# word of advice



## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

this is just a reminder guys always wear your life jackets I had got lazy about and haven't warn mine in a while. I have been fishing by myself for years and today by fluke accident I nearly died. but thanks to gentlemen going by at the right time and heard me yell and the grace of god I don't know if would have made it. so everyone please be safe out there and wear your life jacket. 

if the gentleman that saved my tail today reads this please contact me


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## Fielro (Jun 4, 2012)

Thanks for the reminder. Glad a guardian angel came by.....


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

don think I have ever been as scared as I was today I wasn't in the state of mind to get the gentlemens name but if you read this again thank you I owe you a lot.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Tell the story....


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

sorry but I thought a post about wearing your life jacket was self explanatory no need to go into detail


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## lees way2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Glad you made ok. This time of year and the water temp can do bad things to the body quick. It only takes about one min to strap one on ,you may never need it but if you do its there. Thanks to your life saver, a lot of people do great things and think nothing about it,while on the water or in the woods.


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## Murphy's Law (Sep 27, 2007)

hjorgan said:


> Tell the story....


+1 what happened ?

Sent from my S4 using Forum Runner


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

By some fluke I fell over board and the wind was blowing hard enough that by the time my head got ack above water I could not get back to the boat the water temp was 55 degrees where I was at and yes the water temp that low it does take its tool very quickly it didnt take long for my body start to not want to work when I went in I had a carhartt jacket on had to shed it rather quickly due to wait of it wet like I said thought it was over several time before the gentleman got to me he had to drag me in the boat I had no strength or ability to do it my self even at this point still have no idea how long I was in the water.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Dang dean, thanks for the warning and the story. I fish alone quite a bit and even have one of those self-inflatable comfy-ish life jackets. I'll start wearing it. Good warning.


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

I really don't like going out alone at all especially during cold water season. Good reminder here just how fast things can take a turn for the worst.


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

I hope that my experience helps someone and keeps this from not going as well as mine did I have a wife and two children at home don't know what they would have done. I was in the navy and consider my self to be a good swimmer just goes to show anything can happen at any point. this post is just a reminder to maybe help someone else.... be safe out there guys


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

Glad you're ok !!! I fish by myself 95% of the time and looks like I'll be investing in an inflatable now. I've worn them in the past and you hardly notice it after a bit.


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

I have decided to get one myself anything to keep my wife and children from having to go through what the outcome could have been


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## mudskipper (Oct 3, 2007)

I have an inflatable vest that can be worn around your waist like a fanny pack for those who don't like the type that you wear around your neck/ shoulders .......technically you're not wearing it but it's there if you need it....... I also have a life preserver jacket ... It's a jacket that has built in flotation......those are pretty awesome .....those are a couple more suggestions for flotation devices


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## spike (May 25, 2008)

Dean, This is Rick Harbour. I went fishing yesterday with the Pensacola Speckled Trout Club. Which I am a new member and yesterday was my first event. I had not even been on the water in Pensacola before. I had no idea where I was going to fish. We put in at Bayou Texar and I was going south but someone suggested I try going north to the escambia river area. I fished there for several hours with no luck and just decided to look around for a while. I rode around fishing several areas then went to the east end on the I-10 bridge and rode down the bridge pilings looking for good structure. About 1/2 way down the i-10 bridge I looked to the left and saw what I thought was a bird in the water, Dean, it was the very top of your ahead, you were going down again. I looked away the looked back and your entire head was above water. Needless to say I panicked. I did not see your boat and you were a mile from land and even if you go to a piling the concrete is flat and straight up, there is nothing to hold to. Before I could get to you you went under 3 more times, each time I was afraid you were not coming back up. I was afraid I was going to see a man die before I could get to you. Dean, I go to church when I can, I am not a overly religious man but God must have wanted you to continue living yesterday. When I left you yesterday I just sat out in the middle of the bay, I had no desire to fish, I was pretty shook-up. I just called my wife and told her I not caught any fish but I saved a man from dying. Dean, you were less than 15min from not being here anymore. I am so happy you posted the story on PFF and that you are ok. My head still has not gotten back to normal. Yesterday was not a good day because of what happened to you, but it was the best day of my life because I was lucky enough to be there when you needed me.


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

rick thank god you were in the right place at the right time for me at that time I owe you a debt chances are I will never be able to repay if you ever need anything at all don't hesitate to call me I will do everything in my power to help you my number is listed below thank you again


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## spike (May 25, 2008)

Dean, I am going to call you. The best thing you can do for me is to hug that wife and 2 kids for me. You are a strong man, most would not have been able to hold on for as long as you did. You had a ton of cotton cloths and boots pulling you down. It's a great day!!!!


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

rick I have hugged them more since yesterday than I have in a while and they all are greatful to you for being there and being observant of the things around you


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## 2RC's II (Feb 2, 2012)

Dang! That will make your eyes water. Glad it turned out to be a good ending.


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## jmunoz (Jan 11, 2012)

Awesome thread !

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

me too could have turned into a bad day for a lot of people


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## flounderslayerman (Jun 3, 2011)

jmunoz said:


> Awesome thread !
> 
> Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk


One that'll make you think about your safety out there. Spike you definitly played guardian angel that day.

Flattie Killa


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

yes he did glad he is a member of this forum so that we could connect under different circumstances


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## tkh329 (Mar 14, 2012)

twodown said:


> Dang! That will make your eyes water. Glad it turned out to be a good ending.


X2.


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## Hawkseye (Feb 17, 2012)

Damn Dean! Thank God Rick was there! Glad to see you're okay....now don't go counting on there actually being 9 lives. This goes to show you how comfortable we all get (myself included) when we do something enough times that we overlook the dangers involved.

Very glad this instance worked out as well as it did.

Stay safe everyone.


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

thanks frank it definitely could have went worse than it did. and you are right I wore a life jacket religiously when fishing by myself and then got slack about not anymore. don't need to put wife kids and family in any unnecessary stress or worse


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## SignWaves (Nov 2, 2007)

Dean, all I can say is WOW! That is an amazing experience. Thank god Rick decided to head north and fish the escambia that day. I imagine a lot of the guys who are reading this are now saying to themselves "I'm wearing my life jacket from now on." I know I will. My inflatable pfd is hanging in the garage getting dusty. Now its coming with me!


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## tiderider (Oct 1, 2007)

I'm glad we are reading this here rather than the news paper or the evening news. PFD's save lives, wear them please. I'm always amazed to see so many boaters and kayakers not protecting themselves and families.


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## billydean (Oct 26, 2007)

please wear your pfd I have four on the boat at all times a lot of good they do in the dry storage. I will before the next trip have one of the automatics. don't ever want to expierence that again


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## TeaSea (Sep 28, 2013)

Man!! talk about someone being in the right place at the right time. just imagine how instead we could be talking about the mystery of the guy that 'disappeared' while out fishing. Way to go Spike!!


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## Lexcore (May 5, 2012)

spike said:


> Dean, This is Rick Harbour. I went fishing yesterday with the Pensacola Speckled Trout Club. Which I am a new member and yesterday was my first event. I had not even been on the water in Pensacola before. I had no idea where I was going to fish. We put in at Bayou Texar and I was going south but someone suggested I try going north to the escambia river area. I fished there for several hours with no luck and just decided to look around for a while. I rode around fishing several areas then went to the east end on the I-10 bridge and rode down the bridge pilings looking for good structure. About 1/2 way down the i-10 bridge I looked to the left and saw what I thought was a bird in the water, Dean, it was the very top of your ahead, you were going down again. I looked away the looked back and your entire head was above water. Needless to say I panicked. I did not see your boat and you were a mile from land and even if you go to a piling the concrete is flat and straight up, there is nothing to hold to. Before I could get to you you went under 3 more times, each time I was afraid you were not coming back up. I was afraid I was going to see a man die before I could get to you. Dean, I go to church when I can, I am not a overly religious man but God must have wanted you to continue living yesterday. When I left you yesterday I just sat out in the middle of the bay, I had no desire to fish, I was pretty shook-up. I just called my wife and told her I not caught any fish but I saved a man from dying. Dean, you were less than 15min from not being here anymore. I am so happy you posted the story on PFF and that you are ok. My head still has not gotten back to normal. Yesterday was not a good day because of what happened to you, but it was the best day of my life because I was lucky enough to be there when you needed me.


Rick you are a good man. :yes: Blessing upon you and your family. after reading this post these are tears "something got in my eye call humbleness" to see how God call us to be helpers one to another. You was scard but you did the RIGHT thing and assisted not run or call for help you jump right in to HELP! God bless you both. Since I have own a boat I have found majority of the boat owners are more friendly than car owners. :yes::thumbsup:


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## my3nme (Oct 9, 2007)

God worked through this man to save your life. Be blessed


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## Dimebag (Jan 15, 2014)

Just wanted to say crazy story but awesome at the same time. I know the feeling of almost losing it....my boat had gone under from another boat racing out of the marina and a double up came up on the front and immediately took water. Wife and kids and Friends and there kids were in the boat and all had to jump ship. Someone came to rescue us soon after it happened. But for some reason, I put all the life jackets and snapped them to my tower earlier that day. Glad I did because I was able to get to them faster then if they were in the cubbie. The kids had theirs on already since I never let them take em off......

Glad you are here to post your story.


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## Tom044 (Mar 20, 2013)

Wow what a story you guys a both amazing.One winter in new jersey when I was young my friends and I went to a dance on Atlantic city boardwalk.The dance was on a pier like Pensacola fishing pier.During summer time they had a show with horses that drove into the ocean.They had a special floor for them to return.They had a clowns diving show with 3 diving boards and one board was a trick board that collapsed and went face straight down and the clown would fall into the water.The dance was at the end of the pier and they had a door that went outside to the clown show.Well stupid me I went out the door and seeing everything roped off with caution sign I ignored that and walk around the pier and walked to the driving board and walk to the end but it was the trick board and it went straight down.As I was falling I turned around a grabbed the diving board and hung on for dear life.As I hung there looking down at the big waves below me I some how climbed from rafter to rafter to a rusted old metal ladder.I was a live and couldn't believe what happened.I walked back in the dance and everyone ask me what happened.I was bleeding from a bad cut on my face and my clothes were full of tar.
To this day my friends call me the diving horse from jersey.
I seen my life flash and every time I hear a story what you guys told today it brings back memories.Glad everything worked out for you both.
All I can say is God Bless.


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## Ajerv (Oct 3, 2007)

*Life saving electronic gismo*

I have been using a Life Saving electronic gismo when fishing alone for years. It costs money, but might save your life if you fall overboard or have any other emergency:

It is a 5 star Great Call wireless responder at Wal Mart, and elsewhere, for $50 and you call to set up an automatic $17.99 a month monitoring fee. Separately, on Amazon, for $8, buy a Kwik Tec Dry Pac Multi Purpose Nylon Case which you use to carry the unit around your neck waterproof. It is a small GPS device, half the size of a pack of cigarettes, that has a push button(can push through the clear plastic case) that will alert a 24/7 Great Call telephone operator that you are in trouble and your location can be located by the operator on a GPS map and forwarded to emergency personnel like 911. You can also set up a loved one who would be notified as well as be able to go to a web site and see on a map where you are. 911 is notified by the Great call operator or directly by you with the push of a button. So.......in the event you fall overboard, you have this thing around your neck on a lanyard, you press the button, you are located on a map and emergency personel are told of your location and to search for you. For more information Google "GreatCall 5 Star Responder " and for the waterproof case"Kwik Tec Dry Pac Multi Purpose Nylon Case"

AJ


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Awesome story and testament to GOD'S hands protecting you brother! GOD put you in the right spot Spike, and awesome fer you to examine the situation further to figure out what it was bobbing in the water!!!


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## Spoolin Up (May 3, 2011)

Great testimony of God's prividence!


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