Scout wrote:
"Joe" wrote in message
oups.com...
For me a December night/morning 03:00 or so and my boat got a net
tangled in the wheel. It was under 30 degrees. We were offshore about 5
miles, luckly it was calm as glass. Only way out was to jump in and cut
the net from the prop. Having to jump in freezing water stay under
until I finished the job and then climbing aboard covered with frost
was the very very worst and painful memory sailing for me. Even being
washed over in freezing water was more enjoyable. What sucks about it
is knowing beforehand you have to get in, reminds me of when Bogie has
to get back in the water to tow the africian queen knowing leaches are
going to be all over him.

The boat had no heat, and all I had to swim in was shorts. After all
that pain and work the strut snapped and we had to be towed up the
Holma Navigational canal by a shrimper later that day.

What a nightmare that trip was.

What was your worst trip/ adventure. David is exempt, we all read
his;0)

Joe

Mine happened 35 years ago. I was out exploring, sailing my little 12
Styrofoam boat up a creek, a few miles from where Dad anchored our cabin
cruiser at the south end of long beach island, NJ. The wind was minimal, I
was up the creek without a paddle, which was fine, until hordes of
mosquitoes descended upon me, thousands and thousands, and I with no shirt,
no shoes, just a bathing suit, fed cities of the little *******s before I
could get back to the mother ship. It may explain why I get so much joy in
watching those blood suckers fly into my zapper. Look at 'em fry - yeah
baby!!
Scout

Here on the Texas coast you have to be prepared for mosquitos. Last
Harvest Moon Regetta we raced in most boats decided to return from Port
Aransas to Houston via the ICW. We did too, because my crew had never
seen the ICW in south Texas. Anyway late the first night just passed
Rattelsnake island a fin boat ran hard aground about 150 outside the
channel. They were on the radio begging for help, as they were overcome
by mosquito's big time. You could hear the women crying in the
background on the radio. Luckly for them I only draw 4.5 ft with my
board up, and I had a line gun and 200 ft of 2" poly pro tow line. I do
not think I've ever been thanked more times than that night from that
crew in my life. He found my boat a week or so later and tried to give
me 100 dollars, I took 35 to buy a new messenger for the line gun.

We always have cans of spray aboard.

Joe