GTR 215 right into the grass!

[Hawk388]

So yesterday right after the storms passed through the Choctowatchee Bay, FL area, I took the GTR out to play in the Bay. It was so rough, I didn't do any camera filming because my camera is an Olympus regular camera that's waterproof to 30'. But, I don't have a mount for it. I had a lot of fun in the Bay jumping waves and such. But the chop in-between the waves was fairly brutal. It was like a bathtub with 6"-10" chop running through it and a rubber ducky trying to go straight. The seat made it an easy enough experience for my fat ass, but the rest of me wasn't as happy! I clicked my teeth so hard I'm lucky I didn't crack one or bite my tongue off! But when it would calm down with just waves, it was an awesome time!

Since the Bay was so rough, I decided to hit the Ditch that runs from C-Bay to West Bay. About a mile into the Ditch, I noticed a smallish path leading off the intercoastal back into a lot of grass and trees. So being the exploring type, I went down that path. It wound way back into a swampy area that had at least four feet of water all through it. I would stop and do a full throttle launch to see if any sand was kicked up behind me in areas I was worried about. At 3' of water, I'll get some sediment/sand kicked up behind me but that never happened. I eventually got back to an area that had a wooden pole with a "No Trespassing" sign in the middle of this small canal I was in, so I turned around and hauled ass back out.

It was so much fun, I went back into this canal all the way to the sign, turned around and was on my way back out at a higher speed, about 50mph, when I came around a sharp corner and saw a Pelican sitting in the water mid corner. I hit the IBR Brake, but was going too fast and went right past the Pelican who was trying to get his butt out of the water and airborne as I flew past him missing him by about 4 feet. However, I ended up going deep into the grass.

I've had this happen before while speeding through these small openings and was able to just back out, but not this time. Once I got off the GTR, it was evident I was going to be putting in some work.

Video is uploading and processing. I'll post it once it's done. Until then, here's a picture.

 

[Hawk388]

[video=youtube;7zkz4d0Fjz8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zkz4d0Fjz8[/video]

 

[Spimothy Leary]

well, its good to be able to laugh at you and call you a dummy, (saying this with a smile) because you obviously didn't get hurt.

I hope there was a lesson learned here, you could have broken a leg and been in a world of hurt... That happened to a guy on the St John's a couple years back, broken femur, airlift, big god dam mess.

dangerous to ride alone, really dangerous to ride alone in a new area, life threatening if you're just out of cell service.

I had a similar experience on a sand/mud bar down in estero florida, i was alone for 45 minutes before a boater came by and saved my ass as the sun was setting. I was prepared to spend the next 4 hours with mama gator waiting for the tide to roll in.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Yep,, you parked it for sure...

I doubt you hurt your impeller as the ski flattened the grass down,,,

 

[Hawk388]

well, its good to be able to laugh at you and call you a dummy, (saying this with a smile) because you obviously didn't get hurt.

I hope there was a lesson learned here, you could have broken a leg and been in a world of hurt... That happened to a guy on the St John's a couple years back, broken femur, airlift, big god dam mess.

dangerous to ride alone, really dangerous to ride alone in a new area, life threatening if you're just out of cell service.

I had a similar experience on a sand/mud bar down in estero florida, i was alone for 45 minutes before a boater came by and saved my ass as the sun was setting. I was prepared to spend the next 4 hours with mama gator waiting for the tide to roll in.

I had a float plan filed with my wife, a fully charged cell phone with GPS turned on in a water proof case and an Android App called Cell Tracker installed on our phones. This way, if I don't return and she can't reach me, she and/or the authorities can find me. Also, I call her and check in every 30 minutes. I've been doing this for over 30 years. So with today's technology, I feel confident they will at least find my remains.

Yep,, you parked it for sure...

I doubt you hurt your impeller as the ski flattened the grass down,,,

Impeller turned out to be fine. So was the grate. As soon as I got it back into the water, I knew something had been sucked into the impeller, likely just grass, due to the way she acted when I put her in Forward. However, with a good flick of the throttle, it cleared itself out and there were no abnormal vibrations. I rode for another half hour before more storms started moving into the area. I did a good visual when I got home as well.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

good to hear on the float plan, a reminder for us all.

I've been filing one with the wife ever since I stupidly told her about my sandbar incident < yes, I was alone, playing hooky from work, no float plan, no cell service, < yes, that was stupid. Besides the obvious lesson it was nice to know that I learned that i'm not one to freak out because some peep's I know would have been chitting their pants, I remained patient and calm and just prayed for a fishing boat

Float Plan.
Its on a post-it on the kitchen counter, ramp, location, direction, distance

I text the same as we idle out, ramp name, location, direction, distance, expected return, so she will have the info even if out and about.

I text when we idle in, "off the water"

it makes her (and me) feel better, and quite frankly if 4 of us are stuck in the middle of chit creek, its nice to know I have someone that will call the cavalry 2 hours after we don't check in that at least has some hints to give the FWC rescue

Only downside is if we stop for beers and I forget to send the "got delayed" text....,

 

[Hawk388]

good to hear on the float plan, a reminder for us all.

I've been filing one with the wife ever since I stupidly told her about my sandbar incident

Its on a post-it on the kitchen counter, ramp, location, direction, distance

I text the same as we idle out, ramp name, location, direction, distance, expected return

I text when we idle in, "off the water"

it makes her (and me) feel better, and quite frankly if 4 of us are stuck in the middle of chit creek, its nice to know I have someone that will call the cavalry 2 hours after we don't check in that at least has some hints to give the FWC rescue

Only downside is if we stop for beers and I forget to send the "got delayed" text....,

Same for me with the texting of departure location and time. Since I call her every 30 minutes or so, it gives her a warm fuzzy feeling that I'm safe and after 26 years of marriage, 21 of those while I served in the Army on multiple deployments, she deserves to know I'm OK.

I have yet to meet anyone local to me who wants to go out riding on a regular basis. They either have two-stroke machines and I'm not cool enough for them or, they just want to go from one marina/restaurant to the next and get hammered along the way. Now don't get me wrong, I love to have some beers myself. However, only one or two while out boating/driving. I'm 6'2" and 240lbs, so two beers one right after the other gives me a staggering .02 BAC measured ten minutes later. But the two others I've met locally here are drinking two or three beers at every stop and also bring a flask with them. Not my idea of fun at all. I don't drink every freakin day like they do and quite frankly, I ended up feeling like a baby sitter.

 

[bwhite]

I can just picture this from the Pelican's POV. You and it both dodged a pretty hazardous event taking place a few days back.

 

[Inmotion]

Man I gotta little chuckle going on thinking about the pelican trying to get out the way. Glad no harm was done

 

[Hawk388]

I was sore as hell for two days after having to lift and move an 800lb Jetski. However, I'm pretty sure that Pelican was just as sore from all the flapping and panic it was in. It likely had a water leak from it's butthole region for a day or so. I know I'm glad the cushion was there when my cheeks tightened up.

It was either take the chance of hitting a protected animal or, going into the grass and taking that chance. I think it worked out well for both of us.

Still, I was thinking while moving that heavy Ski, what kind of self respecting Pelican sets up in that area? You've got the whole of the Gulf of Mexico and you plant your butt in the same channel I went through just 10 minutes ago! LOL!