Lake Mohave

Saturday we loaded up the boat and cars and headed to Lake Mohave for the day. It was our first time on my dad's new boat. The kids (and me!) were excited to wake board and ski. We rode around the lake looking for a good beach and set up camp and had lunch. After lunch the kids played in the water and sand and rode the tube a few times. The wind was starting to pick up and we decided it wasn't the best day for skiing. They rode the tube again and we decided to head in early since the wind wasn't dying down. We got about 3 miles from our beach - still about 6 miles from the dock - when the wind got really really bad. The waves got huge and started coming over the front of the boat. The pumps weren't able to keep up with the amount of water crashing into the boat and the front of the boat started filling with water. We weren't able to move forward anymore. Seat cushions, ice chests, towels, sand toys, everything in the front of the boat started to float into the lake as the water started rising in the boat. We realized we were sinking very, very quickly. The kids all had their life jackets on and the adults quickly grabbed theirs and we jumped off the sinking boat into the water. Jennifer (my sister), and her 6 month old Nate got to the tube with the older boys (Cade, Carter and David-her oldest) and were able to wait for rescue there. I threw Cami into the water and told her to swim to a seat cushion that was floating near by and hold onto it. I then jumped in holding Cassidy and we made it to the cushion with my mom and my sisters 3 yr old Tommy. I was able to sit Cassidy on top of the cushion and keep her out of the waves. We held onto the seat cushion floating in the 3-4 foot waves for about 20 minutes before 3 boats stopped and picked us up. Our little group was picked up by a man and his teenage son on a speed boat. The son jumped into the water to help us get the kids into the boat. He tried to grab skis and other things that were floating nearby but his dad told him we had to get out of there quickly, conditions were continuing to get worse and their boat was starting to take on water also from sitting in the waves. They speed us to the dock where we were reunited with the rest of our family who were picked up by other boats. It took the salvage company all night to recover the boat. They found it upside down. We were truly blessed and watched over that day. After we got to the dock I started thinking about how easily things could have turned out very differently. One of the boats that stopped told us they were actually headed the other way and had an impression to turn around. Shortly after turning around they came upon us and were able to help us. I am so thankful for strangers that went out of their way and put themselved in danger to help us. Throughout the rest of the evening boats were coming into the dock with things they had picked up from our boat that were floating in the water. We got back pretty much everything that didn't sink. The kids were amazing though out the ordeal. They were scared but listened and followed directions perfectly. I feel very fortunate to have come out of this experience with everyone being okay and safe! Monday after the accident the Rangers called and asked if we would do a public service announcement about the importance of using life jackets. Following are several of the stories that were done. We were interviewed by 3 different TV channels as well as the 2 Las Vegas newspapers.

http://www.fox5vegas.com/video/24519303/

http://www.8newsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12927519

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/aug/04/dozen-people-survive-boat-sinking-lake-mohave/

http://www.lvrj.com/multimedia/12-Member-Family-Survives-Sinking-Boat-99982614.html


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