Wapak water rescue sent to Indian Lake

[wapak ice dawg]

I just saw our water rescue team was sent to Indian Lake tonight to get someone out of the water. They found the person and he was okay and refused transport to the hospital. I don’t know any more details and glad this person is okay. Sometimes you have to realize when it’s raining, 48 degrees out and the ice isn’t that great, it may be time to put the gear up and wait another day. I’ve fell through in 9’ of water and touched bottom, looking up through a hole is a life altering experience, lucky for me I was able to pull myself out of the ice but by the time I got out and walked to my truck that was less than 20 feet away my ice suit zipper was froze up, my hair was a solid mass of ice, boot laces were ice chunks and every muscle in my body was burning and cramping, you start to get tunnel vision and my body was shaking violently. I was in the water about 3 minutes but it felt like a life time.  We had 13” of ice on the main lake in St. Mary’s but it had rained the day before, the day I went through the temps had dropped to 15 degrees and I assumed all was good because I could see 20 or so guys a half mile or so away on the main lake perch fishing. When I stepped on the ice at the sail boat club, the edges had rotted up and I didn’t even look down because I was in a hurry to get out there , whoosh the ice broke, I fell through, touched bottom and was lucky enough to be right there by the wall where they lower the boats in, but trying to climb out expelled all my energy but I kept telling myself I couldn’t die this way , my finger tips were bloody where I was scraping the asphalt trying to grip anything and was screaming for help on deaf ears as no one could hear me or let alone see me from the road because the wall blocked their view. So yes I take ice safety seriously and won’t venture out on less than good ice, everyone is different and some will say we all gotta die some how, might as well die doing what I love, that sound like a ballsy statement and a John Wayne style to go out, until you’re in that situation. Stay safe fellas, there is always next season or we hope.

[Downthehole]

We heard noise last night coming from the main lake and wondered what it was....glad the person that fell through is safe....

[snowcone]

ice dawg had the same thing happen to me when I was younger got back to my truck and was froze up so bad I couldn't get my keys out , really thought I wasn't going to make it when I went thru then the thought carried on when I thought I was goin to freeze before I got warm. I wound up with frostbite on my nose, hat was froze to my head clothes stiff like tin man..

[holehopper]

A chilling story for sure,you were lucky that time,after a experience like that it surely will make you cautious .............

[wapak ice dawg]

I know the feeling snowcone, you see the safety  video of the guy fluttering his feet to pop out of the ice and telling you to remain calm, what they don’t show is a realistic event when you’re walking or standing on the ice and it gives away without any notice, your gear is in the hole with you, you sucked in a shit ton of water because you gasp for air on the way in just because it scared the shit out of you, now you’re bobbing in a hole with ice all around you coughing your ass off and then the holly shits start to run through your mind. Remain calm they say, your vex is laying on the bottom of the lake, your phone is now useless, the safety spikes you brought with you are in a bucket that sunk to the bottom, the only thing n your hand is the rope to your shanty and you hope the hell you kept your keys on you and not put them somewhere in a safe place so you don’t accidentally drop them down a hole fishing for your phone that was in the same pocket. My event changed the way I approach ice safety, I went back to where I fell through a few days after I recovered to see what actually happened and saw that all the rain water from the parking lot drain right where I stepped, 5’ either side of my hole I’d never of broke through. There is at least 1 fatality every year in the US from someone falling through and everyone’s reaction or comments were,” the guy should never had been on the ice in the 1st place and I don’t feel sorry for him, he had to know it was unsafe” or he should have used a spud bar. I’ll jump off my soap box because I know it won’t change your mind as to ice safety because you’re smarter than that, but if I reached in the back of 1 persons mind and made them think twice before walking out on the hard water in less than desirable conditions, then I’ve accomplished something. Stay safe fellas and see you next season. The “ you”was not directed to you snowcone,

[snowcone]

man u summed it up great, 

[slabslayer]

Sure did!  As I get older, I take fewer chances with everything. That last trip isn’t worth losing everything, most important your life.

[Saw guy]

Great message. Sounds like a living hell. Everyone should read that. I've heard of people going through (surviving), and selling their ice gear within a week. Good message.