malantone Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Very sad news this week an experienced wildfowler shooting his local marsh went missing, was found 2 or 3 days later, this gentleman went out with two others,they decided to seperate and meet up later, the alarm was raised when he didn`t show up just before full tide. A lesson for us all I think RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 Yes very sad news indeed, The marsh whilst a wonderful place to be is also very dangerous and safety cannot be overlooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 there are a few threads on this and it is indeed sad, however he did seem to be an experienced wildfowler and I think on another thread it was suspected he may have had a heart attack. So while sad if so he went out doing something he liked when I go it would be good to be in a similar situation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malantone Posted February 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2011 Been told today he had dropped a duck which landed on the other side of a large gutter, he was last seen going to retreive it gun in hand wearing chest waders( no dog apparently ) one slip in deep water wearing those things and they are full and you aren`t getting back on your feet. A WARNING TO ALL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Waders wont drown you, unless you try and swim in a conventional breast stoke / crawl way. Stay on your back and float feet first and they will help keep you up not pull you down, i have been down many times myself. Mud and strong rising tides are a deadly combination though when crossing a gutter though. Very sad news of his passing, we all take risks on the marsh it's sort of part of it all and i am sure a true fowler would much rather die out on the marsh doing what they love than behind the desk at an office or the likes i feel. Still my own thoughts go to those he left behind even though they are unknown to me and let us all remember to manage the risks we might take when we venture out and remember those who didn't come back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 A documentary on salmon fishing in scotland by Hugh falkus in the 70s ,he demostated how to stay afloat in chest waders by jumping in a deep pool an floating on his back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Speaking as someone who has been in the freezing cold water in chest waders believe me they do not keep you afloat. They will keep your feet up but unless you have a life jacket on your head will go down. I struggled like hell to swim 50 yards in mine with a heavy coat on as well. Not an experience I would want to repeat in a hurry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Speaking as someone who has been in the freezing cold water in chest waders believe me they do not keep you afloat. They will keep your feet up but unless you have a life jacket on your head will go down. I struggled like hell to swim 50 yards in mine with a heavy coat on as well. Not an experience I would want to repeat in a hurry You don't fancy getting a boat for next season then? I'll drive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 No problem with boats at all, just going in the water in chest waders I'd something I ain't repeating Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Speaking as someone who has been in the freezing cold water in chest waders believe me they do not keep you afloat. They will keep your feet up but unless you have a life jacket on your head will go down. I struggled like hell to swim 50 yards in mine with a heavy coat on as well. Not an experience I would want to repeat in a hurry the heavy coat would have been the issue, bags can be even worse. I am a very experianced angler and assistant River keeper, most of my falls have been in the pitch black seatrouting at night on the river though have also been in over deep water. Falkus showed us how on film many years back and it has saved countless lives i recon. The things you must do is practice the method and gain confidence. If your feet are up and your head is forwards there are issues - try feet first and just relax and steer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostrea Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 try feet first and just relax and steer Easier said than done! As skipper of a fishing vessel i have attended many sea survival courses and regularly read the monthly magazines from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch. A big percentage of people die in the first few minutes of entering the water as you said its good to be able to practice in safe conditions whether its chest waders or gaining confidence in your flotation suit buoyancy aid etc. I know from experience how panic sets in almost immediately when entering the water in cold conditions but lucky for me the courses i sat through yawning most of the time! certainly paid off. We find that in the fishing industry its very difficult to persuade people to wear buoyancy aids especially the older generation but these days there is no excuse as there are some good buoyancy aids around that do not restrict your movements, my crew all wear the Guy Cotten Baraka Flotation Waistcoat ideal for winter under their coats and OK in summer over a T shirt. Also not a bad idea to carry a small pack of personal flares like the Pains Wessex Personal Distress Flares Signal Kit. My thoughts go out to the family and friends of this person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Many years ago in the Humber, a 16ft boat capsized throwing its 2 occupants in to the water. My brothers who were also out fishing that day recovered both occupants. The one wearing wellies survived. The one in chest waders was fished upside down from the water. He had sadly drowned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artschool Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 why dont waders come with a quick release? or are the legs impossible to remove because of the water pressure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry d Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 why dont waders come with a quick release? or are the legs impossible to remove because of the water pressure? There are 2 things, firstly, if you go in head first the air pockets in the area that last goes under, usually the lower legs and you are then helpless unless you have a knife to cut the air bubble free at the ankles. As a swift water trained technician we always carry a knife on a lanyard for situations sililar to this. Second is the waders filling with water, which isn`t so bad until you come to try and get out of the water, which is why Hugh Falkus advocated crawling out on hands and knees until on the bank and then get on your back and raise your legs to drain the water. If someone has been in water a long time it is best to transport them, after rescue, horizontally due to the problems associated with "Immesion syndrome" this is a killer and is not fully understood, but involves the cold water causing the heart to spasm and it also has something to do with the pressure of the water around the body. I don`t have my student notes, They`re at work, so that is your lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 the heavy coat would have been the issue, bags can be even worse. I am a very experianced angler and assistant River keeper, most of my falls have been in the pitch black seatrouting at night on the river though have also been in over deep water. Falkus showed us how on film many years back and it has saved countless lives i recon. The things you must do is practice the method and gain confidence. If your feet are up and your head is forwards there are issues - try feet first and just relax and steer I assume you are talking about going in the water froma standing position and not being out of your depth? When I went in it was froma capsized boat in about 30 foot of freezing cold sea, it was also dark. The heavy coat was actually a saviour as it prevented the waders from filling up as much as they would then have dragged me down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowdy Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 I was told at the weekend by one of his mates who went out looking for him that there is reason to think that he may of had a heart attack. My thoughts go out to his family at this time. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artschool Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 There are 2 things, firstly, if you go in head first the air pockets in the area that last goes under, usually the lower legs and you are then helpless unless you have a knife to cut the air bubble free at the ankles. As a swift water trained technician we always carry a knife on a lanyard for situations sililar to this. Second is the waders filling with water, which isn`t so bad until you come to try and get out of the water, which is why Hugh Falkus advocated crawling out on hands and knees until on the bank and then get on your back and raise your legs to drain the water. If someone has been in water a long time it is best to transport them, after rescue, horizontally due to the problems associated with "Immesion syndrome" this is a killer and is not fully understood, but involves the cold water causing the heart to spasm and it also has something to do with the pressure of the water around the body. I don`t have my student notes, They`re at work, so that is your lot. thanks henry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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