Sad morning

I will post them when they are released. When i first read it i thought a lot could have been done differently and the outcome would have been much better.

....just reminds us all to use a little common sense so we can come back home to our families. Duck hunting is our passion but it isn't worth dying over.
 
Horrible to hear. Seems like every other year or so something like this happens on the Mississippi River. Stay safe out there...
 
....just reminds us all to use a little common sense so we can come back home to our families. Duck hunting is our passion but it isn't worth dying over.
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A good reminder to go slow, know the water and hazards and always take extra care. Sad story for those left behind.
 
it was very foggy that morning hear in illinois- probably had alot to do with it. two of the passengers were young kids. the scariest times i have been in a boat were all related to low visibility due to fog while on the river. truly a stark reminder of how dangerous duck hunting can be and a wakeup call for all us us. be safe.
 
I was talking to the local CO at the ramp this morning and he told me a 3rd person died in the hospital but the news is still saying 2 people. I was in the pool above there. No fog where I was but I wondered if that was a factor. I've not launched from Fairport before but I've hunted a lot in pools 16 & 17. These guys were in 16. The channel can be rough one on a morning that doesn't seem that bad. I read they hit a concrete day light. Only one person was wearing a PFD.

When I was a kid we came close to scraping a barge in the fog. It was so foggy you couldn't see the barge seal beam. I've never been so scared in my life when my light hit metal. Thankfully the barge was grounded out of the channel and we were hunging an island not being sure were we were in the fog running on a compass.
 
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My heart goes out to those families. What a horrible accident.
Ed, the close call you had sounds like grounds for a nightmare. You sure were lucky.
Al
 
My hunting partner on Saturday lives down that direction and told me it was foggy when he left his house. We did have some fog banks roll in up on 13.

Everyone be careful out there and remember we drive things that have no brakes and don't turn on a dime. Drive according to conditions, not skill.
 
Fairport...is that on the Iowa side? We used to launch almost right across the channel from 123...is that the Fairport ramp?

I was really sorry to hear this...haven't hunted there in years and years, but it still seems the old stomping grounds...and if only one person was wearing a pfd, that's evven more the shame.

I can remember riding the channel with pfd on and waders unstrapped, sometimes down to the knees, just in case...
 
Hi Rick,

Yep Iowa side. Not sure of the milemarker. It's west of Davenport between Buffalo and Montpelier on Highway 22
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My partner was talking to some guys that apparently was out there Saturday. They said there was a couple of kids in the boat and only one of the kids was wearing a life vest. The news isn't letting much out since it's still being investigated so it's all hearsay.

Rick...I hear you about the hip boats. I never run the river with my hipers pulled up. I also never run without a knife just incase I have to cut myself out of something. Yesterday I went deer scouting. Coming up to the cut into the islands where I motor in there is now a tree trunk 100 feet from the island at water lever. Can you imagine hitting that even at full speed of a 15 hp? You gotta be on the river checking all the time. One day you can jump out of the boat into ankle deep water and the next day that same area can have a hole deep enough to drown in. It's always moving and you can't let your guard now. I'm to old to be a good swimmer anymore and the water right now is 54 degrees. Cold enough for hyperthermia. I wear a lifevest and hookup my kill switch. I'm not ready for this to be my last season.


Al,

Your right about the nightmares. And because of that day I know though the years I've stayed on shore a few mornings waiting for the fog to burn off.
 
yeah, that's the ramp I was thinking of...used to put in there to run across to blind #123...that stretch of the channel can get snotty as heck on the wrong day, too...add some barge traffic and it's definitely got potential for someone to not come home.

I know what you mean...even the Arkansas down here, as "tamed" as it is, can get the better of you. Wing dams, deflectors, buoys, logs, sandbars...

That is a real shame...and for one of the kids to not have a pfd...Dad wouldn't let us in the boat without one on...and we could swim like fish.
 
Very Sad I had heard there was a 7 and 11 year old in the boat also. 7 people one boat yikes. Prayers for the familys way to close to home!
 
Mark,

Sad, Sad thing. My heart and prayers go out to the families.

Man I'm having a hard time visualizing the boat they were in. The biggest boat I can think of built for hauling is maybe a Lowe 2070. It's rated for 7 persons. I guess it's not important but I'd like to see a picture of the boat. I can't wrap a head around a boat outside of a pontoon Boat that's rated for 12 persons as the report states. I had a 24 footer that was rated for 12.

They interviewed a fella last night on the news that knows the owner of the boat. He told the reporter he's a veteran to river and these two guys have hunted this area since 1965. The report stated the boat struck just off center and if the boat had been 3 feet to the right they'd have missed the light.
 
Dave,

That big Lowe you had was a great boat for 2 guys and a dog. 3 guys is Hitch's tank was comfortable but I wouldn't want to try huting more than that in his boat. Shoot, when I was a kid (jr high) my dad, uncle and thier buddies build mansions for blinds. They had a separate room for a card table, wood stove and bunks. Hell I remember one having a outside john (bucket under a board with a hole in it.). They never hunted more than 5 at a time. It was just way to dangerous trying to keep tabs on everyone and what direction they they were pointing. I'm sure it's done every day but I can't imagine 7 in a blind.
 
I saw the same news cast Ed, didn't make much sense. Sad time and my heart goes out to all affected by this.

My wife said the same thing about the boat and that our 24' pontoon won't hold 12 persons unless they all look like Olive Oyl.
 
Wow...Olive Oyl.....now there's a beauty!!!LOL...Your dating yourself now Mark! hehe
 
Mark,

I did a little searching and SeaArk has several jon models in the 2072 size with capacity for 12 & 13 persons.
 
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