Well, it finally happened.
While fishing a local river, I slipped, fell into the heavy current, and was pushed down-river, helplessly. I couldn’t feel bottom, as cold water rushed all around and over me. I awkwardly dog-paddled towards the bank.
When my feet felt the ground, I knew I was safe. I immediately realized I was still holding onto my fly rod. Whew!
Anglers sometimes slip and fall in, but, the modus operandi is this: by all means, protect the gear. I started to laugh out loud. I can live with getting wet, as long as I have my fly rod.
When I trudged up the bank, I realized that everything was soaked. Water was in my waders, and I could feel freezing water sloshing around my feet and legs. I also then realized that I was nearly hyper-ventilating, probably from all the adrenalin and the cold water hitting my skin.
I’ve seen enough of Survivorman to know that I had to strip out of the wet clothing right away. So, I went to the car and took off everything except my shirt and shorts.
The drive home was fortunately quick, with the heat turned to max. Heated seats never felt so good.
I told Mrs. T. with a chuckle what had happened when I got home. So, all in all, a pretty hilarious morning.
Thankfully, I’m safe, and, it was a fun adventure. One hot shower later, all is well.