nature | Apothecary Shed

January 25, 2025

About a mile from home. Maybelline went about 50 feet out on the Shenandoah river ice after some geese and fell through.

She was floundering and unable to get up on the ice. So I called Romey and alerted her and then went out after maybe.

About 20 feet in, flat on my tummy I broke all the way through into four feet of water. I kind of expected it, but it was cold and I was all the way under. I pushed to maybe, breaking the ice out toward her. When I reached her she swam back in my wake.

I lifted her up on the thick ice then climbed out of the water myself. Then began the extremely tough jog home soaking wet in 17 degrees. All is well thanks to romey who came out and met me on the trail. I am now dry and sitting by the fire after warning my extremities in cold water. Maybe is here with me.

The river water was not that cold. (In fact it is 41.72 https://freshwatertemps.com/sites/shenandoah-river-at-millville-wv/). I was wearing layers including my ski pants over nylon/silk sweats, a sweatshirt over a nylon tee and my oilskin Australian hunting coat which is insulated. Only my fingers which were in modern tech gloves got way too cold. I also had on wool socks and hiking boots.

The water soaked through all my layers but once I was out they kept my core warm.

All that said, my jog/slog back was real work and very challenging. I would not do it on purpose. I have WSI training too for water emergencies, so I knew what I was in for.

The next day, I revisited the “scene of the crime” in the Shenandoah river. The area is completely iced over already, but you can see where the ice shelf broke and how far away from the other edge of the resulting big hole is exactly. Wild!

https://infosec.exchange/@noplasticshower/113868648816427913

The dog seems glad to be alive.