What do you do during a storm

[Ric66]

On 8/18/2019 at 9:13 PM, trouthunter24 said:

all great advice!!!

back in the early 90s a buddy and me got stuck on Hemlock lake a bad tstorm swept over the hill from the west and right on us we ran to shore dragged the 14ft starcraft up on the bank and ran like hell up into a ravine and huddled scared to death while bolts blasted away over the water and tree tops above. close calls like that make you way more cautious never cut it close man its not worth it.

Exact same thing happened to me and my friend on Hemlock. That lake is bad since you can't see what's coming over the ridge. Didn't have iphones back then to check radar.

And like Lucky said, lightning can strike 10 miles away from the storm and if you can hear thunder, you aren't safe distance away.

[tuffishooker]

Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much ater the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least.

Bad situation ! What lake did this storm happen on ?

[chinook35]

Storms can and do sneak up on you I was out of Sandy Pond with my 12 year old son some years ago. The eastern sky suddenly went dark as night. Constant lightening We would have had to run directly into it to get back to the inlet. The rods in their rod holders suddenly started buzzing and crackling I told my son to put on his pfd as did myself. Told him no matter what don’t touch the rods. Put down the vhf antenna. In hindsight , I wonder about that decision. If we needed to call a mayday . But it was a high point on the boat. Anyway. We sat there 15 miles from shore and watched nervously. The storm came off the east shore and went directly north. Never reached us sigh of relief The neighbors called in cell to see if we were ok. Sandy Island Beach Rd.got 3 inches of rain out of it. They can sneak up on you. Not a fun experience



Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Lewis863]

I am continually impressed by the openness of the majority of LOU members to share experiences good or bad so that others may learn....this kind of sharing makes people think and can help save others ....and improve our collective abilities.... and lowering your antenna was right call..vhf is line of site it might have extended your range but it can always be put back up.... I carry a portable waterproof for 120.00 for the oh ... c... situations...

[Lucky13]

2 hours ago, tuffishooker said:

Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much water the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least. Once It came in so quick within (5 - 10) minutes I couldn't see more than 5 - 6 feet in front of boat,with  high waves, thunder - lightening to boot. Even with bilge pump running I took on so much ater the back of boat was swamped. Couldn't plane due to visibility, very concerning to say the least.

Bad situation ! What lake did this storm happen on ?

ECHO Lake!

[BC FD]

All great advice , but I wouldn't be hiding out under a tree.

Especially if it is a large tree.

Tallest point around.

Flat on the ground away from anything tall.

[Sk8man]

Back in the eighties (when I was even crazier than I am now) I used to chase steelies out in the shipping lane in my 13 foot Whaler and the foreign crewmen of the barges and ships would point and give the gesture for craziness to me as they had 23 foot boats for their dingies on board. Anyway, one day while out there way beyond being able  to see shore with only a CB radio (totally useless for the situation) I saw the sky all of a sudden become dark and threatening to the west with dark clouds and lightning coming from them off in the distance toward Rochester. I picked up my 2 downrigger lines and  and cranked up my 35 horse Johnson (had a 4 horse kicker too but would have been useless) as the wind came up nearly knocking me over in the boat and the waves started building. The waves became so big as I went along trying to reach shore that the only option was going full tilt from one wave crest to another (boat ran about 39 mph top end) and I was airborne most of the time with the prop winding high RPMswhen it came out of the water. When I arrived back at the Sodus Bay lighthouse the waves were going way over the pier and were hitting the lighthouse. There were people standing toward the shore end of it and they were clapping for me and hooting and hollering seeing me in that little boat as the big boats (30 ft or  more) were struggling to get back in. I had about 3-6 or more inches of rain water in the boat, was white knuckled from the trip, and soaked but alive at least. On the news later they said that 12 ft. waves accompanied the storm there. It would have made a great ad for Whalers if someone had been video   taping the arrival at the pier. That experience is the reason that I would never own another boat than a Whaler (despite an element of superstition in that decision perhaps). True story and the one time I have been truly scared to death out there.

Edited August 23, 2019 by Sk8man

[Lucky13]

Scared nearly to death.  Great story, why I don't use my canoe on the big pond despite knowing one guy who is out there every month of the year with his.

 

I used a 13 foot Whaler for work, had to run to Braddock's from the river for a project, we were fine going out at 05:30 AM for the three days we were out there, but when I would pick up and head for the river around noon when it started getting rougher, my college intern would be looking a little green around the gills.  The third day was picking up considerably faster,  after I told him we were low on gas as we headed in, I noticed the green had spread to all of his face, not just the gills! .  I think he transferred to a business major when he returned to school in the fall.

[Sk8man]

[tuffishooker]

Bottom line sic ; it appears unlikely that a salmon fisherman would be hit by lightening on Lake Ontario [ if anyone has a true story put it up !] The one guy 83 years of age who has been out there70 + years was hit under a tree [ not fishing] and was unconscious for 3 days was under a tree in a storm which was hit ! The other one was a sailor who was not hit directly when lightening struck a sail boat at the marina ,[ not his] he felt the " splash " effect with the hair on his head brisselling but no more so he must have been some distance firm the strike ! Many of the sail boats had major damage !

Thar sailor told me a news story about 7 years ago ; a sail boat took a direct hit off Kingston Ontario ; a MAYDAY was called but no evidence of the boat or crew was ever found !