Safety on the Shore
With another season fast approaching, many fowlers will be eagerly looking forward to morning flights on the wild marshes around our coasts. Apart from praying for an abundant supply of ducks and geese and hoping that, more often than not, their aim will be straight, their aspirations for the months which lie ahead will revolve around a desire for some really filthy weather.
All of our most vivid fowling memories seem to involve gale force winds and stormy seas because, quite simply, those are the conditions which produce the most successful and exciting sport. Couple foul weather with difficult terrain, oozing mud and racing tides and we are faced with an environment which presents a multitude of hazards to the unwary wildfowler.
Regrettably, hardly a year passes without the newspapers reporting the deaths of fowlers who have been trapped by advancing seas while shooting on the foreshore.
Conditions on the estuary can change suddenly and dramatically, each locality having its own particular quirks. This is one reason why it really is prudent for fowlers to spend time during the close season reconnoitring their local marshes so that they might become familiar with every gully and creek. Experience cannot be built up overnight and each wildfowler must tread with the utmost caution until he has come to terms with his chosen fowling grounds.
The greatest danger comes from the threat of being cut off by the tide while far out on the marsh. Especially on expansive saltings there is a tendency to underestimate the speed of the tidal flow and it must constantly be borne in mind that the flatter the marsh, the greater the race of incoming water.
Tide tables are therefore an essential part of any coastal fowler's equipment. What is equally important is to appreciate the conditions which will render the printed tables inaccurate. A gale from offshore can bring the time of high tide forward by a full hour and may raise its height by several feet. Wildfowlers must not only have their safe route back to firm ground charted in advance of an expedition but must also be prepared to take that route earlier than planned in the event of any abnormal circumstances arising.
Retreating in front of a freak tide is an alarming experience at the best of times but the situation is ten times worse when one is faced with a journey over glutinous mud. Plowtering through estuarine mud is an art in itself and many a novice has lost a boot (or worse) before finally acquiring the requisite skills.
Fog is yet another hazard which faces the longshore gunner. Many times, in otherwise pleasant weather, I have witnessed a rolling grey mantle completely engulf a marsh in a matter of minutes. Believe me when I say that it is really quite frightening to have visibility reduced to a few yards on a featureless shore.
In addition to reconnaissance and planning, equipment can play a vital part in promoting safety on the saltings. One item which every book recommends is a good reliable compass. A compass is undoubtedly an essential part of the wildfowler's kit but it is of limited value unless one knows how to use it. The cardinal rule, especially on a strange estuary, is to take frequent compass bearings when walking out to the edge of the marsh. If a thick swirling fog suddenly descends, the magnetic needle will give no useful information if the fowler does not know the direction in which he must travel to reach the sea wall.
Another useful tip is always to carry a wading stick. This need not add much weight to the fowler's load and a light aluminium or alloy pole (painted matt brown!) will enable mud or water to be tested for depth without risking a bootful of icy sea water. A stick also aids balance when crossing soft ground and, if you have the flight of a lifetime, a couple of dozen duck can be tied to it for the return journey over the marsh.
Next to the risk of drowning, exposure is probably the greatest danger facing the coastal wildfowler. The chilling effect of low temperatures is greatly increased by strong winds and a man who has received a soaking will risk serious harm if he is forced to remain out in the open for even a few hours. Adequate clothing is clearly the best protection in those circumstances and the Autumn issue of Wildfowling will be considering this question in more detail.
One mixed blessing of the modern age is the mobile phone. While I thoroughly despise the weirdos who carry one on every drive of a game shoot, we should not be so proud as to consider their value as a safety aid when wildfowling. Many models are now available very cheaply and the only word of caution is that you should use one of your close season visits to the marsh to ensure that you get a strong signal from below the sea wall. It's too late to discover that you are out of range once you are stranded on a winter's morn. By the way, mobile phone's don't work after immersion in water so keep it in a sealed waterproof bag until needed and never, never, never give anyone the number and suggest that they might phone you during morning flight! If a fowler does have to spend a long time in adverse conditions waiting for a tide to turn or for thick fog to lift, his comfort and his health will be greatly helped by a thermos flask of hot tea or coffee. I know that it is tempting to travel as light as is possible but a hot drink could be a lifesaver on the estuary and it is well worth including a flask in your bag as a matter of course.
Talking of bags, one piece of advice which I was given many years ago was to use a rucksack rather than a game bag or haversack. Apart from the fact that one can carry more weight comfortably when it is distributed across both shoulders, a rucksack can hold a lot more gear than a game bag and it certainly assists balance when crossing difficult areas of mud. Apart from those advantages, a frame rucksack makes an excellent seat when shooting from a hide.
So there you have it. Plan your fowling trips with care, consult tide tables and weather forecasts before every outing, learn how to walk over soft mud, wear suitable clothing and carry a spare set along with a flask of tea in your rucksack, make up a suitable wading stick and ensure that you have a compass, mobile phone, whistle and white cloth in the pocket of your fowling smock.