ARGYLE - Three fishing buddies survived frigid water Monday when their boat capsized under the spillway of the Pecatonica River in Argyle.
One had to cut ropes to free himself from the anchor before he could reach shore.
"We had about thirty seconds to think it was going to happen, before it happened," Chris Boede of Belleville, said.
Boede, Randy Marquez of California and Marcial Amaro of Idaho were fishing when their 14-foot aluminum boat became caught in water currents and was drawn into the water spilling over the dam; water quickly filled the boat and it capsized.
Tom Moore, at the Argyle wastewater treatment plant, saw the boat capsize and called emergency personnel, said Argyle Fire Chief Randy Martin.
With water temperatures around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the men had about 10 minutes before hypothermia would begin to set in, according to Argyle Fire and EMS personnel.
Boede and Amaro clasped hands across the capsized boat, and Marquez tried to push the boat away from the spillway. They had hopes of drifting down stream using the boat as a buoy.
"I could stand up," Marquez said, as the water only came up to his chest.
However, the current was too strong and kept pulling the boat back, he said.
Finally, Boede and Marquez swam to shore, but Amaro's ankles became tangled in the anchor ropes.
When he got to shore, Boede saw Amaro still in the river. "I just stood there thinking, what do I do?" he said.
"That water... it does something to your head," he added.
Boede said one of his legs was also wrapped by a rope, but he was able to free himself.
The group had an extra, heavier anchor with them Monday, Boede added.
Amaro was able to reach a pocket knife and used it to cut the ropes away from his legs. In doing so, he also released the anchors, which allowed the boat to float free toward the shore.
Amaro said it was a frightening experience.
"I felt better when I came up (out of the water)," he said.
Rescue personnel were on the scene when Amaro reached shore, with his knife still clenched between his front teeth.
Boede said he and Marquez were in the water about seven minutes, while Amaro was in about 10 minutes.
All three men refused medical treatment and were taken to the Argyle EMS station. Thunderbird Shirt Printing in Argyle gave sweatshirts and pants for the men to change into at the scene.
Emergency personnel said the men, especially Amaro, had lowered heart rates, an indication that hypothermia was beginning. The men stayed at the EMS station to await their clothes, which had been taken to a Laundromat to be dried.
The men said the incident is not going to deter the men from continuing their fishing expeditions.
"Although it may be a while before I get into a boat again," Boede said.
One had to cut ropes to free himself from the anchor before he could reach shore.
"We had about thirty seconds to think it was going to happen, before it happened," Chris Boede of Belleville, said.
Boede, Randy Marquez of California and Marcial Amaro of Idaho were fishing when their 14-foot aluminum boat became caught in water currents and was drawn into the water spilling over the dam; water quickly filled the boat and it capsized.
Tom Moore, at the Argyle wastewater treatment plant, saw the boat capsize and called emergency personnel, said Argyle Fire Chief Randy Martin.
With water temperatures around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, the men had about 10 minutes before hypothermia would begin to set in, according to Argyle Fire and EMS personnel.
Boede and Amaro clasped hands across the capsized boat, and Marquez tried to push the boat away from the spillway. They had hopes of drifting down stream using the boat as a buoy.
"I could stand up," Marquez said, as the water only came up to his chest.
However, the current was too strong and kept pulling the boat back, he said.
Finally, Boede and Marquez swam to shore, but Amaro's ankles became tangled in the anchor ropes.
When he got to shore, Boede saw Amaro still in the river. "I just stood there thinking, what do I do?" he said.
"That water... it does something to your head," he added.
Boede said one of his legs was also wrapped by a rope, but he was able to free himself.
The group had an extra, heavier anchor with them Monday, Boede added.
Amaro was able to reach a pocket knife and used it to cut the ropes away from his legs. In doing so, he also released the anchors, which allowed the boat to float free toward the shore.
Amaro said it was a frightening experience.
"I felt better when I came up (out of the water)," he said.
Rescue personnel were on the scene when Amaro reached shore, with his knife still clenched between his front teeth.
Boede said he and Marquez were in the water about seven minutes, while Amaro was in about 10 minutes.
All three men refused medical treatment and were taken to the Argyle EMS station. Thunderbird Shirt Printing in Argyle gave sweatshirts and pants for the men to change into at the scene.
Emergency personnel said the men, especially Amaro, had lowered heart rates, an indication that hypothermia was beginning. The men stayed at the EMS station to await their clothes, which had been taken to a Laundromat to be dried.
The men said the incident is not going to deter the men from continuing their fishing expeditions.
"Although it may be a while before I get into a boat again," Boede said.