[Mike Sullivan]

Well when i went out the other day i went out in daylight though i knew i would be fishing into darkness. Now i don't use light unless changeing lures tying knots ect or walking back climbing cliffs ect.
Though i had my torch in my sling bag wading during the day only shallow so no problem there tthen a small spot of rain thought nothing of it. Untill night came and i was down the bottom of a cliff and finished the session with a blank.
Right session over time for light to get out of the situation i was in, opened the bag and the light was on!!!! now i knew it was off last time i checked and a small amount of water talking half a tea spoon had made its way into the pocket and got inside the light casing. A petzl light not the most expensive or the cheapest light by any means. So checked the light took it apart and there was water in the battery compartments!
Put it all back together again and nothing dead as a DODO:-o Right i have a little moonlight to find my way back though this is a bit precarious at the best of times.
After a couple of slips going up the rocks and u through the cliff i made it to the top, and followed the old paths, now ireally could do with a light here almost twisted my ankle on the way back on a couple of rocks i couldnt see.
Back to the car unpack and sit down and get my breath back, lessons learnt here.
1: Never leave a light in a pocket unless its in a watertight bag when not in use.
2: Always carry a back up light and batteries.

I was luckly in the repect that i knew the cliffs well fished it for 25 years and had the ambient light to navigate by. Though this could have gone seriously adrift rather quickly.
Xmas shopping list 2 new light, and a floatation device of some sort no more taking risks needlessly. :-?

 

[Tom D]

You had a close one there, happened me once that the light died, it was crazy foggy when walking back to the car must have took over an hour to walk what is normally ten mins
So now carry a head toch speleo nova and a back up led lenser just in case. A bit cautious but you never know!

 

[Matt Newcombe]

Could of been a harder learned lesson though eh. Always carry 2 lamps and spare batteries in my pack.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

I always used too mate though i guess i got lazy over time lesson learned not making that mistake again or taking risk.

 

[Andrew Walker]

Good points raised there Mike. We discuss the merits of lifejackets but a simple torch will save your life equally as well. Great post

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Thanks mate, sat here tonite and thought i had made the mistake how many others could do the same with out thinking. After all these years i guess we become forgetfull or negletfull without thinking.

 

[Andrew Walker]

Too true mate, I think I will just go and ...ahem... check my torch!

 

[Dave Irving]

Glad to hear you are OK-Which is the important thing.

Always carry spare batteries/bulb (learnt the hard way), for my main head torch, couple of quid for the batteries, and a couple of quid for a bulb, both sealed and water tight, and attached to me or my bag.
Also carry a back up , which is a petzl, and comes sealed in a plastic box, which I sealed with with tape (helps to leave a tag on the tape-otherwise it can be a nightmare to get off-yeah learnt that the hard way too!!) If I am am wading I take a compass as well-trying to work out which way the shore is in fog after a couple of fish-can be challanging (yes you guessed it-hard way again). Personal safety first!!

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Thanks Dave, i had never thought of the compass and i do wading in the darl on occassion never had issue yet though i dare say in due course. Shall add a compass to the list of safety gear thanks again.

 

[Clifford B]

Good lesson - they do say that complacency is the mother of all cock ups.........

 

[Mike Kennard]

Glad you are ok and cheers for the headsup. Just bought another Petzl as the other was old and dim (no comments please!). I never realised they weren't waterproof. Will be careful in future.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Be very weary Mike, i only had a few drops in and it has made its way through to the circuits themselves. I have taken it apart this evening after finding a hex security bolt to strip it down new i bought them years ago for a reason.
The water proofing isnt brilliant mate maybe it was a bad one not sure gone back my old cheapies that have never let me down in the past.

 

[Mark Sleep]

I use my Led Lenser primarily, but I bought earlier this year a waterproof headlamp for about £40, which lives in the bottom of the bag. I also have a little compass in there. Luckily I have never had to use it, but I really wouldnt want to have waded out a mile (easy over here) and have a sea fog drop on top of me.

 

[PeteB]

Might sound simple, but its not a daft idea just to put your headtorch on your head, as soon as it gets slightly dark.

You don't need to turn it on or anything, but if you were to take a slip you then have it there ready, you don't have to go rummaging round your bags. Plus that way you know immediately if it is on and it is much less likely to get a soaking.

 

[Neil Dixon]

After a not too dissimilar experience a while back (not fishing related) I now carry a simple wind-up led torch (inside a watertight bag) as a final backup. I did see a wind-up led headlamp in a budget outdoors shop in Bude the other week, too, but it didn't look like it would take much abuse.

 

[Adrian]

I keep one of the little clip-on baseball cap lights in my jacket pocket (or on my baseball cap!) so i always have a emergency light in case my main one fails. You can pick them up for a couple of quid.

 

[Clifford B]

Wish someone would stock these http://www.energizerlightingproducts.com/productlines/energizer/Pages/HDL1AAODE.aspx

 

[Mark Sleep]

Available online from the US Clifford... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Energizer-Ene...019?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b6febb93

 

[Dave Fitzpatrick]

Wish someone would stock these http://www.energizerlightingproducts.com/productlines/energizer/Pages/HDL1AAODE.aspx

I'm pretty sure Argos stock them Clifford, actually I'm half thinking of getting one myself.

 

[Mike Sullivan]

Funny you should mention them i had a pair i used for carp fishing on long sessions during the night never let me down once and took a good old battering and quite water tight all in all too.
Just ordered a pair online and been soldering my petzl got it working again though only as a real emergency back up like a 3rd light lol.