I thought folks would be interested in this account from the survivors of the Hallow Bay crash, published in today's Kodiak Daily Mirror. This is the original NPN thread.
Aside from the chilling account, there's lots of good survival advice sprinkled in the crevices of the Mirror interviews.
Hank, thanks for the update. Reading this gives you chills up your spine. I am really impressed with the calm under extreme conditions the people showed. It proves that your best chance of survival is to try to be logical and don't panic. Of course, in this case a large portion of luck was involved. If the C-130 was not already airborne an additional 1/2 hour delay before it arrived on scene would have been diasterous.
I sincerely hope the survivors can now put this ordeal behind them and live normal lives.
I spend a lot of time on and around the water even in retirement, and for 25 years made my living evaluating maritime accidents and interviewing survivors, then developing and running training programs. This accident was a "good save" for lots of reasons, but as with most that don't involve immediate rescue it was teetering on the edge of fatalities by the time they got everyone out of the water.
Dan and the pilot fared well because they are both so experienced, physically fit and prepared. To their credit they did a good job of managing their passengers who probably didn't measure up as well on any of those counts. Floatplane pilots will give you a safety briefing when you get on board, kind of a "mini" version of what you get on an airliner, and as on the bigger planes most folks don't pay a lot of attention.
I haven't had a chance to talk to Dan about the wreck (old habits die hard), but I'll give long odds both he and the pilot were wearing inflatable live vests or jackets as a matter of course. You almost never see pilots without them, even walking down the street on their days off! As a matter of fact, I have my own well-worn version that I wear even away from the water simply because it's comfortable. You would never even know it's a lifejacket, and they're so common on the streets in most Alaskan coastal towns they are almost a fashion statement.
I'm not affiliated with the company in any way, but the Stormy Seas Alaskan Sweater and Light Jackets are the most popular. There are other brands.
If you're headed up this way to spend time on boats or planes, something similar would be a good idea. Just be aware that you can't fly on a commercial airliner with the CO2 cartridge, so you'll have to remove the CO2 cartridge before leaving home, then pick up a replacemtn at a sporting goods store when you arrive.
If you want to see this type of clothing first hand before buying, check out the nearest marine hardware store when you arrive in Alaska. They'll almost certainly have examples, and I bet you get lots of use out of it after you return home.
Jim- Something similar, whatever brand, might be suitable for the NPN store simply because most folks probably have never seen them, but should consider them for active outdoor lifestyles.
Okay, my Safety Nag hat is off. Just can't pass up the opportunity to pitch life jackets!
Discussion
4 repliesAside from the chilling account, there's lots of good survival advice sprinkled in the crevices of the Mirror interviews.
I sincerely hope the survivors can now put this ordeal behind them and live normal lives.
Dan and the pilot fared well because they are both so experienced, physically fit and prepared. To their credit they did a good job of managing their passengers who probably didn't measure up as well on any of those counts. Floatplane pilots will give you a safety briefing when you get on board, kind of a "mini" version of what you get on an airliner, and as on the bigger planes most folks don't pay a lot of attention.
I haven't had a chance to talk to Dan about the wreck (old habits die hard), but I'll give long odds both he and the pilot were wearing inflatable live vests or jackets as a matter of course. You almost never see pilots without them, even walking down the street on their days off! As a matter of fact, I have my own well-worn version that I wear even away from the water simply because it's comfortable. You would never even know it's a lifejacket, and they're so common on the streets in most Alaskan coastal towns they are almost a fashion statement.
I'm not affiliated with the company in any way, but the Stormy Seas Alaskan Sweater and Light Jackets are the most popular. There are other brands.
If you're headed up this way to spend time on boats or planes, something similar would be a good idea. Just be aware that you can't fly on a commercial airliner with the CO2 cartridge, so you'll have to remove the CO2 cartridge before leaving home, then pick up a replacemtn at a sporting goods store when you arrive.
If you want to see this type of clothing first hand before buying, check out the nearest marine hardware store when you arrive in Alaska. They'll almost certainly have examples, and I bet you get lots of use out of it after you return home.
Jim- Something similar, whatever brand, might be suitable for the NPN store simply because most folks probably have never seen them, but should consider them for active outdoor lifestyles.
Okay, my Safety Nag hat is off. Just can't pass up the opportunity to pitch life jackets!
Why did the pilot have the passengers take off their waders? For better mobility? I thought an extra layer would help maintain warmth.