Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
Yup I hear you Sharphooks. When the weather is nice it's hard to keep them on at times.
I've lost another friend to the ocean
- Thread starter Chasin' Dreams
- Start date
Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
A point my wife also made to me today is that he should have also had a throw life ring on board as part of his required safety equipment. Had he been able to put his torso through this he may have been able to survive even though he wasn't wearing a life jacket. After looking at lots of his boating pictures while chartering I don't see any life ring on board.
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walleyes
Crew Member
I’m trying not to assume anything with this one but this fellow doesn’t come across as any dummy out there. **** must have come down pretty fast for him not to be able to react and make quick adjustments. Must have taken a bad one that mostly sunk it then another fast one right after that either capsized it or downed it and like fast. Spending a life in the logging industry this guy was used to thinking fast and on his feet, must have been bad boys.
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Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
I agree it must have happened fast. As the days pass I'm sure more info will come from the survivors as to exactly how it all happened. Right now I can only go by what little the family is sharing with others but they don't even know all the details yet. Last I heard they still hadn't recovered the body yet either. It's messed me up pretty bad. Haven't left the house. Don't feel like even thinking about going out fishing. Have been breaking down with my family. I feel so so horrible for his family. They are a special tight such loving family with everyone they are involved with. Be blessed with every minute we share with our loved ones.
russellclifton
Member
In my post earlier about the shrimp fisherman, that boat was also a Trophy, a outboard model, about twenty feet. It was probably less than 5 seconds from the time the first wave came aboard till that guys were underwater. Not even enough time to jump overboard. Absolutely no time to put on a life jacket.
ILHG
Crew Member
Well said. This has hit home for me and has me looking back. I have not done a good job with this. Myself, I can do better. AlsoI have let other pepole decide what they want. In reality I am responsible for them on my boat & I can insist they wear it..
If we dont want to wear a PDF for ourselves, then wear it for the loved one back home wait for us.
I cant imagine what the family is going through... I would he hard to swallow when a simple PDF would have made the difference.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Terrible news. Sorry to hear about your friend.
cracked_ribs
Well-Known Member
Obviously without having been there I can only guess but from your description of the man, it's easy to imagine that he would have prioritized saving the others on the boat ahead of trying to struggle into a PFD to save himself.
Of course it would be better is he wasn't lost himself, but it may well turn out that his actions after things began to go wrong are a big part of why there are five survivors.
Of course it would be better is he wasn't lost himself, but it may well turn out that his actions after things began to go wrong are a big part of why there are five survivors.
Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
I think you may very well be right. Have been discussing it a lot with my family today and we've been saying similar things. I'm also wondering if maybe he had unexpectedly more clients than planned that day. I can't see him having 5 plus himself on his boat but I may be wrong there. Who knows. I want to stop speculating but it's all I can think about.
One of my friends Theo is heading up to Joe's Salmon lodge in just a few days. It's 19 km's SW of where Jeff's boat sunk. Theo and I fished together just a few days ago and we were talking about his up coming trip and I told him about Jeff and that he was staying up at Shearwater lately and that I though he still had a cabin rented up there. Told him Jeff invited me up to fish with him at the end of August. So we were all planning on trying to combine a trip together next week if all the logistics worked out.
I've never fished up there but have had a trip cancelled a couple years back due to a big thunder storm that moved into the area the day were were set to leave. My friend I was going with that year only had a window of time to go so we had to cancel and went up to Sooke instead.. I won't be going now this year but Theo is still going.
They have made attempts to locate the sunken boat and Jeff's body but have been unsuccessful so far. The weather wasn't good when they were last trying.
Unreel
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear about your friend. Every year there are lives lost to the ocean and it always hits home for those that work or just spend time on the water recreationally. Being out on the water almost daily through the late spring and summer, I couldn't count how many times i've seen people out on the water in conditions they shouldn't be out in. Not saying that was the situation in this case, as we dont know the details but just saying. Ive seen guys out in 14' tin boats in 3' plus chop with white caps in the straight. Guys going out in their 16 and 17' double eagles and hourstons in 15 plus knot winds with 3-4' white caps. It always astonishes me when I see people launching there small boats at the launch when its 15-20 kn winds out. I'll ask if they know the forecast or have looked at the current conditions and most of the time its a no. Ive told countless people over the years at the boat launch the conditions and some do heed my warning and decide to not launch, but most just shrug it off like I dont know what im talking about. Most of the time i'll see them come back to the launch after 15 minutes. Ive honestly given up on trying to educate people on what the conditions are like because as i said most people either don't believe me or don't think their boat will be suseptible to 3-5' white caps. Im honestly surprised there isnt more drownings or capsizing events with what i see regularly. I assume its either inexperience or just ive done this so many times and been fine, why would this be any different. And maybe 99% of the time it will be fine but its the 1% where you may take a wave the wrong way, get hit by a wake then a wave, or lean to far over the side as a wave hits your beam. Stuff happens so fast and I dont think people truly understand how quick things can happen. I love fishing and getting people to experience what we may take for granted out here on the coast, but no fish is worth your life. Even though Im loosing money if I cancel trips because of the weather, Ive still got a limit of knots that if its over im not going, doesnt matter how dissapointed clients may be. Ive also learned the hard way that when your out and the conditions are getting worse and worse, dont wait till the last moment, start pulling up your gear and heading in before it gets to the oh **** this is pretty bad moment. By then it may be too late. Ive seen how fast the conditions can change and go from 3-4' to 5-6' plus in no time. Again @Chasin' Dreams sorry for your loss, I hope this post wasnt too much to put on this thread, if so let me know and ill take it down.
Chasin' Dreams
Well-Known Member
Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts and experience about this. I agree with you wholeheartedly.
‘Jeff was doing what he loved’: Williams Lake man presumed drowned in Bella Bella boat accident
https://www.wltribune.com/news/jeff...resumed-drowned-in-bella-bella-boat-accident/
https://www.wltribune.com/news/jeff...resumed-drowned-in-bella-bella-boat-accident/
