[Pazuzu]

I got it in Southern Arizona!

Wintertime, working one of the mountaintops. We had a 500,000 gallon water tank, fed from a stream (pumped), and the overflow was capped. The water load needed in the winter dropped, so the tank was full and pressurized. I had to open the cap and put a firehose type hose on it to direct the overflow down the mountain.

Opened the cap, and had 33 degree water pour out, at about 15psi. 20 foot drop, pressurized container, 4 inch firehose coupling. LOTS OF WATER. I was instantly standing in 2 feet of 33 degree water, while trying to get the hose on the coupling, which was still pouring water. It felt like 10 minutes, but it was probably 2 or 3, and I realized that (a) I was finding the concept of getting that hose on the coupling was becoming difficult and (b) I was panting and completely out a breath.

I was also alone, at least the only person within yelling distance. I was also starting to literally freeze. The panting clued me into something being bad, I felt like I had just run 10 miles.


Lizard brain kicked in, I trudged away letting that water just flood down the mountainside, and got inside before shutting down, but just barely.

I grew up in the North, I can handle some cold, but this was like falling into a frozen lake. It's only the third or fourth time that I nearly died while doing astronomy...