Beer Cooler to the Rescue - Tangled Line

Boat/US Magazine, Jan, 2002

Boating and drinking is never a good combination, but as four fishermen discovered, what can harm you can sometimes save the day. According to local news reports, four men were fishing about six miles Out on Lake Ontario when five-foot waves capsized and sank their 19-foot boat in less than a minute.

Although one man tried to reach for life jackets in the cabin, he didn't have time. As the group struggled to stay afloat in the rough water, up popped the cooler they had aboard the vessel. After ditching three six-packs of beer and ice to make it more buoyant, the four men clung to the cooler as they drifted for 17 hours in the water. Luckily, a local resident heard their faint calls for help, and rescued them about three miles offshore. Other than being sunburned and dehydrated, all four were okay after their ordeal. Lesson No. 1: Wear your life jacket; Lesson No. 2: Monitor weather reports; Lesson No. 3: It's cheaper to ditch six-packs of Coca-Cola.