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Author Topic: Adrift all night on the St. Johns River  (Read 545 times)

Offline ASTAC

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« on: September 01, 2006, 08:09:37 AM »
So here's the plan.

Me and my lil brother borrowed my dad's boat to go shrimping. This is a late 90's model "Stumpnocker 4" 15' built by a local company..equipped with a 50hp Suzuki 4 stroke

This boat just got out of the shop (fuel pump) and was given a clean bill of health.

So at about 9:30 PM we put it in at a public boat ramp on Doctor's Inlet,  and head out into the river. We decide that we'd forgo the shrimping and just cruise into Downtown Jacksonville instead. SO after a 20 min boat ride at almost full throttle we get into downtown. Just as we passed under the main street bridge the motor dies..we were like, WTF?!? Try to start it again..it appears the battery was dead...the motor was running off the battery and not charging...This is when we find out that we forgot to bring the emergency paddles...We tried to drop anchor..two of em actually, and find that the current is just too strong and they will only serve to slow our drift..so lets see..we are adrift..no way to get to shore..strong currents...no radio...no cell phones (in the truck so they wouldn't get wet)..we find that good ole dad has 3 flares..maybe if we shoot off a flare someone will see and come to our rescue..well all three were duds..we try the lil "canned air" Horn..dead too...The entire night only one other boat passed by us..twice..both times they did not understand our S.O.S. with the spotlight..eventually the current subsided some and we were able to beach on a small island in the river where we found some 2X4's and used them as paddles to row to a marina. Thankfully there was a young couple hanging out, that gave us a ride to Wal-Mart where we purchased TWO batteries and were able to get underway towards home again..of course now the motor isn't running right so we only had about 15 knots speed. ..no to mention there is no moon now so it was a dangerous trek back..thank God that this is a major river and there is a channel marked with lighted bouys.By the time we had the boat trailer up and ready to head home it was 5 AM.

But it was fun...Yeah right.
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Offline Halo

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2006, 09:08:54 AM »
You didn't panic, you made do with the resources at hand, and you have another adventure to relate all your life.  Some challenges but fortunate outcome.  

It's another lesson for us all -- gotta beware of the Shoulda's:

The motor shoulda charged the battery,
the flares shoulda worked,
the boat shoulda had paddles,
the air horn shoulda worked,
and ideally none of the problems shoulda happened.
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Offline Vudak

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2006, 10:34:06 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Halo
You didn't panic, you made do with the resources at hand, and you have another adventure to relate all your life.  



Yep.  Now you've got one more story to tell your kids ad nauseum...

I love those kind of disasters (so long as all ends well, of course).  They're what make life interesting.
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Offline ASTAC

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2006, 10:48:14 AM »
Everyone seems to be able to find some humor in it...except of course my wife..who after findingg out that I was okay..got furious that I didn't call her from the Wal-Mart to let her know what was going on (Also for leaving my cell phone behind)
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Offline Gunthr

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2006, 10:58:14 AM »
Something to remember :)  You can fix everything but the wife part.  Its best to just say "Yes Dear" and that you love her... and ask if there is anything that you can do to make it up to her....  ;)
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Offline Clifra Jones

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2006, 12:35:08 PM »
Humorous story Astac, though I bet it wasn't while yo were out there.

If I ever see you drifting by again I'll wave to you. haha

I live over in the Regency area in Jax.
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Offline nuchpatrick

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2006, 12:48:18 PM »
You guys were lucky not to be gator bait on the St. Johns at least down by me you would be...  

Always bring a cell phone/radio, stick it in a zip lock bag, or Bass proshop has a waterproof bag you can buy to keep things like that dry.

I've been stranded once out on the Bananna River.. its not fun!
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Offline Chairboy

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2006, 12:59:42 PM »
Put the cell phone in a ziplock, then put THAT ziplock in another ziplock.  I went river drifting last month with a single bagged phone, still doesn't work quite right.
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Offline ASTAC

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2006, 02:06:09 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by Clifra Jones
Humorous story Astac, though I bet it wasn't while yo were out there.

If I ever see you drifting by again I'll wave to you. haha

I live over in the Regency area in Jax.


Then you would Know the Island We managed to drift onto..The one under the Matthews Bridge..I think it's called Exchange Island.
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Offline AWMac

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2006, 04:23:43 PM »
Gators in the St Johns flash Gang Signs.... you guys are lucky as Hell.

Makes one wonder how the 2X4's were on the small Island and who they belonged to prior to you finding them.

Gators are cruel.  I was fishing on a back in Jackson,MS and the lilly pads that I was always catching bass at had no hits... then something grabbed my Jitterbug.... I reeled it in and it was a baby gators gruntin and hissing, the bush I was sittin next to another baby gator jumped into the water gruntin and hissin...

I'm not a fool by no means I cut the line, grabbed my gear and was in the car in less than 5 seconds... Momma Gator had to be near by.

I also remember before sittin on the same bank and as the Sun was going down seeing logs drifting in closer and closer... then seeinf red dots on the ends of them.... eyes on the Gators... packed up and booked!!!

Gators are nasty.

Mac
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Offline nirvana

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #10 on: September 01, 2006, 05:06:37 PM »
I thought you southern boys wrastled them gators, then ripped out their eyes and ate em.  Seriously though, just bring a good .44 Magnum and hope you can put one in it's brain.
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Offline LePaul

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2006, 05:22:04 PM »
So are you going to hand deliver the FedEx package you had on board?  (i.e. "Castaway")   ;)

Seriously...glad you're alright.  You learned a valuable lesson about being prepared for an emergency...the hard way
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Offline GrimCO

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2006, 05:30:30 PM »
Florida native here also... Gators ain't nothin' but a thing...  We'd pelt them with a wristrocket slingshot loaded with a ball bearing when they'd follow our lures while bass fishing. Nothing quite like a thump on the noggin' with a 1/2" ball bearing to take the fight right out of a gator. Sort of like a Pavlov's dogs kind of thing. "When I go after that lure, I may salivate, but my head really hurts".

Oddly enough MAC, those damned gators did seem to go for Jitterbugs more than any other lure.  If one got past the ball bearings and got my lure, I'd reel it in and remove the hook if it was less than 4' long. Anything longer than that, and I'd just cut the line. I noticed they get real mean when they're skeered  :-)
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Offline Hawklore

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Re: Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #13 on: September 01, 2006, 06:18:08 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by ASTAC
So here's the plan.

Me and my lil brother borrowed my dad's boat to go shrimping. This is a late 90's model "Stumpnocker 4" 15' built by a local company..equipped with a 50hp Suzuki 4 stroke

This boat just got out of the shop (fuel pump) and was given a clean bill of health.

So at about 9:30 PM we put it in at a public boat ramp on Doctor's Inlet,  and head out into the river. We decide that we'd forgo the shrimping and just cruise into Downtown Jacksonville instead. SO after a 20 min boat ride at almost full throttle we get into downtown. Just as we passed under the main street bridge the motor dies..we were like, WTF?!? Try to start it again..it appears the battery was dead...the motor was running off the battery and not charging...This is when we find out that we forgot to bring the emergency paddles...We tried to drop anchor..two of em actually, and find that the current is just too strong and they will only serve to slow our drift..so lets see..we are adrift..no way to get to shore..strong currents...no radio...no cell phones (in the truck so they wouldn't get wet)..we find that good ole dad has 3 flares..maybe if we shoot off a flare someone will see and come to our rescue..well all three were duds..we try the lil "canned air" Horn..dead too...The entire night only one other boat passed by us..twice..both times they did not understand our S.O.S. with the spotlight..eventually the current subsided some and we were able to beach on a small island in the river where we found some 2X4's and used them as paddles to row to a marina. Thankfully there was a young couple hanging out, that gave us a ride to Wal-Mart where we purchased TWO batteries and were able to get underway towards home again..of course now the motor isn't running right so we only had about 15 knots speed. ..no to mention there is no moon now so it was a dangerous trek back..thank God that this is a major river and there is a channel marked with lighted bouys.By the time we had the boat trailer up and ready to head home it was 5 AM.

But it was fun...Yeah right.


I was wondering who those idiots were that were flashing T I T at us, thought it was some sort of perverted drunks on the river.. :rolleyes:
















J/K glad to see your allright!
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Offline weaselsan

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Adrift all night on the St. Johns River
« Reply #14 on: September 01, 2006, 06:32:15 PM »
Always have a back up aboard any small boat. I always have three charged batteries and an electric trolling motor when running around the backwoods fishing for snook or tailing reds. I lost a switch box in a brand new mercury and used a minncota saltwater sternmount trolling motor to return about 7 miles to the ramp I left from. Fished all the way back, even landed a 7 pound red on the way. Otter has water proof boxes for storing electronics like a cell phone or camera. It's a good idea to have a cell phone aboard. Wouldn't hurt to have a hand held VHS most boaters will gladly help when needed.
« Last Edit: September 01, 2006, 06:37:53 PM by weaselsan »
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