I'm on a boat!!! ... Then NOT

[Vombatus]

Pretty lucky to survive being overboard...

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12140365/ex-miami-dolphins-fullback-rob-konrad-swims-9-miles-fall

 

[Riptide]

Now there's a story to tell at parties ...

 

[BDC99]

Unbelievable. Lucky he wasn't out much farther. That accident that killed the former NFL guys in the Gulf sounded like a horrific ordeal. I read the survivor's book on that one. But if he had fallen off that far out I suppose he wouldn't have had any way to survive as long as they did. Reminder that if you go boating in the colder months, probably better to stick close to shore or be very well prepared for anything. Don't know the details (water temp, etc), but not only swimming/drifting that far AND not being overtaken by hypothermia is amazing.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

I can't help but wonder if alcohol was involved. It's not easy to simply fall off a boat like that.

 

[BDC99]

Possibly. But if he was fishing (trolling) and tripped over a rod or something ... anything is possible. Depends how high the sides are. Or he might have just done something stupid and made a huge mistake.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

You swim 9 ****ing miles you're one tough son of a *****.

 

[old_tony]

When you're 9 miles out, I'm assuming you can't see land, so how do you know you're even going in the right direction?

 

[Vombatus]

9 is close to the horizon. I think it is 12 or 13. But I think he fell over at night, so he could see lights on shore and light pollution / illumination that would extend higher than the shoreline.

 

[Vombatus]

Edit to the above: ESPN article in the OP has been updated, now saying he fell overboard at 1 PM, so I was wrong about the swim being completely during the night.

 

[poindexter]

Ocean swimming is so much harder than swimming. I'm in a pool. I swim a mile or so a couple times a week in a pool. I'd give myself about a 1 percent chance swimming back to shore from 9 miles out.

The factors of disorientation, salt water in eyes, let alone exhaustion. .. wow.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Ocean swimming is so much harder than swimming. I'm in a pool. I swim a mile or so a couple times a week in a pool. I'd give myself about a 1 percent chance swimming back to shore from 9 miles out.

The factors of disorientation, salt water in eyes, let alone exhaustion. .. wow.

People are capable of amazing things when they are trying to stay alive.

 

[spikechiquet]

Wonder if they will find his boat.

 

[Boom_70]

think there is a better than 50 50 chance that there is more to this story

 

[Vombatus]

I think the boat was recovered.

 

[BDC99]

think there is a better than 50 50 chance that there is more to this story

He told police he was reeling in a fish. If it was one of those big sailfish or something and he was off balance, it is certainly plausible.

http://www.wpbf.com/news/exdolphin-...-says-he-swam-10-hours-to-reach-land/30618336

 

[Vombatus]

I lot of overboards are caused by taking a **** over the side.

 

[BDC99]

Wondering what the hell kind of fun it would be to go fishing by yourself 9 miles out. Not to mention how dangerous that is. Hasn't he heard of the buddy system? Does he not have any buddies? Maybe he just likes the solitude, but jeez.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

If he was wearing a flotation vest, he would have an exponentially better chance. Story doesn't say. Without one, he's fish food for certain.

 

[old_tony]

Ocean swimming is so much harder than swimming. I'm in a pool. I swim a mile or so a couple times a week in a pool. I'd give myself about a 1 percent chance swimming back to shore from 9 miles out.

The factors of disorientation, salt water in eyes, let alone exhaustion. .. wow.

Doesn't salt water increase buoyancy? If you know hot to float on your back you can go a long time without expending a ton of energy.

 

[poindexter]

OT.. the buoyancy factor is practically nil.
The energy exerted dealing with splashing water and waves is big. And if you have ever swam more than 200 yards in the ocean, you know that it is very hard to keep swimming in a straight line. Think about it. You can't just put your head down and swim. You will not keep in a straight line. Add in that he was suddenly thrown in, with no time to prepare... a nine mile swim with no prep, having clothes on, in dead of night, no goggles.

JMO, this story doesn't add up.