Page 6 - Louisiana Loop (manuscript Edition)

This is a terrifying but true story of a man who should have

drowned from kayaking in February on the Mississippi River.

Thru a few fluke circumstances he found himself floating in

waters too cold to survive.

Kayak trapped under a parked barge the rising waters of the

Mississippi chilled in the 30’s was slowly killing me as I was

swept along side of several rows of parked barges.

Desperately searching and kicking to find a hand hold or a

grapple for my paddle to snag….. the current was strong and I

was moving swiftly by.

Without PFD, I clung to one of my backup floats, a kayak chair

holding me just below the surface

Trying to use the float chair and kicking to paddle in towards

shore My efforts seemed futile.

I passed rows of barges and I realized the current was leading

and pushing me away from the barges to the middle of the river.

…...and I was going to die.

Time was against me and though I could not feel cold I could

feel the pain of my hands losing grip.

It wouldn’t be long till I lost ability to resist and slipped

under the muddy waters frozen and drowned.

I knew the cold was slowing my thoughts, fogging my thinking. I

had been in I am guessing 20 minutes.

Strangely calm there is no panic when there is nothing left to

do.

The last set of barges was coming up and I had been in the water

too long…….,