Saved my Bacon and I mean it!

I started runnng the saltwater flats in Jacksonville Fl.
I like to fish.
I just bought a new iPhone 3GS
I just purchased this Navionics app so I could see where I am while fishing. I had little knowledge of the program and with all new
things I had not spent much time learning it. To set a number on it about 0 to 1.
Yesterday I went fishing up the ICW, hung a right and ran to the mouth of Simpsons Creek. The time is 2:50pm. I started fishing,
winds picked up, lightning starts. at what appears to be way out there. It wasnt. I cranked up the boat and started heading back to the dock.
The rain came up with so much speed I couldnt believed it. Then the lightning started. The rain was so blinding I couldnt even see in front of me.
I now arrive at the ICW and turn left to head back to the ramp.I have never seen a rain or storm like this one. I tried to get the boat on plain to beat the storm. That didnt happen.
I am trying to run marker to marker to get back to the ramp. That didnt happen. When I hit the ICW I still couldnt see a thing in the storm. I followed what I thought was the ICW (intercoastal waterway). That didnt happen. I kept going at a slow speed, blinding rain. the waterway kept getting narrower. Odd I thought.. You guessed it! I was lost. I was down at the end of some creek or offshoot. I notice the backend weight on the boat. I pull up the hatch and its full of water. Of course from the storm. I hit the bilge pump. That didnt happen. Its not working. I hit the live well to see if it recycles. That didnt happen. I now have boat filled with water from the storm and no way to get rid of it.
The rain lets up. Lightning everwhere. I wander around for an hour trying to get out of this creek. No way! I took a 44oz drink cup and bailed all the water out from the backend of the boat. I didnt pull the iPhone out for fear of getting it wet, it was in the
dry storage locker. I get hung up on an oyster bar. That too another 20 minutes to get of it. Pushing with an oar paddle. I break free of the oyster bar, i get out the iPhone. I hit
the Navionics app. I hit tracking and everyother button trying to figure where am I at????. I keep pushing the in and out buttons on the map to try and figure it out. Then the
red line indicator started blinking and the arrow moving. Huh? Ok. A body of water is to my right. In out , in out. ITS THE CREEK! I slide up and down the map and realize
I am at the end of what is called Garden creek. I am not only in the creek, but at the extreme end of it with little or no indications of size. Also shallow water, this is not good.
I start heading to the bigger water, following the red indicator line and arrow. It dosent look to me as if I can make it there. Land or flats cover would prevent it. I just kept
following the indicators. The indicator took me everyway that I had circled for hours. But then the large end of the creek and deeper water came up. In out, in out. It looks like
I am in the right course. I was. The creek widened, the indicator kept directing me, I followed it right up the creek. Slowly and came to the mouth and ran into some fishermen. They said your in the right directiion just around the corner. I went through the Navionics "shallow water" notes, with the boat slowly. I hit the ICW and ran back to
the ramp. Safe and sound. Wet cloths, chilled and all, but safe.
To the brethren at Navionics. YOU SAVED MY BACON. I am 70 years old, fish by myself and I dont need getting lost up in creeks i am not familar with.
To Navionics "God bless us everyone Tiny Tim". Its a great progam for your iPhone, and may save your BACON! Thanks Guys great job, great program.
ontheflats
and from the iPhone
ontheflatsnow.

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