"Watch the lightnin' when it lights up the skies. You know it makes me feel good." Those lyrics from country singer Eddie Rabbitt's 1975 hit tune, "I Love a Rainy Night," could be soothing under certain conditions.
However, I doubt those lyrics would do much to allay the fears of an angler who finds himself/herself caught in a rainstorm while on the water...not just at night but anytime. And as I realized today, while watching a couple of videos about kayak anglers who found themselves in such a predicament, that fear could be downright paralyzing.
As one person noted, "I know from personal experience how miserable it is trying to outrun a fast-moving Florida storm in a boat. I can't imagine having to do it in a kayak."
In the first video I watched today, a kayaker named Erik was fishing the mangroves in Aripeka, FL, one summer afternoon when a lightning storm sneaked up on him from out of nowhere. As usual, he had his GoPro set up on a pole in the kayak to record all his redfish catches.
"Before we went out," said this Florida angler, "the skies were clear, and they literally changed to clouds and then to storms in no time...nothing new for that area," as described by the 30-year-old plastics manufacturer.
The good news is that he, like the fella who had a near-death experience in the second video I watched, lived to tell his tale. Here are the links to both videos:
https://www.saltstrong.com/kayak-angler-lightning-storm/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JvDN_vechw
If you're ever caught in a thunderstorm, even if you don't see any lightning, follow this advice:
* Get off the water. A boat is the tallest object on the water, making lightning strikes likely. If you are fishing or swimming, get out and move away from shore.
* Seek shelter. If possible, get in a vehicle, roll up the windows, and avoid touching metal parts, or get in a building, staying away from electrical appliances and wiring. Don't shelter under tall isolated objects like trees or poles. Instead, look for a dense group of trees or shrubs of a similar height. Look for a natural shelter in a deep cave, against a cliff, in a valley, or a ditch. If no shelter is available, crouch down, feet close together with your head tucked down and your hands over your ears. Spread out, keeping people several yards apart. Minimize your contact with the ground, but don't lie down.
* Avoid objects that conduct electricity, such as graphite and metal (paddles, tent poles, camp stoves, fences, power lines, umbrellas, etc.).
* Monitor the storm. Lightning has been known to strike 10 miles away, though the usual strike distance is 3 to 5 miles. Thunderstorms move swiftly. After you see lightning, count the seconds until you hear thunder. Every five seconds equals a mile in distance. A count of five means lightning is overhead. If the time increases, the storm may be moving away. If you see lightning but don't hear thunder, the storm is probably 15 miles away. If you hear thunder, the storm is within 10 miles...lightning strike distance. If you see a blue glow around metal objects, smell ozone, hear buzzing, feel your scalp tingle, or your hair stands on end, dive for cover or crouch down. The movement of electricity, just before lightning strikes, creates these sensations.
* Apply First Aid to victims. Call or send for help ASAP. Don't cause another casualty by exposing yourself to lightning. Wait until danger is past before helping victims. Remember: People don't hold a charge, so touching them can't hurt you. Victims without a pulse can be revived with CPR, and 80 percent of those struck by lightning survive.
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