Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
OK, why do we tend to have our most embarrassing moments in public?
Today's case history:
It was cloudy with occasional snowflakes, but a pretty nice day for March. Our park had a visit from a US Coast Guard cutter this morning. They are always accommodating as we work together quite a bit, and offered us a chance to take short vessel tours. I went down to the dock with 3 colleagues to meet the crew, but while climbing their short rope latter, my boots slipped and I made an unplanned visit to the 36 degree F water of Glacier Bay. The gap between the vessel and the dock was narrow, but luckily there wasn't any wind to push the 80' hull against the dock pinching off the path back up to the surface. I came straight up, didn't get washed under the face of the dock, didn't hit anything on the way down, or gulp down a lot of seawater because of the cold shock reflex inhale, but wasn't able to do much to rescue myself. The hull was vertical and smooth, the dock face equally smooth, vertical and slick with frost. It took a few minutes for them to haul me up enough to get out on the dock but we did it. Water that cold will incapacitate anyone within about 5 minutes.
So, its bad enough to fall off you OWN boat, but if you plan on doing it during the winter its probably a good plan to fall off a US Coast Guard vessel with an entire crew right on hand. They stood around offering hot coffee, dry blankets, concern, and later some good-natured jokes about the tour that wasn't supposed to include the underside of their vessel.
Of course this was a public doc with other bystanders around as I squelched my way to my car, home and a hot shower. I suppose it could have been worse than a torn uniform and a few bumps and bruises!
Today's case history:
It was cloudy with occasional snowflakes, but a pretty nice day for March. Our park had a visit from a US Coast Guard cutter this morning. They are always accommodating as we work together quite a bit, and offered us a chance to take short vessel tours. I went down to the dock with 3 colleagues to meet the crew, but while climbing their short rope latter, my boots slipped and I made an unplanned visit to the 36 degree F water of Glacier Bay. The gap between the vessel and the dock was narrow, but luckily there wasn't any wind to push the 80' hull against the dock pinching off the path back up to the surface. I came straight up, didn't get washed under the face of the dock, didn't hit anything on the way down, or gulp down a lot of seawater because of the cold shock reflex inhale, but wasn't able to do much to rescue myself. The hull was vertical and smooth, the dock face equally smooth, vertical and slick with frost. It took a few minutes for them to haul me up enough to get out on the dock but we did it. Water that cold will incapacitate anyone within about 5 minutes.
So, its bad enough to fall off you OWN boat, but if you plan on doing it during the winter its probably a good plan to fall off a US Coast Guard vessel with an entire crew right on hand. They stood around offering hot coffee, dry blankets, concern, and later some good-natured jokes about the tour that wasn't supposed to include the underside of their vessel.
Of course this was a public doc with other bystanders around as I squelched my way to my car, home and a hot shower. I suppose it could have been worse than a torn uniform and a few bumps and bruises!
