Stupid Stupid Stupid

[Larry Harp]

Words cannot describe how windy it was here in central Oklahoma yesterday. In a state known for it wind, you know like the song... "Where the wind come sweeping down the plain", this was a day that had everyone saying "Dayum". It was so windy that our power went out around 5:30 pm and didn't come back on until 1 am. The article says "in excess of 40 mph but I've been fishing in + 30 mph winds and yesterday was twice as bad. I would say sustained winds at over 40 with gust around 55 mph. It was had to drive, in fact I did see a mobile home that was being towed that had blown over. I cannot imagine even thinking about going out on any lake but particularly Lake Hefner which sits way up high and catches all the wind. It is a haven for windsurfers and sailboaters. This is an unbelievable story....







Man drowns after going overboard at Lake Hefner

By Augie Frost and Brian Sargent

Staff Writers

Windy conditions and lapping waves made Thursday a bad day to be on the water, let alone wakeboarding on Lake Hefner.



"I would not be out on the lake in these conditions in any sized boat,

 

[Marty Klein]

Some times it is hard to feel sorry for these guys, but this is nonetheless.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

But I feel sorry for their families very much!!



Uncle Billy

 

[TrepMan]

One in his 50's and one in his 80's ,old enough to know way better, Darwin at work, but feel very sorry for the families.



Trep

 

[Larry Harp]

I feel sorry for their families too. Evidently we care more for these guys families than they did. I believe sometimes we forget that we can get killed.... dead out there on the lake. I call it the Disneyland Mentality where people somehow think it just the illusion of danger and no matter how scary the ride we'll all step off the ride thrilled but safe. I used to see this type of thinking a lot when I was a snow skier. I would see people ski out of bounds, ski slopes way over their skill level, or way too fast for the conditions and then act amazed that something bad had happened to them. Same thing on the road up to the mountains. They would hit the road in the same car and tires that they drove around in Dallas or LA and they can't believe that they get into trouble when they try to cross a 10,000 foot pass where snow is falling 10" per hour. They get stuck for hours waiting for the snow plow and all their cold weather gear is packed away in the trunk and they have a 1/4 tank of gas in the car.



I guess this is what happens when the wilderness becomes so accessible to the average person. I can confess that I can think back on some stupid things I've done not knowing any better. I've learned alot from experience as well as this board and others. I think as bass fishermen we take risks that are unnecessary a lot of times. I think of a tournament that I fished in last year at Lake Sardis in Oklahoma. The wind was 30+ and Sardis is notorious for getting choppy. James and I decided to not risk it and stay on the east side of the lake and not go exploring. Problem was 25 other boats had the same idea. Anyway, a friend of mine and his partner, both very experienced bass boaters, decided to head out to a less crowded area. Their 21' Triton speared two waves. They had water up to their ankles and the bilge pump wasn't keeping up. My friend told me it was the first time in his life he was scared on a bass boat. He said he was looking for a place to swim to in case he had to. Fortunately, they made it to a calm area and the pumps did their job and they made back to the ramp okay. It could have gone a different way.



I guess all I'm trying to say is be carful out there.... it ain't Disneyland.

 

[fatrap]

Unfortunately they probably have already spawned therefore ensuring future generations of stupid.

fatrap

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I think there are 2 points to take from this. 1. They had PFD's on and they didn't help!! 2. Don't make bad decisions or better yet know your boat and its/your limitations. As a rule, bass boaters are more aware of this since our dead rise is soooo much lower than the pleasure boat crowd.



I think that with all of the "extreme" sports out there today from helocopter drop sking, mountain biking down trails that no man should go, survivor shows, even the jackass type stunts that have kids seriously injuring themselves everyday on skteboards, roller blades and even bicicles for cryin out loud, those with limited mentalities are being goaded into doing things that they wouldn't normally. YouTube is littered with all of it for all to see.



TOXIC

 

[Mini]

Tox I think you meant freeboard.



Sad situation indeed. We had some casualties on land in MI from storms yesterday. Winds in excess of 80MPH were recorded a mile from me. Mac had a twister touch down a half mile from him. He, of course, stood on his deck with a beer and grilled some yard bird up....what a fool! lol



Mini

 

[Bill McElroy]

That was AFTER the storm blew thru Einstein!!

 

[Mini]

I asked where were you when this was all happening?





I was in my brothers garage @ my nephews grad party. Saw it coming on my phone and warned everyone.....the got it all inside and the party continued. Even after the lights went out.

 

[Bill McElroy]

I was in my kitchen....watching a transformer 2 yards down blow up like a Taliban ammo dump!:blink::wacko: Same one blew up last summer too.....man those are LOUD when they go off!!...ZZZZZZKKKKRRkkkkkk...ZZZZZZZZZZ POWWWWWW......sparks flyin' in every direction!!

Then silence..............then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...POW!!!!!.....and then a 3rd time!!

SWWEEEEEET!!! LOL!!! It didn't feed my house tho....we had power back 2 hrs later!!

 

[Marty Klein]

I had one blow outside my company headquarters building back in 84; my First Sergeant thought the world was coming to an end. I thought he wet himself, but figured no First Sergeant would do that and regardless, I wasn't going to ask him to confirm or deny such an event.

 

[Larry Harp]

By Augie Frost

Staff Writer

A man who was revived by paramedics after nearly drowning last week, died during the weekend at a hospital.



James Joseph Motis, 73, and Ricky Lee Christopher, 45, were towing a wakeboarder on Lake Hefner on Thursday when a wave swelled by high winds knocked the two from a boat and into the water, officials said.



Christopher was pulled from the water by rescuers and was pronounced dead at the scene. Motis was also pulled from the water and was initially pronounced dead, but paramedics were able to revive him and take him to the hospital.



The state medical examiner confirmed that Motis died early Sunday morning.



Stephen Daniel Flores, 33, was the only survivor in the boating accident. Police said he was being photographed while wakeboarding when the wave swept Motis and Christopher into the water.



Wakeboarding is prohibited on the