the outboards saying "boy it would be easy to step off this platform". I was in full foul weather gear/boots. About 30 seconds latter I realize I'm under his boat with the scrub brush in my hand and basically feel like I'm actually standing on the bottom. I realize there was a strong incoming tide that was going to drag me under the dock (really not good)- I rocketed up and grabbed the dock. Luckily my other buddies where right there but it took a bit of effort to haul my soaked, somewhat fat ass back onto the dock. They laugh about it now but it could have been very different if I got caught under the boat or under the dock - or even if they were not around to haul me out.

Of course I did not have personnel floatation on and typically would not cleaning a boat but if you do stuff alone on a boat late/early in the year it might be a good idea.

Stay safe.

Jack