The Official 'I ALMOST DIED' Thread

[makobob]

When they took my toe and told me I cound not have it back to use for fish bait they broke my heart. But that's a different story.

[PapaDave]

4 years ago, internal bleeding, lost six units of blood, which had to be pumped out of my stomach. Unknown cause.

On the bright side, I did get to ride in an ambulance whizzing down the freeway with the siren and lights going.

[addicted2sp33d]

I may have you guys beat... maybe I'm disqualified from this thread because I didn't just ALMOST die... I actually DID die; drowned actually, ironically during a swim class when I was in elementary school.

Of course I remember none of this, but according to witnesses, and what my mom tells me, I was turning blue and unresponsive, possibly no pulse, and the lifeguard literally brought me back to life.

[jorluivil]

Walked to the deli at the local Ralphs, crossed the railroad tracks and about a minute later the train passed by.......almost died

[cabojohn]

I brought donuts to fat camp once...and nearly died!
The riot was insane.

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by cabojohn

I brought donuts to fat camp once...and nearly died!
The riot was insane.

Awww come-on! !!

It's 'I ALMOST DIED' and not 'I Nearly died'

You don't nearly die, you ALMOST DIE!!!!

[cabojohn]

/\
Jorge,
I jumped 8 semi trucks on my SCOOTER naked.
Once my parachute failed to open . I was chased by the Taliban and ended up in a Mexican jail TWICE.
The day I brought two dozen donuts to fat camp was the closest brush with death ever! I was attacked and crushed by 36 fat woman.

Aight, I was flat (FAT) line...they saved my life by doing CPR
I was DEAD!

[LBKayakDude]

When I was around 16, me and my friend went out at the wedge in Newport. It was about 10-12 ft which we could handle but didn't know it was a mega building swell.
Soon turned to 15 feet, 20 feet, 25 feet plus. (Barely) paddling over those things I have never felt so insignificant in my life. Took about an hr of that before we could finally make it in without getting slammed by a 25 footer. An unforgettable day. When we saw pros we admired in magazines dropping in on 25 foot plus waves right next to us, we knew we were in over our heads, literally.

But I'll never forget what it looks and feels like looking down the face of a 25 foot wave at the wedge as I barely made it over the top


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[taggermike]

Josh, I read your post with out seeing who it was. 1/2 way thru I guessed it was you.

I took a massive wipe out surfing the north jetty of Humboldt Bay. Broke my leash. Swam in thru huge walls of white water. Got to the sand in sprinted down the beach, out the jetty, and dove in to get my board that was getting pull out to sea in the rip that runs out along the jetty. Swam hard, got the board, n rode a massive wave in at about sun set. Damn I was stupid.
Mike

[kluts]

I saw wiredunce trying to launch the other day , I laughed so hard,I almost died!!!

[jorluivil]

Hope everyone has a safe 4th of July weekend, wouldn't want you to become a part of this thread.

[Deamon]

New experience this week almost dying...was going at a fairly high rate of speed (3 mph?) and had to perform evasive maneuvers to avoid slamming into this obstacle in the dark. Had to stop, breath in a bag and drink 3 beers to settle down. Thinking this panga was abandoned in/near this weeks XL surf and eventually flipped and floated out. Drugs or humans...? Jorge might know...I'M JUST SAYING.

[jorluivil]

My cousin Joaquin decided to not take my pool noodle advice.

[PapaDave]

This last Saturday launched the kayak at DP. About two miles off shore it seemed real sluggish and started to lean to one side. Opening the hatch I discovered a large amount of water inside (Hand pumps stink BTW). Did make it back in, although very slowly.

Seems I forgot to screw the rear plugs back in from washing the yak out last time.

I almost DIED!!!!!

[wiredantz]

Originally Posted by PapaDave

This last Saturday launched the kayak at DP. About two miles off shore it seemed real sluggish and started to lean to one side. Opening the hatch I discovered a large amount of water inside (Hand pumps stink BTW). Did make it back in, although very slowly.

Seems I forgot to screw the rear plugs back in from washing the yak out last time.

I almost DIED!!!!!

I was thinking that if you forget to put those rear plugs back in, you will have a real problem. glad you ok. Bet your heart was pumpin!

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by PapaDave

This last Saturday launched the kayak at DP. About two miles off shore it seemed real sluggish and started to lean to one side. Opening the hatch I discovered a large amount of water inside (Hand pumps stink BTW). Did make it back in, although very slowly.

Seems I forgot to screw the rear plugs back in from washing the yak out last time.

I almost DIED!!!!!

I've removed the plugs on my PA twice, one of the two times I almost forgot to put them back, I think I remembered the next day. Now, if I wash the inside of the kayak I just scoop up the water with a large towel. I'd rather go through the extra work than to have something happen on the water because I forgot to put my plugs back in.

Glad you made it back OK. Sh*t can go south in an instant.

[King Saba]

Originally Posted by PapaDave

This last Saturday launched the kayak at DP. About two miles off shore it seemed real sluggish and started to lean to one side. Opening the hatch I discovered a large amount of water inside (Hand pumps stink BTW). Did make it back in, although very slowly.

Seems I forgot to screw the rear plugs back in from washing the yak out last time.

I almost DIED!!!!!

Damn. Glad you made it back ok. I've had similar instances where I've forgotten the plug, luckily I was only fishing in harbors.

[FullFlavorPike]

Originally Posted by Deamon

New experience this week almost dying...was going at a fairly high rate of speed (3 mph?) and had to perform evasive maneuvers to avoid slamming into this obstacle in the dark. Had to stop, breath in a bag and drink 3 beers to settle down. Thinking this panga was abandoned in/near this weeks XL surf and eventually flipped and floated out. Drugs or humans...? Jorge might know...I'M JUST SAYING.

Tow it home. Free boat!

[rossman]

I actually posted this on in 2012 but it is still fresh in my mind.

Over the past 12 years of kayak fishing the ocean has given me a survival instinct. The equipment that I carry on my yak is either the result of common safety sense, or as a response to what the ocean has dealt me in the past. As an example; Early in my yak fishing career, I was rolled in the surf at Aliso Creek beach and lost $800 worth of Trinidad outfits. My response was to think that maybe rod leashes might be a good idea during launch and landings, and maybe I should check some surf reports that might tell me if an eight foot swell might be building in the late morning.

Fast forward to this past Thursday. I launched at 4:45 from Doheney. No wind and patchy fog. Set a course for to a waypoint near the red buoy off the headlands. By the time the sun came up, the fog got real serious. I was no more than 50 ft from the buoy and could barely make it out. I could hear it, but not see it. Well I'm prepared for this with a combo sonar and GPS with Navionics chip. If that fails I have a compass. I could hear the Dana fog horn so I was confident I could get back even without electronics, and since I felt the sun would burn this stuff off, I stuck it out. I was having a hard time finding bait so I was moving around quite a bit, from waypoint to waypoint. It is amazing how fog can mess with ya. If I took my eyes off the Steer Arrow for more than a few strokes, I was way off course. I was finally able to find a couple pieces of Sardine and sent them down on a dropper loop. More about that later.

Then came the experience that I was not prepared for, By around 7:00 the fog was still pretty bad but not at it's worst. I decided to have some breakfast which today was going to consist of a coke, a doughnut and a Snickers bar. As usual, I was wolfing this down between casts. I took a bite from the snickers bar and somehow, part of it went down the wrong pipe, and I started to choke. I could not draw a breath, literally to save my life. It was panic city for me. My mind raced through the options that I had. VHF! Nope, I cant talk. Whistle!, Nope can't blow it. Wave my paddle back and forth to try to get someones attention! Nope, I was sure that no one was within 100 ft of me and beyond that it was hopeless. Self induced Heimlich Maneuver! Well maybe, but I'm wearing my PFD with zippers and buckles. I came to the point of believing that "This is it. This is how it will end". I could hear friends and family saying " Well at least he died doing what he loved". Well, thankfully what was blocking my airway was probably a piece of chocolate, and probably started to melt because I was slowly able to get some air into my lungs at least cough a little bit, which made it easier to draw the next breath. If this whole episode lasted a minute, it would surprise me, but it felt like an eternity. Looks like I have to start taking my home tracheotomy kit along with me on my trips.

[jorluivil]

Damn Rossman, that's some scary shit.