I couldn't wait to get out of work, and then I couldn't wait to get back into my truck. I don't what has happened to my circulation but I have become a lightweight when the air temps fall below 40 degrees. As soon as I hit the beach or river, and the air temps are in the 30's, or 20's, with a little NE or NW wind, my fingers become red, then blueish, and hurt so bad that I feel nauseous. Like, I'm a pretty tough it out guy, but when it comes to finger temp, and finger pain, I can't handle it.
I think my problem with my fingers started on January 17th, 2000. I was working a day shift in Rescue 1 and in the late afternoon, on cold-as-a-witches-tit day, a box came in for a fire in Newark's south ward. It was a candle factory, and it caught fire on da y where the N winds were howling and the air temps were subarctic, like 50 mph winds and -25 temps, or so I thought. It was the coldest I have ever felt, and my fingers suffered permanent damage from it. I can remember taking a break in the back of the Rescue rig with tears in my eyes due to the pain. It gets like that even today. I wish I could find a picture from that fire and weather apocalypse, but it would bring back finger flashbacks.
So I lasted about 30 minutes. Stiff NW blowing into my chest and 35 but feels like 27 degree air temps and water that just looked cold and that was it for me. Fishing has to be fun for me, ot at least comfortable. And with that I announce the fat lady has sung, today was quit #1 for 2022.
