(OT) drsvelte, I bet that one second in the pitch black free falling before you hit the water was a rush! It reminds me of something stupid I did on an offshore platform a couple of summers ago West Cameron Block 2, Offshore State Waters, Louisiana.
It was a hot lazy slow August Day offshore, dripping with humidity. So I decided to go down to the second deck (in the shade), about 30 feet above the water, take some wireline service wire, get a hook, a piece of meat, and do some fishing. I perused the waters and spied about a four foot long fish hiding in the shade of one of the legs of the platform, maybe ten-fifteen feet below the surface, maybe a skipjack.
So I stuck the bait on the hook, and wrapped the wireline wire around my wrist a few times to make sure that I did not lose the line,and threw the bait about five feet in front of the fish. Sure enough the fish rose up and took the bait after it hit the water and made a splash.
Sheesh! I do not know what sort of fish I hooked, but the SOB was super strong. It was all I could do to hang onto the gangplank with me free hand and keep from having the fish pull me overboard and fall 30 feet into the water! The bleeping wireline wire (strong stuff) was wrapped securely around my wrist, and began to cut my wrist as I could not get it loose. Finally with one superhuman effort I pulled up enough that I had a three second break to unwrap the wireline wire quickly from my bleeding wrist,and get free of that devil. man! The animals are tough cookies over there in Louisiana, Bubba!
Which brings me to my point: tonight after leaving Crescent City, I said "Heck! I have to pull off the La Place Exit and go see what the heck was down their in the swamp making that commotion." I'll be durned that whatever made those noises last night was still there thrashing around in the cypress trees/brushline/waterline making weird high pitched squeaks- a nutria? Swamp Thing? The Toxic Avenger? Jimmy Hoffa?
Sincerely,
Doug F. |
