So for last night's adventure, I went to my cabin on the Kenai river. Water is extremely low this time of yr, but still way too big to wade across. I got my jet boat in the water and headed out to sightsee. It was about 9pm, there is absolutely nobody else on the river cuz prop boats cant operate due to rocks and there is no fishing at this time anyway. Temp was about 45 deg, sun still up and Im about 4 miles upstream from home, in the wilderness, bear country.
I was videoing the run, looking at the eagles and stuff, and almost to the swan sanctuary boundary where no motored boats are allowed until Jun 15. I decided to screw around, like I do all the time, and shoot across a gravel bar with only 3 inches of water flowing across it. The water flow was near shore, so the tactic is to run toward shore, throw it hard right at the spot where the flow is, bounce across the gravel, hit the deeper water on the other side, scream "YEEHAW!" and keep going upstream.
Well, what I didnt figure in, was that holding the camera in one hand, left me with only one hand gripping the wheel. When I hit the gravel while sliding sideways across the water, I got pitched out of the boat into the river. Landed on my side, glad I hit the deeper water and not the gravel. But, water is about 38 deg, maybe less, I got soaked, camera and 44 mag took a bath, Im now standing in the river as my boat is running full throttle in tight circles and drifting down the river. This is not good.
Im soaked, 9pm, bear country, 5 wet shots in the 44, nobody ever gonna happen by, 4 mi from nearest human, temp going down (will be below freezing by morning), hip waders full of water, cell tel in shirt pocket may be dry but no time to check, all supplies are in the boat.
I ran hard as I could along the rocky bank with waders full of water, stumbling in mud holes, jumping treefalls, trying to keep up with the boat, hoping it would eventually run aground and that I could shut the eng down if it does, before it burns out from no water flow.
After about a half mile my lungs are screaming, Im ahead of the boat, but it is heading out around a huge gravel bar instead of going into the shore, with wide open water down stream from there.
Im figuring Im now in really deep shit, as Im wading thru hip deep water, when the boat hits a big rock just under the surface. The rock lifted it out of the water just enough to hi center it, water still going thru the engine but the jet is shooting thru the air. Im spent and it takes everything I have left to get to it, shut the motor down and collapse over the side, wheezing in agony.
Refloated and started the boat, went back upstream to get my camera where I left it on the gravel bar, look at the crash spot and analyze what went wrong, then head back home full speed, staying in risk free water. Hands in wet gloves were frozen from the wind, but all things considered, rest of me was relatively warm.
Hot bath and shower was ecstasy!
Older neighbor buddy asked me this morning, "Terry, when the fk are u gonna grow up and stop screwing around"? I told him "not until my luck runs out". ><
Halibut fishing last Sunday was in the ocean offshore from Redoubt Volcano that has been in the news recently. Took some cool pics and video of the steam and ash plume coming out of it.