[JeremyD]

I have that argument with lots of folks - unsinkable is always better than bobbing around the gulf with just a lifejacket on - but if you've ever tried to climb the bottom of a boat when it's flipped over - you will care less and less that It's "unsinkable". No easy feat in calm weather - I can't imagine in 6-8 foot waves.

The other item is water temperature. Although we don't get the frigid cold of some northern states - we still get water that cools into the 50's and lower 60's. About 5 years ago I rescued a kayaker at the request of the sherriff's office. (they had a delay in getting their boat out, mine was in the back of the house) He had fallen off - had a life jacket - but the water was upper 50's and hypothermia had started to set in.

When we got to him - about a mile into the bay - he was babbling - big guy - probably 220 - and his legs were stiff - he couldn't get them onto my ladder, couldn't make them work. Luckily the officer with me was strong - I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck - she grabbed him by the arms and we hauled him aboard. He was scared to death.

Mother Nature - you don't mess with her.

And yes T-bird - my guess is they were headed to either the middlegrounds or one of the live springs that's just past the middlegrounds. Good grouper (although the season is closed) great amberjack fishing there.