Pacemaker Fishing Forum

I posted this on another forum, figured since I spent the time typing it I'd share it here as well

Something scary....


I wasn't going to post this because it's a little embarrassing, but since there's talk about walking out on the ice I thought maybe I should.

On Thursday things started off like any other day. Cold, but sunny and the roads were clear. My Lab wanted to get out and go for a ride, so I decided to head to Hallowing Point to renew my boat stickers and get my 2014 fishing license. It's an easy trip to that DNR satellite center, straight down Rt 4 and turn right in Prince Frederick to the Patuxent.

Jack was half asleep in the back of the truck as we stopped for a red light entering Dunkirk. There were two cars in front of me when the light turned green. The first one took off, but the woman in front of me was busy texting and didn't notice the green light. Just as I was ready to honk the horn a work van coming up behind me thought we were moving and smashed my back bumper. Jack was simply beside himself. As luck would have it there were two state police cars right behind the van, so the accident report was easy, the cop filled it out. Stuff happens, and it's just a bumper.

Half hour delay and we were back on the road. The DNR building is at the entrance to Hallowing Pt. boat ramp, so after getting the necessary stickers and my license I drove around by the ramp so Jack could stretch his legs and play in a snow drift. I walked out on one of the piers so I could look up the river, and Jack chose to walk out on one of the other piers. The river was frozen to the end of the piers and slushy beyond.

Jack decided he wanted to be where I was, and as I yelled Jack, NO he was going through and under the ice. He popped up through the ice with a surprised look on his face, and was able to make his way to where I was. I was trying to figure a way to lift him up on the pier, and grabbed his collar and tried reaching for his rump. Jack jerked back and I did a somersault and joined him under the ice.

Now it's getting scary. The water wasn't deep, only about 3 - 4' with 2 " of ice and some sand build up on the concrete ramp. I went in head first and hit my head on the bottom. I was able to quickly stand and start pulling the dog, trudging through the ice toward shore, about 20' away. About half way Jack was able to get on top of the ice and sprinted to the side of the truck for a good shake. Meanwhile I was still fighting toward land.

By the time I reached ankle deep water I was exhausted. I stepped on solid ice at the top of the ramp where I fell and slid back in the water. I managed to stand, and it was all I could do to get a knee up on the pier and pull myself up. I hurried as fast as I could to the truck, opened the tail gate and threw my wet coat in then let Jack in the back seat. I put his blanket on the driver seat to soak up some water and got the heater going on full. This was a very scary experience. The whole ordeal of getting out of the water took less than a minute. The water was obviously right at freezing and the air was 16. As hard as it was to get on the pier and as dazed as I was in the truck I don't know if I would have made another minute. I'm now a true believer in everything I've ever heard about hypothermia. This won't ever happen again, if there's a next time the dog is on his own.

Last edited by Osprey (Jan-26-14 5:17AM)