Thanks for sharing Brandon, I am in the South east area of Michigan. I grew up and have fished the Great Lakes most of my life. I do not think people realize how powerful water is. Numerous people die fishing these waters every year, it's sad. Water needs to be respected.

Thanks Brandon, that was riveting. Don't worry about missing the mic opportunity. Awesome repair videos.

You never feel so good as when you almost die.

When I was a teenager, I was out late one night driving by myself. I was stopped at a red light and a old Chevy Belair came flying down the cross street, fishtailing and out of control. As it crossed the intersection in front of me, it suddenly slewed to the right and smacked into a big light pole, sliding up until it fell over onto its roof. I just sat there for a minute, completely dumbfounded at what had happened. A guy was stopped behind me at the light, and when he got out, I did too. We were both babbling about what we should do, when people started crawling out of the wreck. We ran over and helped them to sit down a safe distance from the wrecked car, which was leaking fluids from everywhere. We thought everyone was out, and then I heard ragged breathing coming from underneath the trunk lid, which had sprung open in the accident, spilling a bunch of crap onto the street. We looked, and one guy was jammed in there between the broken rear window and the trunk. He was unconscious, and we couldn't pull him out because of all the crap weighing down the trunk lid. I told the other guy to keep pulling and I grabbed the trunk and lifted it. I'm not a big guy and I was even smaller then, but that car lifted up into the air a good foot. I still don't know how I did it. The other guy pulled him out, and he was pretty messed up. His face was all bloody and he was gasping for air, I think because he had vomited. The other guy said he was going for help (this was long before cell phones.) I was worried about the guy choking on whatever was in his throat, so I turned him onto his side, and he seemed to breathe easier. Knowing what I do about first aid now, I never should have moved him, but then all I had to go on was my Boy Scout lifesaving merit badge. Anyway, Fire and Rescue showed up and took over, and we gave our statements to the cops. I drove home and didn't say a word about it (I was afraid Mom and Dad would be pissed about me being out so late.) I pretty much forgot about it, and then one day Mom calls me and says there's a guy at the door asking for me. I went to the door, and there was the guy we had pulled out. I recognized him because he was wearing the same shitty leather jacket he had on that night. He introduced himself and told me I had saved his life. I told him it wasn't really true, and I hadn't been alone. He said he knew about the other guy and was going to thank him too. I guess he got our names from the police report. We talked for a while, but we didn't have that much in common. He thanked me again and took off, and I never saw him again. A long story, but one that has stayed with me all these years. I can still see it like it was yesterday, and I remember how scared and worried I felt.

Vince was a real ding-a-ling.....Even near the shore that current is noticeable!

Thanks for sharing. I was once the idiot that overestimated my swimming skills in the ocean. I was ready to give up and die, when a guy paddled up out of nowhere on a surfboard and helped me to the beach. I gained some much needed wisdom and maturity from that experience. I owe that stranger my life.

Every year at the mouth of Platte River and Lake Michigan😢 tourists together with liquid courage wander out into the big water🤤 with their kayaks and canoes and succumb to it😖👀

Wow, what a traumatic experience ! Iuckily, it turned out fine but it could have you stuck with nightmares for the rest of your life. In my book, you did save Vince's life !

I’d say the three of you saved Vince.

OMG! So glad for the happy ending! That water is stinking cold in November. The speech and the waitress’s comment made me laugh

What Brandon didn't mention was the temperature of the river in November, had he not been spotted and stayed in the water much longer it wouldn't of been just exhaustion that he had to deal with, but hypothermia. I wonder if the people with the boat, not having binoculars, wouldn't of believed Brandon and decided not to be willing to fire up the boat and go look. Turns out there was a sequence of lucky that happened here. First, your fortitude to not give up after climbing the second dune, then actually finding someone with a boat in November, then the lady having binoculars. Then there's the clueless lump that made it across the river, not seeing his friend that didn't make it across the river with him and said to himself, gee, I wonder where he went.

I had a very similar situation happen: Little bit of context I live in Florida and we often go swimming in the Gulf. Me and my family were swimming in this little secluded cove that unbeknownst to me has quite strong tidal currents when the tide is changing. When we started swimming there was no current, as we were trying to swim back the tide started going out quite violently and started sucking all of us out into the Gulf. We're all in pretty good shape but my daughter is only 10 and my wife apparently is not a strong enough swimmer to overcome the tide. I could see my boat anchored in about a foot of water (small jet boat, a foot is more than enough) and swam with all my might back to my boat. I then quickly put the anchor away and went over to her full throttle as she was floating out into the gulf while panicking. Being a jet boat I didn't have to shut the engine off cuz there was no fear of hurting someone with a propeller so I expertly maneuvered over to her while also fighting the tide going against the bow and was able to get both of them on the boat. We were all exhausted, but it made for an interesting day. Trying to hold a jet boat stationary as the tide is going out and you need to maneuver against it while trying to get close enough to people to climb into it is no small task......

Every year we joke with each other "Let's swim to other side!" because we all know there's no way in hell anyone we know can make it, lol. If by some miracle we did, we would be at least half a mile down river. I did an experiment last year to see how long I could match the current speed without losing ground to the shoreline. I probably lasted 30 seconds and needed a long break, lol, completely cooked. Jack Smith is our favorite place to start when we motor down to the sand bar or London Bridge.

Great Video as always! Something totally unrelated...are you planning on restoring another 1950's outboard again like the 58 QD18 you did a couple of years ago? That series you did made me come back to your videos all the time !!! Thanks!

Nice haircut

Thanks!

We had two teens try same thing locally on the river.One was saved by a boat the other didn’t make it🙁

Not sure how lse to connect with you or ask ?'s, i already asked in the comments for another video and donated a few bucks. Can you tell me what if anything goes between the mounting surfaces of the inner and outer exhaust housings on a 98 50hp omc? Long story short, i am held up on completing a powerhead swap, as the inner exhaust housing has to go in first before mounting the powerhead. About to use omc gasket sealant if i dont get a response. Ive searched and searched through my Seloc manual with no luck. PLEASE HELP!!