Embarrassing moments

[jhjimbo]

jimbo, that anchor story sounds like something I would have done. Sometimes we have to be tough. I got in a mess with my anchor once. I was fishing alone in a 30' cruiser and anchored in the fast rip tide where the St. Johns river empties into the Atlantic ocean in Jacksonville, FL. The current got ridiculously fast so I decided to relocate.

I pulled up above the Danforth anchor in about 50 feet of water, hitched the line to the cockpit cleat, and advanced ahead a bit; raising the anchor. The fast current swept the anchor line up under the boat and into my propeller. It tangled in the prop big time. I had to dive with a knife and cut anchor line out of the prop. I was swept about a mile out into the Atlantic before my prop was clear again. I was nervous all the while after having seen some 400 pound blue sharks feeding near the surface in the rip. I really concentrated to make sure I didn't cut my fingers while cutting out the line. I hated kicking my legs to stay in position under the prop.

Seems as though if we keep at it, we learn a lot about boating over a lifetime.

We noticed one time one engine was slowing down and the temp was rising a little. Upon exam we found the shaft was turning very hard. Did the same thing, dove in and found we picked up a chamois that had wrapped around the prop and shaft. Took a sharp knife to cut that loose.

My Father was helping a guy take his Army surplus aircraft retravel boat to FL one year ( 60' with Packard V-12 GAS engines- it got about 1 mile or less to the gallon. The stern had a big cut out so the boat could winch the nose of a plane into the boat.). While crossing the Chesapeake there was a break in the GAS line and about 5 gal of gas went into the bilge before the sensor went of. In the middle of the Bay they were down there with plastic containers getting it out while everything on the boat was shut down. Then they flooded it with water and soap, washed the area down and then pumped that out. A little tenuous for a while.
Interesting, in the dinghy there was a alligator jam stick. A pole with a shotgun slug in it.
There were alligators all over the Intercoastal on the way South.

[FirstBubba]

Harry and me had worked hard for a "bull" turkey.
We saw hens, gobblers at a distance that would respond but not approach. Gobblers in range but WOULD NOT show themselves!
Nothing seem to work!
Last day, last morning, we set up across a hill from where I had heard gobbles scouting ahead of Harry's arrival.

A lone jake finally topped the crest and put on a gobble fest, strolling in our direction.
Barely in Harry's range, the bird made a hard right, quite gobbling and picked up his pace a bit.
Harry busted him right at the edge of too far!
Excitedly, I jumped up from my blind and yelled at Harry, "You got that m'fer! About damn time! I thought that f'er was gone!"
Mind you, we're in a pasture, nearly a mile from any house!
I turned to look at Harry when I realized why the bird had turned.
The neighbor and his wife stepped out of the woods about 30 yards away!
It was bad enough using language like that around a woman, but she is a teller where I bank!!!!

[DakotaMan]

jimbo, that anchor story sounds like something I would have done. Sometimes we have to be tough. I got in a mess with my anchor once. I was fishing alone in a 30' cruiser and anchored in the fast rip tide where the St. Johns river empties into the Atlantic ocean in Jacksonville, FL. The current got ridiculously fast so I decided to relocate.

I pulled up above the Danforth anchor in about 50 feet of water, hitched the line to the cockpit cleat, and advanced ahead a bit; raising the anchor. The fast current swept the anchor line up under the boat and into my propeller. It tangled in the prop big time. I had to dive with a knife and cut anchor line out of the prop. I was swept about a mile out into the Atlantic before my prop was clear again. I was nervous all the while after having seen some 400 pound blue sharks feeding near the surface in the rip. I really concentrated to make sure I didn't cut my fingers while cutting out the line. I hated kicking my legs to stay in position under the prop.

Seems as though if we keep at it, we learn a lot about boating over a lifetime.

[jhjimbo]

I almost killed myself.

I was about 21 and out on my Fathers 38' boat in the St.Lawerence River by Alexandria Bay.
We were anchored off shore in about 50' of water - the river had a 6knot (8mph) current.
The anchor line was tied at the bow. Being a hot day, I wanted to bring the anchor rope to the stern so the breeze would blow directly into the cabin.
My Father was taking a nap, so not to wake him I got the rope from the bow and proceeded to walk down the catwalk to the stern holding on to the rail on the cabin roof. As quick as I started to walk, the current turned the boat sideways. Now I was holding the anchor line in one hand and the boat railing in the other and being stretched out by the load of the 15 ton boat and the anchor. I pulled my arms together with all my strength as close as I could and quickly grabbed the railing about a foot closer to the stern. Now only about 20' to go doing this. If I fell in I don't know if my Father would have heard me. So, with all my strength and then some I kept grabbing the rail, one ft at a time until I got to the stern. Needless to say I was spent and plenty sore the next day. Later that week we got the rest of the family on board and went through the Seaway Locks and all the way to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Atlantic Ocean. Came South through the Champlain Lake to the Barge Canal and Hudson River all the way to NY Harbor. Family left the boat, a friend got on and my Father and he took the boat the rest of the way to Ft. Lauderdale.

[PigHunter]

Could have been worse, I could have just been plain talking to myself like I sometimes do.

Matt, that's a good one!

[MattM37]

When I first started as a Hunter Ed. instructor, I'd rehearse out loud all day before a class that night. I like public speaking but I do get nervous beforehand. One time I was doing it as I fished a stretch of public-access stream, just down over a hill from the end of a cul-de-sac neighborhood. I'd been talking away while I fished, full voice, nobody else is ever down there along the crick. After probably a good fifteen minutes, I glanced up through the trees and saw an elderly couple sitting on a bench in the woods, smiling down at me. Turned out they owned that little piece of woods along with their house and they'd put the bench in since the last time I'd been there.
"I have to teach a hunter-safety class tonight!" I called up to them.
"Yeah, we sort of figured that out," the man said.
"It sounds good!" the woman said.
Could have been worse, I could have just been plain talking to myself like I sometimes do.

[jhjimbo]

Shooting my .44Mag at the range I was trying some of my first reloads for it. After a couple shots a bullet backed out and 'locked' up the cylinder. So, there I am with others looking at what I had happen and offering me ideas on how to clear the jam. Big mess with powder all over the gun. Took me a while to figure how to clear it. Remember, on the .44Mag, use a good crimp.

[jhjimbo]

I bought a pair of UnderArmor 1st layer. Put them on in the morning of a real cold day. When needed to pee I found out there was no fly. Had to drop them just to pee and it was cold.

[DakotaMan]

I was fishing early one morning for big snook off the jetty in Venice Island, FL. I was the only one on the jetty as the rising sun began to spread light. It was rough water on the gulf but in the tumbling waters, I saw thick pods of bait fish. I just knew that getting up a 4:00 AM was going to pay off.

As the sun rose, so did a monster snook 20 yards to my left. I focused on the ripples and was trying to decide just where to place my lure when my situation changed radically. As I concentrated on tracking the snook, I ignored the situation on the gulf a second too long. A rogue wave crashed over the pier and swept me off the rocks. The big wave smashed me into the rocks and knocked the rod out of my hand.

It was stupid of me in retrospect but my first reaction was to dive for my rod. It has a lot of memories attached to it. It was dropping fast into the foaming gulf but I managed to grab it about 10 feet below the surface. I headed up to the surface with the rod and waited briefly for the undertow to subside. The undertow was too strong and I quickly decided my best chance was to strike out for the end of the jetty rather than to be drug out to sea in that rough water. I surprised myself and caught a break in the advancing waves. I actually made it back to the rocks.

Unfortunately, as I was scrambling up the rocks, another rogue wave crashed down on my back smashing me into the rocks. This one felt like someone dumped a truckload of dirt on my back. I was smashed down into those big rocks. The weight on my back forced my artificial knees to bend further than they are made to bend, ripping scar tissue enough to bend them completely. I hung onto a rock for dear life though and scrambled the rest of the way up as the big wave receded without me. That rock put a big cut on my wrist that was pumping out lots of blood as I maneuvered the rocks to the top of the jetty, filling the spool on my rod with a mess of congealed blood.

It was embarrassing to be so stupid but I had to tip my hat as I looked back to where the big snook had been. I knew it was so foolish to take chances like that and above all to get so focused on the big fish that I lost sight of the dangerous waters. It was also a bit embarrassing to have to return to wake my wife to accompany me to the ER to get all the cuts and scrapes treated and verify that it was still safe to walk on my ripped up knees. The good news is that I still appreciate that rod more than ever, considering I had to risk my life to still keep fishing with it.

[fitch270]

Locked myself out of my truck at a somewhat remote fishing spot. Twice. Somehow managed to hit the lock button both times without help but it took awhile. I'm fortunate that most of my bigger screw ups have gone unwitnessed.

[fitch270]

Got another...

Was in Kentucky for archery deer. It was after sunset and I was to stay put until the owner/guide came for me in the side-by-side ATV. I decided to send a text to Pighuntress but sent it to the guide instead...

A former boss sent similar to me once instead of his wife, except he didn't catch it first. Way worse.

[PigHunter]

Got another...

Was in Kentucky for archery deer. It was after sunset and I was to stay put until the owner/guide came for me in the side-by-side ATV. I decided to send a text to Pighuntress but sent it to the guide instead...

[PigHunter]

I've had several. One morning well before daylight, I misjudged backing up and almost flipped the Xterra. It had been raining and there was no way I could get out of the situation even with 4-wheel drive. Had to walk a 1/2 mile to the WMA check-in station to get the game warden to call a tow truck. (his phone had coverage whereas mine didn't)... Very embarrassing.

[MattM37]

Care to tell us what was your most embarrassing moment as a hunter / fisherman? Probably some of you have never had one, while the rest of us probably have them weekly.