be careful in winter

[procrabber]

summary of this last week USCG news:

NC:  crabber missing from crabbing skiff, search called off... presumed dead

Va ocean:  1 dead 2 rescued after boat capsized in 8 ft waves

MD Patapsco river:  tug collides with fishing boat  1 deat 2 rescued

NC coast:  tug sinks, 3 dead, 6 rescued

[tattoo]

GOD BLESS THEM ALL, it's just a reminder how dangerous it is in the witer. not that it isn't in the summer too.

[rivercrab]

Yeah that accident on the Patapsco....its sad but you have to be very careful around the harbor and the bridges.Its a very busy place for larger vessels..especially in the summer.

[Black Irish]

Cold water is very dangerous. There's a 50/50 rule about hypothermia...a 50 yr. old man has a 50/50 chance of floating for 50 minutes or being able swim 50 ft. in 50 degree water.

I had "mild" hypothermia when I was in my twenties from wading in ~50 degree water...I had to sit on the river embankment for about a half hour until I regained the feeling and use of my legs. It happened pretty fast and I could hardly haul myself out of the water with just my arms. Cold water is nothing to mess around with. The water temps out there now are in the 40's.

[Crabslayer]

Generally what happens to older people in cold water is that they go into cardiac arrest.

[CrabDog]

I hear ya.

Believe me I duck hunt and there are times the water is in the 30 degee range and we cut through ice to get to our spots to hunt.  That is a little unnerving.  I always wear neoprene waders they float you.   Also Life vest is a must.  Even latter in the fall in OCt. when I crabbed by myself I wore my life vest.  Call me a whimp, but better to be a live whimp eating crabs than a hardheaded dead person who thinks they were being tough or cool becoming crab bait!!!!  Friend of mine drown duck hunting
wore regular waders and boat capsized and the other 2 wearing neoprene waders floated up and got to land.  Neoprene also insulates when wet.  Buddy's waders pulled him down and that was that.

...Cdog

Anyway.. Just my 2 cents.