Lost in a boating accident.

Quote:
Originally Posted by VisuTrac
but since my boating accident near Zug Island in the Detroit River where all my guns and most of my ammunition fell over board into the bottomless muck/sludge/toxic waste..As I tell my kids, a story isn't a lie as long as your audience can tell you are making up a story

.....That will be an interesting story when you get around to it. Importing into or out of Canada?

Interestingly enough, I put in at Riverside park. loaded all of my long guns and pistols onto the boat. Knowing that bringing guns in to our good neighbors Canada would be completely against numerous laws, I was hugging the US side of the river.

My intention was to hide / cache my weapons for a future date on a small no named island on the US side of the river (42.239241,-83.139746). Just north of Grassy Island in the Wyandotte National Refuge. I don't mind telling you all now because well, I never got to hide them. As I passed Zug Island I wasn't paying very close attention and got caught in the wake of the Detroit Windsor Truck Ferry Barge. That unsettled my small boat. but with the deck being designed to shed water also seem designed to shed guns. they slipped overboard and plunged into the murky depths of the fast flowing river.

I was able to save a couple of boxes of 22LR and an ammo belt of mixed 12 gauge but that was about it. I really didn't want to attract attention to myself by trying to drown in the middle of the river so i moved my boat down to Belanger park to assess the situation.

It is was a total loss. The river current is extremely fast. I think the flow rate is some 182,000 cubic feet per second and based on my measurements of the cross sectional area that means the water is moving at 2.5 feet per second. There was just no way I would be able to recover them without some diving equipment and a safety crew. And that would surely negate my interesting secretly caching my weapons for a future emergency.

As I tell my kids, a story isn't a lie as long as your audience can tell you are making up a story

So I just cut my losses. I am now in the market for some guns to replace those sunk in the muck and toxic ooze of the Detroit River.

That's my story and i'm sticking to it.
I'm surprised we don't hear more about similar tragic accidents. I didn't think that they were all that uncommon.

 

Interesting story...How did you plan to hide the gun's and ammo and ''pickle'' them for future usage?? Or if this is still the plan...

 

Probably the same way I was gong to stach mine before I damn near sank my boat. In Mylar and a pvc tube covered in cosmoline.

 

Somehow I have to believe you were never a sailor. There is this hazard called gear adrift (everything not properly secured for sea) ..... and there is "Murphy's Law", where everything that can go bad will! But, that's just the start. Oh, and let us not forget the 6 P's of military planning.... Proper Planning Prevents P*ss Poor Performance!
.
All of this is meant to razz you just a little. We all have made mistakes that in hindsight we could kick ourselves for. None are immune. I hate to hear of firearms lost that way.

 

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident. Don't worry about your guns, God will take care of you.
Some day they might just float back up again.

 

Thanks for the condolences. I really am an idiot. who would have ever thought that i would encounter rough seas on the detroit river?

I just wanted to use my piss poor planning and forethought or lack thereof to be of some guidance to newer preppers on how not to preservere your weapons for future use or generations.

I was really sad when they slipped beneath the dark water as now i only have a recurve bow, slingshot and a couple of knives to defend my family with.

I'd not advise anyone coming through the door tho' as i am freaking deadly with the gut hook. Just ask the pig or the deer. You've been forwarned mr. looter/goobernment dood.

If ya from the gooberment, please arrive in well marked vehicles (a lot of them) so i won't confuse you for 'fraudulent' perps as I live near Detroit. MKthxbai

 

Oh my God.... I've just learned how expensive guns are. You poor thing.... you've probably lost thousands. I'm so so sorry. We're they insured on a floater policy? I mean that literally. The insurance companies offer floater policies for things like jewelry and fine arts and guns.

adding- Why are ALL of you so bent on stashing them off premises. I need help understanding why you're all going to such lengths. You won't have them to go hunting or anything if you don't keep them somewhere close by.

 

Alas, no i didn't think of adding an insurance rider. I'm just a simple country boy that viewed them as tools that i want to protect for the future generations as i am pretty freaking deadly with an atlatl and a slingshot. I didn't see the benefit of those noisy guns near Detroit Michigan USA as they might have scared the game that is available.

I guess hindsight really is 20/20 and i need a new prescription.

 

You are correct, I have very little nautical skills. I can row a canoe, and slip the dagger board into a small sailboat but I was outclassed by a boat with a deck that was above the waterline. i guess i should have stowed them below .

I guess i'll not do that again

 

Hey I lost a few long rifles in a similar circumstance last winter. I was taking my sowmobile down the St. lawrence to one of my friends houses because we were going to go shooting later that day. Then my snowmobile fell into the river. I was able to get the skidoo out but lost a few guns. I had some diving buddies search for them but the river can have quite a current. Talk about butt cold! I didn't ever think about insuring my guns either. Oh well, live and learn.

 

Dang.....That sucks man. I hope you recover from you loss fast.

 

Screw the Feds - I want them to know I am a proud gun-owner, willing to fight for my rights. Along with a few more MILLION others.

Pass your unConstitutional laws....... then come try to take them.

 

If this was directed at me...I was NOT a skimmer. I was a bubble head. The vessels I served in are MEANT to go underwater.

What can I say? I am ashamed I nearly sunk my vessel in the IC waterway. Shortly after the incident I sold the boat.

 

if you feel it's time to bury your guns, that's how you know it's time to dig them up

 

And use them.

 

I have incredible boating skills. I once took a 14' boat with a 7.5 hp motor clear out on Lake Erie. Though we slopped a little water, none of our secured guns and gear fell overboard. I must be blessed by the keepers of Davy Jones Locker.

 

Well said.

My condolences to VisuTrac, that must really stink.