Pooch, a lot of the time the water is not over my head. I also often wear a water activated PFD. Staying alive is a reasonably high priority. Usually the biggest concern is being on "bigger" water and having the wind come up or shift directions to make waves worse than anticipated.

My brother and I were out in late October about a dozen years ago, in a canoe and following a serpentine creek in the marsh between open areas (gunsaholic may know it, it's called Crooked Creek) and somehow my brother flipped himself out of the bow and into the water. He went straight to the bottom, 12-15 feet with full gear and waders on. He was able to get back to the surface by pulling himself up the side of the riverbank, which was near vertical. It was a cool day but sunny with little wind. Got most of his gear off, gave him my jacket, gloves and hat and we paddled hard for the lodge. About 1.5 miles away and he was plenty warm by the time we got back.

Last edited by canvasback; 05/22/17 10:18 AM.
The world cries out for such: he is needed & needed badly- the man who can carry a message to Garcia