Lord Ser Brightblade Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Hiker Survives Five Days in Lava Field Sun Jul 24, 2:05 PM ET WAIMEA, Hawaii - A hiker lost for five days in a lava field near a volcano says he survived by drinking water he squeezed from moss in a mostly barren landscape. Gilbert Dewey Gaedcke III, 41, was rescued Friday afternoon after a teenager on a helicopter tour spotted him stumbling across the rocky lava, trying to attract attention with a mirror from his camera. Gaedcke had been missing since Sunday night, when he decided to take a hike across desolate lava fields near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to get a closer look at an active volcano. The experienced hiker from Austin, Texas, said he saw no water, but there were pockets of jungle-like vegetation sprinkled throughout the old lava flow. Gaedcke said he crawled beneath the vines and lick moisture off leaves. Then he found moss growing on trees, and was able to squeeze enough water from it to drink. "It was muddy, green, mossy water, but it worked," he said Saturday. "If I hadn't found that I'd be dead right now," he said. Gaedcke said tour helicopters had flown overhead all week, but he was unable to attract attention because clouds blocked the sun. Then, late Friday afternoon, another one flew over. Aboard was 15-year-old Peter Frank, who spotted the odd glint in the late afternoon sunlight. "It was the only thing like that out there," said Frank, of Pasadena, Calif. "As we got closer we realized it was a man." Gaedcke, dehydrated, but otherwise OK after surviving five days in the heat, was lost amid acres of blackened volcanic rock. "I wound up on some of the most vicious terrain I've ever seen," he said as he rested at a friend's home before flying home. "It's all gray rock — terrible stuff — then vegetation like an oasis, then more gray rock." Gaedcke's rented car had been found days earlier at the end of a road near an old lava flow bordering the east side of the 333,000-acre national park. Police had few leads to follow. Fire crews and rangers from the park searched for days on foot and on horseback. Helicopters buzzed the area, but there was no sign of Gaedcke. Then, Frank spotted what looked like a toy pinwheel glinting in the sunlight. His mother, Diann Kim, said her son asked Blue Hawaiian Helicopters pilot Cliff Muzzi to get a closer look. "As we got closer you could see the man flashing a mirror and waving a dark orange fabric," she said. "As he was coming down the path, clearly he couldn't move that well." Kim's daughter, Hannah, and a friend wrapped bottles of water in airsickness bags to drop to the distressed hiker. "It was so amazing," Kim said. "To see a person out there was like seeing a person on the face of the moon. After returning his passengers to Hilo International Airport, Muzzi headed back to retrieve Gaedcke, then whisked him back to the airport about 17 miles to the northeast. Medical crews were waiting to take him to Hilo Medical Center. Gaedcke said he saw the bright glow of the lava and then turned to go back to his car, but missed it as he walked in the dark. He hiked inland, expecting to intersect with the road, but by morning, he was lost. "My feet feel like I had a 30-day adventure," he said. "And if it weren't for my feet, I'd be dancing a jig right now." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ser Brightblade Posted July 25, 2005 Author Share Posted July 25, 2005 GEOGRAPHY Big Island has an area of more than 4,028 square miles with 266 miles of coastline (93 miles long by 76 miles wide). Can someone explain how this idiot got lost? If he was "an experienced" hiker how did he get lost....then there is also the fact that someone could probably WALK the entire width of the island in 3 days and the length in 4 days. Sure water was an issue but lets face it those lava fields were not not 93 or even 76 miles wide/long. Pick a direction and walk..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhoach Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Easy to say when you're sitting in a chair in front of a computer, calmly calculating with a cup of soda in hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ser Brightblade Posted July 25, 2005 Author Share Posted July 25, 2005 Actually I've done some survival training and I maintain this guy is a complete and utter moron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodoz Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 (edited) I was just out there,and i agree with BrightBlade. This Guy IS an Idiot. Edited August 3, 2005 by kodoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meffio Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 I have been out there too ( many years ago ) but you have to be totally clueless to get lost like that. maybe once the sun dropped and it was dark but once the sun came up not to hard to get yourself out of there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volonazra Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Id like to know what experienced hiker, no matter how much they like to rough it, doesnt bring anyone ONE of these items just in case of emergency (which they should PLAN on happening):cell phone, gps gadjet, compass and map, FRIGGIN EYES to see the sun/moon, legs to move your dumb arse to the nearest road. I bet he's never living that one down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhoach Posted August 8, 2005 Share Posted August 8, 2005 Well, his penis is bigger than yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Ser Brightblade Posted August 10, 2005 Author Share Posted August 10, 2005 (edited) Well, his penis is bigger than yours. .... Not sure what that has to do with anything. Edited August 10, 2005 by Lord Ser Brightblade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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