The deadly Wisconsin River

[FinsnFur]

So I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with the Wisconsin River. It's a 400 mile long tributary of the Mississippi River that runs from the northern most tip of Wisconsin, down to the southwest corner of my back yard where it flows into the Mississippi. It's loaded with Indian History, caves and mounds etc.
Anyway, the river bottom is somehow, ALL SAND. And it has currents that are so turbulent it can suck limbs and debris straight down from the surface.

The river is deadly because of those currents, and the locals say the bottom changes everyday. Forming deadly sand shelves, undercut sandbars, razor sharp drop offs, etc. There's signs prohibiting swimming at the boat landings, and yet every year she claims the lives of more brave idiots because they think the can walk around out there.

The river is so low here that I have been waiting for a non windy day to fly the drone over and video the sand traps under the surface that you cant even imagine when your on the river itself. I finally got the opportunity this weekend!

Take a look at the crazy formations it forms with nasty hollow sand shelves and deep plummeting black holes, and drop offs. I do know that most of the deep holes and drop offs in the video range from 15 to 20 feet deep, some more.

[Hawks Feather]

Really nice drone footage and that river looks all too peaceful. Loved looking at the sand formations on the bed of the river. Water around here is loaded with dirt rather than sand so you can't see the bottom anywhere. How long of a distance can you send the drone before you might start to lose the signal? Seemed like a couple of the views were rather long. Again, I enjoyed the footage.

[nastygunz]

 The rivers here tend to run very fast very rocky and very cold. Every year a bunch of people drown in them especially in the spring time. it is illegal to swim at boat ramps but people still do.Cool video.

[Okanagan]

Beautiful... and deadly!  I came close to drowning one time when wading and fishing in turbid water where I could not see bottom and got closer to the edge of a gravel bar than I realized. The sharp drop off edge crumbled away and the current swept me into deep water.  A boat came along and rescued me or I think I would have drowned.

Sure would like to hunt those islands for whitetail!

[remrogers]

At 1:18, it looks like there is an upside down rail car.  We have the Sandy River here east of Portland. It was originally called the quicksand river.

[JohnP]

Hell, you guys ain't got nothing on our Arizona rivers.  I can go down to our San Pedro and look over the bridge and see the bottom, it's so clear I can see all the trash the illegals leave in it, I can also walk across it and not even get the bottom of my shoes wet.

Nice video Jim thanks for the info didn't even know there was a Wisconsin River and the dangers that it held.

[FinsnFur]

How long of a distance can you send the drone before you might start to lose the signal? Seemed like a couple of the views were rather long.

DJI's advertised distance for this particular drone is 8 MI. I watched a guy on youtube, who lives in Hawaii, run his out to seven miles. He was on top of a ridge with zero obstructions.
The signal is extremely directional sensitive. Meaning as long as you're facing the Drone and so is the remote, you'll get good reception if there's nothing in between you. Like trees, buildings etc. If you turn around to look behind you and swing the remote that direction also away from the Drone you will lose signal strength instantly. The signal strength on the screen readout is similar to your phone...it shows bars. As you start to lose signal, you start to lose bars. You can set this drone up to do a couple different things if it loses its signal. One turn around and come back immediately. Once it gets back into range you can either stop it or let it continue its way back. Or you can set it to stop and Hoover until you get to it. You can then drive to its location and regain signal strength. Or three.. you can program it to land immediately.
Where I launched the Drone by that bridge I could look all the way down the river. So there was zero obstructions. That is also the farthest I've gone with this drone. My log charts say it was 5.1 km which is roughly 3 miles. I didn't lose any signal strength I just didn't feel comfortable going any further. For some reason the farther away it gets from me the more nervous I get. Maybe it's the money I have tied up in it LOL. I plan on sending it on longer journeys I just have to get myself to that point mentally LOL.

[FinsnFur]

That sounds pretty sketchy Clyde. Some of them sand gravel Rivers are so deceiving they're deadly. Sounds like you got very lucky.

[FinsnFur]

At 1:18, it looks like there is an upside down rail car.  We have the Sandy River here east of Portland. It was originally called the quicksand river.

Ahhhhh!! I think I see exactly what you're talking about. On the left hand side of the screen. I'm going to have to pull some stills from the video and check that out. I'll send the Drone back out if I have to. That would be really cool if it was a box car. There it is there is a set of train tracks running North and South further left of the screen.

[nastygunz]

Boxcar full of gold   

[FinsnFur]

[KySongDog]

Nice drone footage, Jim!  You're getting to be a real pro at this stuff.  I have a Public Safety Diver certification and part of the training is just how fast people drown in rivers (or anything with current).  Always wear a life jacket on the river and even if just close to the water.

[slagmaker]

Nice footage.
Been thinking about getting a drone for just this type of thing.

[remrogers]

Looks like I was incorrect. Short looks and at a distance, it appeared to be a railcar. Nice footage of the river.

[FinsnFur]

Looks like I was incorrect. Short looks and at a distance, it appeared to be a railcar. Nice footage of the river.

I thought it could be too!. I had to check it out.

[nastygunz]

This whole river thread reminds me of a book I once read, The Yellow Stream, by I.P. Freely...

[remrogers]

This whole river thread reminds me of a book I once read, The Yellow Stream, by I.P. Freely...

Ever read "Run to the outhouse" by Willy Makit?