Surviving in the eye of the storm MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!!
May 24, 2019 13:34:32 GMT -5
Post by Silver-Sparrow on May 24, 2019 13:34:32 GMT -5
This is a true story and happened to me three days ago. I wanted to share my experience and possibly this could help others if this ever happens to anyone who reads this?
Anyway I was out photographing, when I first heard it. Thunder in the distance. Sun was shining, it was warm but I could see the clouds coming. I thought that the storm will probably pass by me some kilometers away. First bad choice was to stay. I was middle of countryside forests and field 4 kilometers from home with only my bike to get me home.
Then I start realising after some time that the storm is coming at me. I know to get going now. I get to my bike. And then I hear it. The thunder so loud it literally sounds like the sky is breaking above me. And lightning flash. The storm is above me, I realise. Knowing now I am stuck. Field road with bicycle while raging storm is above me? No way I could get back home alive. It starts raining but that is not much of my worry...the thunder is. I am in the eye of the storm right now. In the forest. Alone.
I take cover under some trees. I made sure I was not on high ground and the trees around me were not awfully tall. It is less likely lightning would hit them or me now. I should be pretty safe. I crouch in waiting. The thunder tears the sky, it is the loudest thunder I have ever heard, so loud that the ground under me was shaking from that power. I could see lightning flashing. It was not yet raining too hard.
I message my mom that I am stuck, but she is at work and can not help me. So, I have to survive through this in the wild. As long as it won't rain much I will stay under the trees in the shelter of the forest. I listen the rythymn of the storm. Thunder, loud crackling ground shaking thunder right above me. Silence of lightning. Thunder again. Lightning. Thunder. Each time it is lightnings turn, I freeze and pray that the lightning won't hit close to me.
So far so good. But now the rain is getting worse. A rabbit hops really close by me in the forest and disappears on it's way. For awhile it brought me comfort. I am scared, not knowing what to expect. The thunder has been going on for about an hour now. Maybe more. I am still stuck, freezing and the rain starts suddendly pouring from the sky. I am in contact with my friend and now I decite it is very much time to make a run. I know not far from where I am, should be a hunting hut hunters hide in. It has walls, roof and it should be warm and dry.
The pouring rain washes me completely and I am freezing so much right now, the air is cold. Worst thing is that I have asthma. Cold air makes breathing so hard. But I have to run. I get my stuff and make a run for it. I run through the forest in pouring rain and thunder storming above me. I get to the side of the forest where is field. It would be a risk. I wait. I hear thunder starting. At that moment I sprint. Lightning won't strike when there is thunder going on. I get to the forest as thunder stops to give turn to the lightning.
I run through next forest and end up at the hut. Now this is not exactly legal, nor do I have any permission enter this building but the door is never locked and it is question about my safety and well being. I did not go here right away exactly because I know I don't have permission and honetly, I was too scared to move because of the thunder until I was forced to. But now I step into the small hut where is one chair right at the window to the deer feeding grounds. I sit on the chair.Inside is warm and dry as I thought. I am soaking wet and cold so it is a relief to sit on the chair and just listen the rain and thunder outside. Infront on the wall is deer buck skull, small 1 and half year old buck that was apparently shot here some time in 1990's. The skull had partly worn out year written on it. There was empty shotgun shells. So many fired shot from about 1996 to this year. A box of strong mint pastils. Some frost preventing window thing in spray bottle and other stuff.
There I wait until the thunder slowly passes further and further away. The rain stops and first rays of sunlight hits the field outside. I sigh of relief at this point. I know I made it through the storm even it was right above me for long time. It is more dangerous than you think, but when thinking right you can make it through. I walk back to my bike and get home, where I can change dry clothes and rest this off. I have to say, as scary and not fun it was, it was an experience and it felt good to make it through it. But stay safe, here we learn that you should never ignore it when you hear thunder! But also that even you are stuck outside you can make it through it. If you choose forest as your shelter place do not go under tall trees, on hill or close by anything that attracts electricity. Stay under tree branches close to the ground and do not run on hills. Stay still as much as you can and call to someone for help if you feel like you need it. You can stay under trees as long as they are not the tallest trees in the area, I can't say it is granted a lightning won't hit you or close by but it is less likely. Do not attempt any of this on purpose, stay home when it is stormy outside!
I hope you learned something or at least enjoyed my story!
Anyway I was out photographing, when I first heard it. Thunder in the distance. Sun was shining, it was warm but I could see the clouds coming. I thought that the storm will probably pass by me some kilometers away. First bad choice was to stay. I was middle of countryside forests and field 4 kilometers from home with only my bike to get me home.
Then I start realising after some time that the storm is coming at me. I know to get going now. I get to my bike. And then I hear it. The thunder so loud it literally sounds like the sky is breaking above me. And lightning flash. The storm is above me, I realise. Knowing now I am stuck. Field road with bicycle while raging storm is above me? No way I could get back home alive. It starts raining but that is not much of my worry...the thunder is. I am in the eye of the storm right now. In the forest. Alone.
I take cover under some trees. I made sure I was not on high ground and the trees around me were not awfully tall. It is less likely lightning would hit them or me now. I should be pretty safe. I crouch in waiting. The thunder tears the sky, it is the loudest thunder I have ever heard, so loud that the ground under me was shaking from that power. I could see lightning flashing. It was not yet raining too hard.
I message my mom that I am stuck, but she is at work and can not help me. So, I have to survive through this in the wild. As long as it won't rain much I will stay under the trees in the shelter of the forest. I listen the rythymn of the storm. Thunder, loud crackling ground shaking thunder right above me. Silence of lightning. Thunder again. Lightning. Thunder. Each time it is lightnings turn, I freeze and pray that the lightning won't hit close to me.
So far so good. But now the rain is getting worse. A rabbit hops really close by me in the forest and disappears on it's way. For awhile it brought me comfort. I am scared, not knowing what to expect. The thunder has been going on for about an hour now. Maybe more. I am still stuck, freezing and the rain starts suddendly pouring from the sky. I am in contact with my friend and now I decite it is very much time to make a run. I know not far from where I am, should be a hunting hut hunters hide in. It has walls, roof and it should be warm and dry.
The pouring rain washes me completely and I am freezing so much right now, the air is cold. Worst thing is that I have asthma. Cold air makes breathing so hard. But I have to run. I get my stuff and make a run for it. I run through the forest in pouring rain and thunder storming above me. I get to the side of the forest where is field. It would be a risk. I wait. I hear thunder starting. At that moment I sprint. Lightning won't strike when there is thunder going on. I get to the forest as thunder stops to give turn to the lightning.
I run through next forest and end up at the hut. Now this is not exactly legal, nor do I have any permission enter this building but the door is never locked and it is question about my safety and well being. I did not go here right away exactly because I know I don't have permission and honetly, I was too scared to move because of the thunder until I was forced to. But now I step into the small hut where is one chair right at the window to the deer feeding grounds. I sit on the chair.Inside is warm and dry as I thought. I am soaking wet and cold so it is a relief to sit on the chair and just listen the rain and thunder outside. Infront on the wall is deer buck skull, small 1 and half year old buck that was apparently shot here some time in 1990's. The skull had partly worn out year written on it. There was empty shotgun shells. So many fired shot from about 1996 to this year. A box of strong mint pastils. Some frost preventing window thing in spray bottle and other stuff.
There I wait until the thunder slowly passes further and further away. The rain stops and first rays of sunlight hits the field outside. I sigh of relief at this point. I know I made it through the storm even it was right above me for long time. It is more dangerous than you think, but when thinking right you can make it through. I walk back to my bike and get home, where I can change dry clothes and rest this off. I have to say, as scary and not fun it was, it was an experience and it felt good to make it through it. But stay safe, here we learn that you should never ignore it when you hear thunder! But also that even you are stuck outside you can make it through it. If you choose forest as your shelter place do not go under tall trees, on hill or close by anything that attracts electricity. Stay under tree branches close to the ground and do not run on hills. Stay still as much as you can and call to someone for help if you feel like you need it. You can stay under trees as long as they are not the tallest trees in the area, I can't say it is granted a lightning won't hit you or close by but it is less likely. Do not attempt any of this on purpose, stay home when it is stormy outside!
I hope you learned something or at least enjoyed my story!