Escape from Drowning - A Harrowing Reminder

Hi Team, this is a post from a guy named Jim from another forum of the events that unfolded for him over the weekend. I thought it was a great reminder of how quickly things can unfold and at least all us Jetski users wear PFDs at all times as there are plenty of boaties out there that don't.
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NEARLY DROWNED....TWICE!!!

Hi all. I heard that the fishing was good at dusk near Pakiri so off I went last Sat. Dropped the longline, only 1 as I was by myself. Floated around & tried a few spots but zilch on the rods. Picked up the longline after dark, 1 good snap, close to 20lb. Headed back in towards Omaha & thought I would try a dark lure drag across back beach on the way in. All was well until I saw I had gone about 10 feet too far & was on the land side of the breaking waves, buga, tried to turn but motor touched the bottom & 1st wave broke into the boat. Full throttle to get around ended with about a 20 degree increase towards the sea but not good enough. The next 4 waves all came over the side. Up & over I went, as quick as that. As I saw it hapning I switched on the 406 epirb & all hell let loose. Upside down at 1 minute before midnight, no lights, thrown around & trying to get hold of the cord loose in the front of my lifejacket to pull to inflate it. It seemed like ages before I got hold of the cord & it felt good to feel the inflation happen.Most of this happened while I was upside down & underwater & didn't know which way was up, not a scene I would recommend to anyone. Somehow I got the epirb out of its bracket & held onto it as it was my only hope. I couldn't orientate my way around to see how to get out from under the boat. Each wave that came left a surge inside the hukll which came over my head.I ended up with my head jammed hard up on the floor, which was now the roof, as the boat settled the water never dropped below my chin. The boat seemed to settle & the level began to get to the nose. This is my goodbye, I thought to myself, this is it. Then the other side of the boat dropped/settled & I could see a bit of light to where the gunwale was & got nearly out from underneath. Buga again, 1 leg got caught in some rope/lines & I was again under boat & waves breaking & swallowing mr salt water. I couldn't free my leg with 1 hand, S### I thought, this time I am a goner. I stuck the epirb aerial into my mouth which freed up my other hand & some how I Got my leg free. Up onto the beach I got. I went up the sand & found somesoft grass or something & laid down. Pitch black tried the phone dead.Epirb was my only hope. I was holding the epirb with both hands, I was shaking so bad by then that an alchy would never worry about their shakes again. I don't know how long it had taken me to get out of the boat but now it seemed to really drag. I was buggared & even though I knew there were 2 houses above me I was going nowhere. I started to think the eprib wasn't working as even though the light was flashing it seemed to be taking too long for some help to arrive then, about 2.oo am sun I saw a welcome sight & sound, a chopper. It landed on the beach & took me into Warkworth. I was told I had mild hypothermia, I had a shower, put on winter clothes & slept in them & shivered all the rest of sunday until about 6.00 pm.We found out that the first satellite picked up the signal but didn't get the gps co-ordinates. The searh & rescue center only got the coords 1 hr later when the next satellite orbited across, but at least I had done everything right until I made a mistake on the water. Just a word to anyone who reads this I have always worn my l/jacket on my boat, when it turned too sh## there was no time to try to put it on so would you all please wear yours, I nearly died twice that night, the boat is futterued but at least I am alive. There won't be any reprots from me for a while now, at least I have ins on the boat. Cheers, Jim.

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