Have you ever become lost at sea?

Nope, can’t say that I have.

Not at sea, which is even more unpredictable.

But I have been lost in the woods, when I deliberately walked off a trail, thinking I could walk right back. I was nine years old, on a church family camp.

I walked down to the water. That’s all. And tried to walk back to the trail, but, having left the trail between markers, could not find it. It was very disorienting. I had no sense at all of direction.

I must have been gone about fifty minutes and decided to wait for someone to find me, call me, or look for me.

Within about five to ten minutes, a group of girls, on the trail, walked close enough to where I was able to find them and get back on the trail.. I remember them saying, with disgust, “Ooh, its (my name)..” and pretending to be grossed out. But I sure was grateful to see someone who inadvertently helped me find the trail.

The weird thing about getting lost is, if you have your bearings you basically can find a way to familiarity (in the ocean, currents may carry you further and further from course and you have no idea you are drifting). If you know where you are going, if you fight it enough you can eventually find a road or river.

If all else fails, continue downhill always, and you will eventually come to a river, which will eventually come to a road.

Once when snorkeling in Mexico. I specifically told everyone I was a bit scared of the ocean, took awhile to acclimate, then they all took off and I freaked out, caught the sight of a fin a few feet ahead of me (sweetwater made it blurry), and swam like crazy against the current to catch up. Scared me to death, felt like Jaws was after the the whole time…lol

If a lake counts, that’s happened a few times. Gpa left me in the boat, while he parked the truck, the stupid trolling motor was jury-rigged, so I kept spinning in circles, getting further and further out. Lucky a guy on shore grabbed the rope and saved me.

Another time was at Stockton lake, which is huge and lots of deep currents. The ex left me at the dock, big waves were pounding and the rope slipped. Kept sucking me further out into a brewing storm. I decided to man up since I was probably going to die (I may be a little dramatic when in danger), so I kept tugging on the outboard until I got it started, cruised in perfectly and docked just fine.
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Edit 2
Rivers are basically the same thing for me. Almost die from stupidity every time. From tipping the canoe handing out jello shots, getting too drunk to canoe and scaping the skin from my legs, if it can happen, it probably will with me. I’m just not great on water, which is weird since I’m an Aquarius. smh.

When I was 12, my family had met my dad’s family at a fairly local beach area. We were all having a blast relaxing & playing in the waves. My brother & I were floating on separate blow up rafts chatting when all of a sudden I heard my mom’s panicked yell at a distance. I look up & the rest of our family were so far away that they were very tiny in comparison to their actual size. I looked over at my bro & said “Let’s paddle back to the others”. For every stroke we made toward shore, the water was dragging us back out to sea. It took well over an hour to get back to the beach & safety. We were both exhausted & scared. Mom gave us both a hug & suggest we go back to our motel room to rest for a while. I didn’t argue as I was too tired to continue to play. I slept for several hours & had absolutely NO desire to go back into the ocean!!!

Another time (don’t remember my age) I was swimming near the shore & dove under the surface. Guess I got caught up in the undertow & I was having a very difficult time getting back up to the surface. My lungs felt like they were going to explode when I suddenly popped back up on top. That first breath of fresh air sure did feel good!!!

To this day, I have a very healthy respect for the ocean although I will get ankle deep before I start feeling a little bit panicked!!! Neither time was I lost at sea; however, both times I was in a situation beyond my control & learned a valuable lesson!!!

Only metaphorically.

I got stuck in a horrible storm a couple times. Once in a boat. Once, in a canoe.
The canoe one, was bad. I was just trying out a new (to me) 14 mile trip, down the Edisto River. The day started out great. Lots of sunshine, and great conditions. But at about 3PM, a huge thunderstorm, came out of nowhere. Lightning was striking all around me. I had to beach my canoe, because the lightning was crazy. I used my compass, and dragged my canoe, through the swamp, for about a mile. Then, I realized that I had some where lost my paddle, that I had set in my canoe. So. I backtracked, and found my paddle. But the storm got worse. Visibility was about 20 feet. And the swamp was pouring water everywhere. I had a general idea of where I was supposed to get out, but hadn’t been there before. At several times, I had to lie flat, on the banks, because the lightning was so bad. The swamp around me, was pouring water, insects, and snakes over me. I had to get back in my canoe, because I only could follow the river. I laid back flat, and let the current take me. But it was starting to get dark, and I had no source of light, other than a glow stick. The lightning was sliterally striking the water, within feet of my canoe. Several times, I beached again, and laid flat. I eventually tied the glow stick, to my life jacket, in hopes that someone might find me, and revive me. It was a rental canoe, and the guy who rented it to me, knew I was far over due. So. I figured someone would come looking for me, once the storm subsided. The lightning was striking the water, like every 5 seconds. I still don’t know why, I wasn’t electrocuted. It was getting dark, and I was in a portion of the river, that was uninhabited. Several times, it bot so narrow, I had to push though branches, and downed trees. I did see an occasional house, and knocked on their doors, but nobody ever answered. By 7 PM, it was almost pitch black. There were Mike markers on duck boxes, so I knew that I had only a couple hours, to get to where my truck was parked. Long story short. I made it to where I needed to be. I’m not sure if I’ve ever been so scared. My glow stick, was fading, but I could still see a little bit. The damn storm, seemed to follow me. The lightning let me see some. I got to my landing spot, around 10PM. It was pure luck, that I was able to see my truck’s taillights. I had 35 missed calls, from the rental guy. I called him, and he was glad I survived. He said he’d worked there, for 8 years, and never saw such a storm.
From then on, I carried lights, and my phone, and learned to be prepared for such an event. I don’t go out there now, without lights, and all kinds of surival gear. Like I said, I have no idea, why I wasn’t electrocuted, by all the lightning hitting around me. Some bolts, hit right by me. I was of course drenched in water, and I don’t understand why I didn’t get hit by lightning.

I was once in a power boat. And got hit by a squall. There were 3–6 foot swells, and zero visibility. Every time we thought we were headed in the right direction, we got turned around by the currents, and had to keep turning around. There was not as much lightning as when I was in my canoe, but the wind, and rain, was a real challenge. My father and I made it back to the landing. But it was really scary.

Now. I have a weather radar app. So. I don’t get surprised as much. But I’ve been stuck on many storms, and had to beach, and wait them out.

Being lost in that storm, on the Edisto, by myself, was by far the worst though.

But, I don’t go out, without a communication device, and plenty of survival gear, anymore. I learned a lot, about how quickly the weather can change, on the water. I still go out by myself, in my canoe. But I know how to deal with the problems now. I take glownership sticks, a phone, a couple Snickers bars, emergency blankets, knives, rope, a compass, and medical supplies. I even take 2 extra paddles, and water proof matches, and a Life Straw. I have sewed a life jacket, to my bug out bag, and have multiple bottles of water, and Gatorade. Amongst other things. When a bad storm hits. I turn my canoe over, and lay under it, with hand warmers, and I even carry, an entrenching shovel. Also have a repair kit, incase I get a hole, on my canoe . I always have 3 sources, of starting a fire, and some other stuff. And. I now have foam, under my seats, so my canoe can’t sink. I sunk it once, before. I only got it back, because I have Coast Guard rope, that floats, and is easily visible (orange.) I keep it tied to my deck plates, with a floating device. As long as it doesn’t sink past 50 feet, I can locate the floating device, and rope, and pull it back up. But it doesn’t seem to be able to sink anymore, since I added the foam under the seats. All the gear, plus years of experience, seem to have paid off. And, I always scout an unknown area, with Google Earth, before I go there. So I know where some type of land is. I do get alligators, and sharks, that swim.around me sometimes, but I have a pretty string wooden paddle, that I can pushow them away with. I’m currently designing a paddle, with a nail, in the tip. To give them a reason, to leave me alone. I will have to build it. But, it should work well…
I used to carry a gun too. But I lost it overboard. My new paddle design, will have a spear-like attachment, and float…

@Grimmy Yikes, sounds crazy!

I used to fish on a flatbottom a lot, same thing happened but outboard quit, just trolling motor. Needless to say, three of us swam it to shore, with lightning and pouring rain. Bailing was useless. Felt like forever to get to shore.

Glad you survived!

^Yeah. You take a risk, every time you go on the water. Glad you made it too.

@Grimmy Danger prone Daphne over heya lol

It’s a dangerous world. Human beings, have little, to no defense, against most predators, and certainly are victims, of acts of nature…

No, but I’ve been lost in the woods. Pregnant. My husband and I were rescued. If not for rangers who refused to go home when they realized we never came out of the woods and the Sierra Club volunteers, I don’t know what would have happened. We went to take an 8 mile trail and just happened to talk to a ranger as we entered the trail. He was concerned because of me being pregnant but we had left one of our cars on the other end. When his shift ended that night he checked to make sure our cars were gone; they weren’t. So, the cavalry was called and came looking. Forever grateful we are.