I find myself reposting this message each year because (in my opinion) there is nothing more important when it comes to fishing or boating. First, some background. I am now 80 years old. I was raised a mile from the ocean in Rhode Island. My dad made me an avid fisherman (thanks Dad). I served in the Coast Guard. All that to say I've been on the water a lot. The last thing that could happen to me was that I'd fall in the water and drown. Well, half of that came true that day. I was on the Alabama River near Montgomery, sitting on my front pedestal seat, crappie fishing. I leaned over to get a minnow from my bucket. At that moment the base of the seat tore loose from the deck. Two second later I was upside down in the river without my PDF. OK. No problem. I did not panic. I thought, well, I'm OK, I'll just swim to the top and get back to my boat. I start to swim up, except despite my best efforts I kept going down, not up. I was wearing jeans, a flannel shirt and heavy boots. So, I try harder and realize that I was further down than I had thought. So, while I was now going up, it was a very slow go. Remember I said I fell into the water in about two seconds? Well when that happens you don't get the chance to take a deep breath to fill your lungs with air. (Stop breathing right now!! That's what you have for air while under water.) Very quickly I had to breathe. My lungs are now burning and my chest is heaving. I know if I open my air passageway to breathe all that will happen is my lungs will fill with water. So I hang on and keep trying to swim to the top. Then I felt a calmness come over me. I thought, so this is how my life ends. It was so strange. I pictured my body floating away down the river. At that moment my hand broke the surface of the water and felt air. Two desperate kicks and my head broke the surface about for feet from my boat. I was able to grab the stern. The only issue was, how to get into the boat. I had no energy. I just hung on while taking deep breaths. Some time later, maybe ten minutes, I tried to get into the boat. I couldn't do it. I stood on the engine and pushed the trim button, That took me out of the water; but, I couldn't manage to get into the boat. After a few more minutes I went back into the water and pushed the boat toward shore until I could stand up and finally I was safe.

So, where was my life jacket during all of this. On the boat deck, at the bottom of the pedestal seat that had broken. It was entirely useless.

Some may think it is unnecessary; but, I wear my self-inflatable PDF whenever I'm in the boat. They do not interfere with my fishing and even in 95 degree weather are not that uncomfortable. In fact, more than once, I've found myself driving down the road on my way home, with my PDF still on--just forgot to take it off.

One last thing, I also carry a rope ladder in my boat, reachable from the water.

I hope I haven't overstayed my welcome on this forum with this lengthy post. But I also hope I've influenced at least one reader to wear their life jacket.

STAY SAFE