Cold Water Kills

[jrmyln]

Floated down the Lehigh yesterday and was astonished at how many boaters that were not wearing their PFD's... be careful!

http://fishandboat.com/boatcrs/pfd/faq-pfd-cold.htm

 

[charliepff]

That stuff drives me nuts. Even the guys wading and not having a floatation device on them in that river.

 

[beeber2]

Not only dangerous, but illegal. I saw some too on another flow closer to Harrisburg.

 

[bikerfish]

natural selection, thin the herd, etc.
same as helmets on motorcycles.

 

[PASKIINGSUCKS]

I've seen more BS on that river in the 6 or so years I have been kayaking than I'd like to mention. Some of the raft companies up there are a joke as well.

Saw two young kids kayaking it one time with just long sticks as paddles. One lost his paddle and almost flipped, the other tried to help him and ended up losing his paddle as well. That was one of the more odd things I've seen up there.

No PFD or helmet in rapids is just nuts. I can't believe they let the rafters go without helmets.

Sidenote: If anyone wants to buy a gently used raft paddle from any of the companies hit me up hahaha, we find at least 2 every trip. Make a good spare paddle for any boat. Kidding, not actually selling paddles on here ha.

 

[jrmyln]

There is one spot I can guarantee that when the floatilla goes by, someone goes in the water every single time.
Honestly, I have found just about everything except the fisherman... rods, reels, lures, paddles, paddling jacket, sunglasses, hats, socks, shoes, shirts, pants, tackle boxes... you name it.
My kids have 2 complete outfits they use for farm pond fishing.
Ugly Sticks seem to be the most popular rod used.

 

[PASKIINGSUCKS]

no surprise at all, I've seen people dumped out in the first eddy at the rockport put in. It was a mom with a group of girls, their raft hit the shore and she wasn't even watching behind her. She flipped right out of the boat onto shore haha.

I have lost a flask to that river though so I'm also an offender.

PSA: Half empty flasks don't float.

Last year I saw a whole raft flip and dump everyone, that's the first time I've seen that level of carnage.

 

[PASKIINGSUCKS]

Oh yea, sorry, I'm one of those WW enthusiasts that you guys probably aren't too fond of because of the release schedule. It's super fun though whether you're in a kayak or raft.

 

[Swattie87]

I once lost a pair of Native Sunglasses near a waterfall on a steep Lehigh Trib, not far from the mouth. Had them on my head and brushed my head against a rhodo branch while ducking under it...off my head, into the water, and they were gone.

I also once tried to cross the Lehigh on foot...thought better of it at about knee deep and 10 feet from the bank...gradient on big streams is a deceiving thing.

I make it a point to not do any fishing in that area alone. The remoteness and danger is part of the allure to an angler probably, but do it smart. I've never actually fished the Lehigh, other than from the bank basically at the mouth of whatever trib I was fishing. A PFD even just for wade fishing realistically isn't a bad idea. And truth be told, I've considered a rock climbing helmet for fishing some of the tribs.

 

[PASKIINGSUCKS]

Sad to say for as long as I've been boating there I have never actually fished the lehigh anywhere, in the gorge or otherwise. I've only got a 6 foot eagle claw featherweight but there isn't exactly a whole lot of room in a 6 foot playboat kayak. I drybag for beers and ice and one drybag for actual dry stuff. No room in the front whatsoever. I outta figure a way to lash it to the outside somehow. Maybe on the back of my PFD? I'm just spitballing here.