most dangerous experience?

corij

Tenderfoot
Joined
Dec 21, 2012
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Location
felixstowe,Suffolk
Detector(s) used
ace 150
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Oh man haha, thats an eerie feeling I bet. be careful out there!
 

As kids my friends and i explored mines in the area and we found some bottles in one but our flash lights were going dead and left. A few day's later went back and it seemed different, couldn't find the spot. Then realized there was a huge cone shaped pile of rock and dirt covering the entrance to the side lead where we found the trash pile.
 

Wow, bet that was some kind of moment when you realized what they were.

I've never had a dangerous moment detecting unless you count drunk drivers about hitting me on the road while driving home.
 

Uncovered wells, watch out for those suckers.
 

Second marriage. What a nightmare! 8-)
 

We had a 34 foot sailboat and were going to go from Sackets Harbor (Lake Ontario) south-west to Oswego and then motor down the canals to Cayuga Lake. In order to save time in Oswego we had the mast dropped onto crutches before we left. The mast weighed about 700 lbs.

Weather forecast was for clear with a small chance of rain late in the day. We headed out at 6:00AM.

By 8:00AM the wind had picked up to about 20 mph and a small craft advisory was issued. It got worse. The "seas" got to be 10 foot (20 ft between crest and trough) and we were burying the front third of the boat if we tried to head into them (going from the west). If we tried to head across them we rolled too much. So I was trying to nose into them and surf down the backsides (in a 16,000 pound boat with zero flotation). That's when the mast started to work loose in the wood crutches We were at least four hours from land in any direction. We eventually gave up and tried to run mostly with the wind - calling for marinas that could take our draft. The wind was now about 35 mph and coming the length of Lake Ontario at us and bring the waves with it. A woman who was with us slipped in the companionway and smashed her head on the stainless steel rub rail. At that point I contacted the Coast Guard to let them know we were out in it and, while not abandoning ship I wanted them aware of our route and to check in occasionally (God Bless the Coast Guard). The south-east of Ontario (Mexico Bay) is relatively shallow and few marinas had a five foot or better channel. We finally contacted Selkirk on the Salmon River and they said: "when you get to the rock jetties gun it." We were "gunned" at seven knots already. Seeing waves splash halfway up to the 40 ft Selkirk Lighthouse we entered the channel with rip-rap rocks on either side and timed it to surf down one of the waves as it entered the channel. There were two dozen people lining the floodwall that had been watching us or heard the VHF calls.

For eight hours I had been terrified and afraid for not only my life but my wife's and two guests. I was black and blue from my navel to my chin from smashing into the binnacle and wheel while steering.

I've had closer brushes with death (car and motorcycle accidents) but I've never been so afraid for so long a time. Sure gave us confidence in that boat, however. We got beat up but the boat did fine.
 

Hey, Charlie. Here's mine. I moved my 32 footer from Milwaukee to the Chesapeake. Halfway up Lake Michigan, the battery went dead. I was keeping a good "DR" line so I knew where we were, me, my wife, and Dan a world class E scow racer from Pewaukee Lake. We did a 90 degree and set course for Ludington under sail.... no motoring. Sailed up the Ludington channel under sail and pulled up to a cement wall like we did it everyday. We stopped headway just one foot from the wall and Dan stepped off and secured. My wife jumped ship and flew back to Milwaukee. Dan and I continued up Michigan, Huron, and onto Lake Erie. On lake Erie, we could see an immense thunderstorm coming up behind us. We were about 30 miles NW of Erie, PA. I called the Erie Coasties to ask about conditions. They answered the radio and yelled, what in the hell are we doing out there? They said button up and call them back after the storm passed. For about a half hour (an eternity) of surfing down 10/12 foot waves, bare poles, we got through without damage. My wind machine said 60+ winds. Called the CG and continued to Oswego (stopped at Rochester and invited to the Yacht Club there.... jeans and t-shirts). We dismasted and did the Erie cannel to Albany. Stepped the mast (put it back up) at Castleton-on-Hudson and sailed to the Chesapeake without further incident. It took 3 weeks and one day. Would have shaved maybe 3 days if the canal locks were open all night. I left out minor things for another day. ╦╦Ç
 

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Mine seems lame compared to those boat stories. But I got lost in Yellowstone on top of a mountain, in spring before trail maintenance, when the bears were cranky and hungry, with nothing but fresh bear scat every 5 or so yards. Nobody knew where I was, and was hiking alone .Spent 3 or 4 hours making big cutback half circles while talking to my self in attempt to scare anything off, while hearing large animals in the Bush around me. Swore I was being hunted, never been so happy to find my way out of the Bush. Another time home in western N.Y. I was hunted by a pack of coyotes, but had a gun so I wasn't really worried. Still there nothing like that sinking feeling of realizing your being hunted.
 

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It only took ONE for me. I learned my lesson.:BangHead:

Not our fault that y'all can't pick the right one. I'm still happy with the one I picked 55 years ago.
Marvin
 

Back about 1974, I drove my best friend at the time over to see his ex-wife & 5 year old daughter at their grandmother's house.

Their conversation wasn't any of my business, so I sat in the kitchen reading the newspaper. The little girl was playing around everywhere, climbed up on the kitchen cabinets. I wasn't paying any attention to the little girl - I wasn't kid trained yet. I was ignoring her and just absorbed in the paper.

Then, right behind me the little girl said "I've got a real gun". I turned around and faced a loaded revolver with her finger on the trigger.

So I talked very calmly, and didn't scream & holler. Took like a thousand years for the grandmother to hear me and come in & fetch the pistol away from the child.

That was a whole lot of fun, and I did not soil myself (luckily!)
 

Finding a cougar track in the mud of a lakeshore, 5 miles from the nearest house. I watched my back like I have never watched it before. I had a fixed blade knife, no gun. My plan was to hit the water if I was attacked and fight that sucker in water over his or her head.
 

I was attacked by a manatee while detecting a swimming hole. I swear they are attracted to detectors.
 

I was attacked by a manatee while detecting a swimming hole. I swear they are attracted to detectors.
She was in LOVE! ╦╦Ç
 

Deepseeker reminded me of something that happened in 1950's. I-85 was new in Atlanta and two friends and I were messing with this guy driving North so he got tired of playing and got off the exit ramp. We followed him to the stop sign and young Punk ME, thinking I was Billy Bada?s, jumped out and ran to his window. I immediately knew I had messed up because I was looking down the barrel of a pistol that looked like a half dollar could get lost in it. The Man calmly said "Can I help you Son". Not sure what I said but a buddy was right behind me and I told him to get back in the car.
I can truthfully say that the incident was burned into my brain and I don't recall doing anything that Stupid again.
The gun owner was responsible, knew gun control and acted accordingly, otherwise I wouldn't be here to write this.
Marvin
 

Well mine sounds lame after hearing those.
I was detecting a tot lot at dusk, i'm the only one there. I looked up and across the grass field a guy is walking toward me cradling a shot gun across his arms.

After a few quick calculations....i figured i wasn't going to be able to out run bullets, so the plan was to wait till he got close enough then clock him with my detector if i had to.
He was checking to make sure i wasn't a drug dealer and I was hoping he wasn't a crazy loon!

....a detector may not be the best weapon to take to a gun fight, unless the manufactures have added weaponized upgrades!

Sent from my VS810PP using Tapatalk
 

Deepseeker reminded me of something that happened in 1950's. I-85 was new in Atlanta and two friends and I were messing with this guy driving North so he got tired of playing and got off the exit ramp. We followed him to the stop sign and young Punk ME, thinking I was Billy Bada?s, jumped out and ran to his window. I immediately knew I had messed up because I was looking down the barrel of a pistol that looked like a half dollar could get lost in it. The Man calmly said "Can I help you Son". Not sure what I said but a buddy was right behind me and I told him to get back in the car.
I can truthfully say that the incident was burned into my brain and I don't recall doing anything that Stupid again.
The gun owner was responsible, knew gun control and acted accordingly, otherwise I wouldn't be here to write this.
Marvin

I did the same thing.... ONCE. Got into an argument with a guy over a girl. I was 18 and he was 21. Just some yelling and screaming and I left. About 3hrs. later I saw him again and thought I'd make sure he got my point. Jumped out of car and ran up to his open Jeep window. I looked inside and he's holding a shotgun pointed up at the window. I had the same 1/2 dollar thought also! Decided instantly it really wasn't that important. Instant attitude adjustment.
 

Being trapped in a building fire. Firefighters are real heroes.
 

After reading all these post, I think I'll stay home today and pull Mr. Blanket over my head. After reading the "Sail Boat" things? I also think I'm the type of guy that should stick to a row boat in a very small inland lake.
 

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