<p>I was out shooting yesterday and took a nasty fall into a ditch full of water and big rocks. I had crossed the ditch and just missed the step as I was trying to get up onto the bank. Big crashing fall onto my back on the rocks and water in the ditch! When I got out onto the bank (thoroughly drenched) and semi-sorted out I realized that I couldn't see. My glasses had gotten knocked off and I couldn't see well enough to find them in the water. And then I realized that my cellphone was gone. And even though the camera was now up on the bank it sounded like it was trying to take pictures every 15 seconds or so. I could see well enough to drive home (only a mile or so away), find a spare pair of glasses, and return to the scene of the tragedy. I found the phone and glasses and returned home.</p>
<p>The phone was a Samsung S4 in an “Otter” case, but the thing was submerged about 6” for 30 minutes or so. It didn’t work at all when I opened it up. It was wet inside, but not completely full of water. My wife has an electrical dryer for her cochlear implants, so I modified that so that the phone would fit inside and let ‘er rip. Sixteen hours later it works. </p>
<p>But here's the real story. The camera was much scarier, and of course, much more expensive. It didn’t get badly submerged (at least I don't think it did), but when I was able to get up and out of the water and place it on the bank of the ditch it was making noises like it was taking pictures every 15 seconds or so. When I got it home and got it dried out as much as I could with towels, etc, I took the lens off. Inside the mirror box seemed to be dry. But when I tried to make it work it gave me an error message (ERR 22, I think) and refused to do anything. So I put it in a gallon zip-loc bag with all the white rice we had in the house, being careful not to let any of it get up in the innards. I also put the battery and CF card in the bag. I removed the camera from the bag this morning, attached a lens, and installed the card and battery… IT WORKED! I had two lenses with me, a TSE-90 on the camera and a 24-105 in a pocket. Both seemed to miss getting really wet, and both worked fine on my spare camera after things settled down last night. Ireally feel like I dodged a bullet on that one.</p>
<p>Best news of all - except for a sore wrist, I wasn't hurt. I have really bad lower back problems along with a knee that's past due for replacement. But those things are no worse for the wear. I could have been killed if my head had hit one of those rocks.</p>
<p>I really feel like God was watching over me on this Easter. Just thought y'all would like to know.</p>
<p>Joe</p>
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