Smithfield man swept off Beavertail! - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

bud8fan · 09-14-2003, 01:01 PM

Here is the projo link for the story!
Anyone know who it was????????????????????
Hopefully no one from here!!!!!!!!!

http://www.projo.com/northwest/conte...l14.5b8b8.html

EVERYONE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!

Joe · 09-14-2003, 01:23 PM

I hope it was not the Habs man

JohnR · 09-14-2003, 01:30 PM

I don't think it's the Hab's man as he posted yesterday a 11am and the article says yesterday at 5am. His PC was last "here" without posting before 1pm today....

Quote:

Smithfield man swept off Beavertail
The fisherman, 49, dies after a wave pulls him under in the rocky surf in Jamestown.

11:12 AM EDT on Sunday, September 14, 2003

BY ANDREW C. HELMAN
Journal Staff Writer

JAMESTOWN -- A 49-year-old Smithfield man, fishing in the rocky surf at Beavertail State Park, died yesterday when a crashing wave swept him into the water shortly before 5 a.m.

Responding to a 911 call placed by a nearby fisherman, rescue workers searched the water and rocky coast for about an hour and a half, until a passing boat spotted the body between 300 and 400 yards offshore, said fire Capt. Keith Godena.

Town firefighters pulled the man, whose name was not released, into their rescue boat and transported him to nearby Fort Wetherill State Park, where they were met by the medical examiner, Godena said.

Witnesses told Godena, "He was hanging on the rock yelling for help" after a wave crashed over him, but "another large wave came out and they never saw him again."

Godena said the man was found wearing hip boots, a jacket and a knapsack.

Edward Cabral, an environmental police officer for the Department of Environmental Management, said the death appears to be accidental. DEM is investigating the incident because the park is state property.

Cabral said the man has been coming to Beavertail to fish for the past few weeks.

"It appears that he was a pretty avid fisherman," Cabral said. "According to the family, he leaves early in the morning and then comes back later."

Cabral said the surf area tends to be popular with fishermen because the fish feed in the white water. "They become very active in that, so the fishermen do very well," he said.

But tropical storms in September tend to increase the size and strength of waves, Cabral said.

"The storm may be 100 or 200 miles out to sea, but it may cause the wave action to be a little more aggressive than normal," Cabral said. "Certainly, fishermen should be more cautious with the tropical storms around."

Cabral said there was a similar death off the coast of Narragansett last year.

I know I'm going to bore some people but we're going to have another safety thread...

likwid · 09-14-2003, 01:33 PM

I'll pipe in with some extra info about how evil the surf can be...

whether it be boat or beach....

Got Stripers · 09-14-2003, 02:18 PM

Fished south of my usual area today and it was a wild ride in and I'm glad I got back inside before the turn of the tide or getting back inside might have been interesting. It wasn't blowing too hard, but man did the swells and chop build in a hurry, plus I was overloaded

with friend Drew and a couple hitch hikers. Let a 32 lber go that gave me a great fight and drew had one on that I had to chase to can line and even I could see that fish rubbing on the bottom by watching the tip of his rod shake; fish won and broke him off. Sent Drew home with a nice bag of fillets and I'm firing up the grille myself for a Patriots bbq.

Surfpirate · 09-14-2003, 03:48 PM

How many times do we have to read this before we get the message.

Buy and wear a PDF if you are going fishing.

what a shame.

Tattoo · 09-14-2003, 04:49 PM

I was at Habs house this AM.......he's alive....and no it wasn't him

JHABS · 09-14-2003, 05:20 PM

NO I'M HERE, But I know some will be DISAPOINTED. You can not take CHANCES out there, and NEVER turn your back to the WAVES.

JohnR · 09-14-2003, 05:32 PM

We'll probably know by tomorrow who it was....

And yes, I fish an inflatable vest in those places like B-Tail, the Breachways & the like....

"The News of My Death Has Been Greatly Exaggerated"
.... J. Habs

MikeTLive · 09-14-2003, 05:43 PM

Do you have an infrlatable with an automatic fill valve?
I have yet to see one that does not require the user to activate it.
What happens when you are knocked back and clonk yer head on the rocks?

SkyDivers have altimeters that activate in an emergency
Are their any similar devices for inflatables?

I say get the best you can afford.
After all, it IS your life you are talking about.

I saw a nice combo pfd/jacket in cabellas.
I just got a cool PFD vest from my folks.
It goes with me wherever I go.
If there are waves crashing I will be wearing it.

JohnR · 09-14-2003, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeTLive
Do you have an infrlatable with an automatic fill valve?
I have yet to see one that does not require the user to activate it.
What happens when you are knocked back and clonk yer head on the rocks?

Yep - disolvable tablet will engage the CO cartridge and inflate the vest in case I get knocked out...

http://www.sospenders.com/product/8030368.html

likwid · 09-14-2003, 06:36 PM

Also put a switch operated strobe on there/carry a waterproof flashlight ATTACHED to your vest.

You can't beleive just how hard it is to spot an unlit body floating in the water... no matter if they're screaming or not. And it helps your friends on the beach keep track of you.

I've been on a raceboat once and had someone go over the side without a light. What would have normally taken 2 minutes.... took probably about 45 minutes to find the guy/get him back onboard. (We practice this stuff over and over... I race with a good sharp group of guys.)

Nebe · 09-14-2003, 06:50 PM

Last week I almost met the giant striper in the sky while fishing Hazard Ave...
I knew it was a dangerous place, I saw bait jumping and went for the rocks. After watching the waves for a while I thought I was going to be safe, but after 1/2 hour a rouge wave came in up to my waist and sucked me down the rocks. Luckily I had my wits about me and jammed the butt of my pole downward and it lodged into the cracks in the rocks whick stopped me from going into the drink.
After reading that article this morning I couldnt help but think that I could have drowned and the article could have been about me

I think I'll stick to sand and boats for a while

eben

JohnR · 09-14-2003, 07:21 PM

Eben - I love Hazzard / Newton but have gone on my ass a few times and just don't do it much anymore... That place kills a lot of people too..

MikeTLive · 09-14-2003, 07:28 PM

Those automatics are the balls!!!
I wondered when they would do that and now I see they did!!
Thanks!

Once I pass down my present jacket to my son I will get one of those!!

Too!! Many!! Exclamation points!!!!

Goose · 09-14-2003, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JHABS
You can not take CHANCES out there, and NEVER turn your back to the WAVES.

Word to the wise John. I was out last night and for what ever reason the surf was higher then usual. I fished the top of the tide and even though I was perched high on a RI island formation, at least 12', the surf was reaching my feet and with the occasional bigger ones. Two hours into the drop I felt more comfortable when I noticed in the moon light a big swell making its way toward shore I planted my feet and got ready to brace this swell. In a split second, it hit me waist high, knocked me down hard on my hip and elbows. As high as I high was the level of awareness remains the same. I got lucky. Although I was hurtin I thanked God and called it a very succesful night. We have to repsect her at all times.

Nebe · 09-14-2003, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JohnR
Eben - I love Hazzard / Newton but have gone on my ass a few times and just don't do it much anymore... That place kills a lot of people too..

I've learned that there are caves underneath Hazard rock, so if you do go in the drink, you can get sucked into them and then you cant get out! Yikes...

I feel safe at the narow river. I know it blind folded, but if this hurricane gets close it will change the sand bars at the mouth.

eben

fishweewee · 09-14-2003, 07:58 PM

Fished Beavertail late last night and all day today.

I didn't see the surf any more churned up than usual.

The place is dangerous on even the calmest day.

Amazing something like this doesn't occur more frequently with all the fellas who fish without korkers and pfd's and all the idiotic parents who bring their young kids down to the slippery rocks under the light as if it were some amusement park.

Mike P · 09-14-2003, 08:46 PM

Your best shot at those places is to swim out and hope someone sees you and sends a boat.

I'd wear a wetsuit and a PFD if I fished there. The wetsuit will help keep you from developing hypothermia. PFDs are useless if your body temp drops too low--all they'll do is make your corpse easier to find.

Fishpart · 09-15-2003, 05:58 AM

I was worried that it might be someone I know. Even though it wasn't I feel bad for a family that is missing a father.

Drew · 09-15-2003, 10:27 AM

Did Bob just call me fat?

Always a pleasure Bud, thanks again.

Everyone PLEASE be careful out there in the coming days.

RIROCKHOUND · 09-15-2003, 11:10 AM

Saw that that name has been released to the public, if anyone knew him, I am very sorry.. everyone watch your back and your step...
Bryan

fishweewee · 09-15-2003, 11:17 AM

Fisherman who died at Beavertail is identified
08:31 AM EDT on Monday, September 15, 2003

JAMESTOWN -- A 49-year-old Smithfield man who died Saturday when swept away from the rocky shore at Beavertail State Park was identified yesterday as Gary Bradbury, of Terrace Drive, according to the Department of Environmental Management.

Bradbury was fishing when a crashing wave swept him into the water shortly before 5 a.m. A DEM spokeswoman said the drowning appeared to be accidental.

Bradbury's body was pulled from the surf about 90 minutes after the incident by town firefighters.

B-assman · 09-15-2003, 11:40 AM

I echo the thoughts here- I cant imagine the pain the family is going through or the last moments of this poor mans life - It's a horrible fate.

I'm not a surf fisherman - I only fish from my boat - but I've sailed all of my life and have sailed offshore extensively. It seems to me a harness which is used on sailboats quite effectively could be used in precarious situations on land.

The rig on a sailboat is to string a jack line from stem to stern - the harness is then clipped to the jack line. This setup allows you to move about the boat while being clipped to a safety line at all times. I could envision a similar setup rigged along the shore where fishing is dangerous.

Now - I imagine that you guys move around a fair amount (true?) - so you could rig the jack line anchors a few hundred yards apart - with your harness clipped on Lets say you anchor the two ends of the jack line a couple hundred yards apart - then put on the harness and clip in. I'd bet that mountain climbing equipment could be used as well.

Thoughts???? Would this work?

Dave

rwilhelm · 09-15-2003, 11:47 AM

Very sad story, it should make us all think about being a little more cautious especially when the surf is big. The worst that can happen if we stay a little further from the waters edge, is that we will lose a couple of feet on our cast.

DaveS · 09-15-2003, 01:40 PM

Shame, damn shame. Be careful people, thats all I can say, and even though we like our privacy when fishing it's a lot safer when ya got someone with ya. Take a bad fall out at Naps when your alone, and you'll see what I mean,long crawl back lol.

JohnR · 09-15-2003, 01:45 PM

Bassman - don't think it would work. But inflatable PFDs with a buddy system could work better

DaveS · 09-16-2003, 10:58 AM

Johns right, if my partner falls in, I just cast my plug over him and reel him in.