I wrote this about my adventure last Thursday morning
First off, thanks everyone for the well wishes! My shoulder is very sore but my spirits are good. I know my phone has never rang so much!!!
I'll do my best to try to tell the story. Some details I am unsure off - I guess they weren't important enough for my brain to process.
Thanks to the good man upstairs, and to my Dad for teaching me how to swim and influencing me to become a lifeguard like he was, I am still here. I have no doubt that I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.
I had a tuna charter for Thursday that was cancelled. I knew with the mullet thick and the NW winds that where forecasted, there was a good chance fish would be feeding at the tip of the IBSP jetty.
I arrived at the jetty at 5:30am. I looked things over as I usually do when I arrived, and I decided I would go all the way out to the tip.
I made my way out to the tip without any issues. While there was some swell, it wasn’t bad and I was bone dry upon my arrival.
I pulled out a Tattoo Sea Pup (Spook) that Tattoo painted in a Mullet scheme last fall and casted up current of the old submerged jetty. Several bluefish blew up on it and one inhaled it. This was around 5:45am or so. I continued to get blue after blue every cast till I felt something that felt like what I was looking for. It turned out it was a nice fat striper probably 32".
Now I'm really psyched. Bass, blues, mullet and peanut bunker all right at my feet, and I got them all to myself. This continued till I believe around 7:30am. I remember I released 7 bass to around 38" and like 40-50 four to seven pound blues. I was wishing my good friend Tim Schwear (TSStriper) was with me and I couldn’t wait to tell Tattoo about the Sea Pup.
The bite died at slack. Then I took a wave and realized it was time to head for the sand. It turns out, it was too late. For those of you not familiar with this jetty, it is long - takes a good 15 to 20 minutes to get off it on a good day.
As I started to make my way back in I realized I was in a bad, bad situation. The swells had grown quickly - like someone pushed a button. I decided I would just go slow, and do my best to stay on the jetty knowing that I was in some serious danger.
This is where the details get fuzzy. I think I got knocked on my rear a few times before I wound up in the drink. The bruise on my arse connfirms that theory. I believe I went in the drink twice. Anyway you get the picture - it was no rogue wave situation.
As I continued making my way in, I saw waves coming from my right, and I would crouch down to lower my center of gravity. The waves where too strong - and next thing I know I feel myself literally sliding on my left hip off the jetty into the inlet side.
I surfaced a good 20-30 yards out in the inlet and I immediately started swimming for the rocks. At this point my wading belt has prevented my waders from filling. I reach a rock and grab on. I decide I'm going to try to get out without taking off any gear. As I went to pull, a wave came over the jetty and pushed me back into the drink. I believe this is when the left shoulder dislocated.
So I'm back in the drink, but this time my waders fill. I was still floating. I grabbed a rock with my dislocated arm (left) and used my right arm to undo my korkers which I tossed on the rocks. Next I threw my backpack up on the rocks. I knew I HAD to get my waders off. I unhooked them slid my right foot out but I couldn't manage to get the left for free. Meanwhile I'm getting pounded by waves from both directions.
I managed to somehow get the left boot off using my right foot, and I used a waves force to assist me up on the rock that wound up saving my life.
Now I'm cold, seriously banged up, yet comfortable??? I really felt at peace as soon as I got my waders off. I knew I was going to be fine once they went into the inlet. A few minutes pass, and I see a Mako with 2 gentlemen in it. I screamed to them and they called the Coast Guard. I am still trying to find out who they where so I can thank them!!!!
The Coast Guard got there quickly and once they came off plane I decided I wasn’t going to make one of them have to jump in and come get my sorry arse. Besides the water was much warmer and I was cold. So I jumped in and swam out to them one armed. The guys did a great job getting me in the boat quick and getting me warm.
Took a ride from the Barnegat Cost Guard Station too Southern Ocean County Hospital. I have to say, they have some great employees at SOCH. I was cracking them up, and they where making me laugh my arse off. They seemed a lot happier then most hospital personnel I’ve dealt with. Thanks folks!!
Funny aside – last time I was there at SOCH was 25 years ago this past July after I jumped in the bay to retrieve a crab net I dropped. I needed a tetanus shot and cuts cleaned after I scraped the bulkhead when my Mom was pulling me from the bay. That was also my last tetanus, so I was due you could say.
Staying calm saved my life. I remember once I realized I was knocked off saying to myself - it is what it is - just deal with it.
I'll be back on the rocks soon - hope to fish the Governors’ tourney. I am however getting a new full wetsuit.
No more waders on the rocks for me :lol:
get well soon and continue fishing!
wow, I guess that was a close one, a bit too close. Glad it all turned out ok
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