Standup Zone Forum
Stand Up Paddle => SUP General => Topic started by: bing on July 29, 2019, 08:55:36 PM
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The Seattle Times published an article today about three recent drownings in the state of Washington. Really sad - no leash or PFD. The article never mentions the use of a leash for safety and only focuses on PFD usage. It did make some good points on educating users.
Seattle Times published an article today on the recent three drownings in the state of Washington this year during stand up paddling. None of the paddlers were wearing or pfd or leash. Really too bad. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/life-jacket-lottery-3-have-drowned-while-paddleboarding-this-year-in-western-washington/?utm_source=marketingcloud&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TSA_072919232008+Paddleboarding-related+deaths+are+increasing.+Here%27s+how+to+stay+safe_7_29_2019&utm_term=Active%20subscriber
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I was just at Lake Tahoe visiting friends that live there. Their son works at a sup and kayak rental company located at various beach locations. It was very windy one morning and he said they have learned to just not rent SUP's when there is stronger wind. They end up having to retrieve customers who've been blown out into the lake and can't get back. The kayaks do fine in high wind conditions so they will almost always rent those. They all have to wear life jackets and leashes.
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This doesn't surprise me one bit. When I lived out in Seattle (12 years) I was an organizer in the largest kayaking group in the state and when I organized paddle trips through the meetup group I was floored that some of the rental shops didn't even offer the basics such as an inflatable float and pump for self rescuing.
One of the very first things I would do when posting for any outings was PREPARE TO GET WET because we're going to do self rescuing exercises. I loved teaching people that simple task. We all had a great time splashing around in the process.
I'm a firm believer that companies should be offering those simple tools at the very least.
As for paddleboarding, pfd's are uncomfortable? Perhaps but it's far better than going to a funeral.
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I was just at Lake Tahoe visiting friends that live there. Their son works at a sup and kayak rental company located at various beach locations. It was very windy one morning and he said they have learned to just not rent SUP's when there is stronger wind. They end up having to retrieve customers who've been blown out into the lake and can't get back. The kayaks do fine in high wind conditions so they will almost always rent those. They all have to wear life jackets and leashes.
Kayaks generally do better in higher wind situations getting back, but there has been a few kayakers who have had to be rescued already on one of the local lakes this month. Had these capsizing occurred on the main lake in one of the more remote parts, it could have been fatal as the water was still cool but I believe the kayakers all had their PFDs on. It's not just getting back against head winds, but capsizing in the waves and mixed up conditions that makes getting back in your boat for beginner to intermediate paddlers challenging.
https://thenelsondaily.com/news/good-samaritans-assist-water-rescue-kootenay-lake
"South Columbia Search and Rescue was tasked out early yesterday morning for a missing person who was canoeing on Kootenay Lake. The weather was extreme and the subject was tossed around quite a bit and at one point flipped over. The subject however ended up being on a kayak. A witness pressed sos on their emergency beacon and a helicopter over head fighting fires witnessed the watercraft upside down'
https://www.bclocalnews.com/news/searchers-called-to-help-kootenay-lake-boaters/
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I was just at Lake Tahoe visiting friends that live there. Their son works at a sup and kayak rental company located at various beach locations. It was very windy one morning and he said they have learned to just not rent SUP's when there is stronger wind. They end up having to retrieve customers who've been blown out into the lake and can't get back. The kayaks do fine in high wind conditions so they will almost always rent those. They all have to wear life jackets and leashes.
As for Tahoe, I lived there for 4 years and one thing that stood out for me was one company that refused to rent sit inside kayaks unless the person was well versed in self rescue. It wasn't as simple as ", well , yeah I know how" it was nooooo, you need to tell me the steps or you're not getting in one of mine. However, you CAN rent a sit on top. I applauded him for that. He was a customer of mine and he and his wife owned that shop on south shore along with another shop in the Bahamas. They hadn't seen a winter in a decade! Great folks! Good morals. Considering they can always just take the money.
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This is sadly unsurprising. I've only been SUPing in Seattle for the last 4 years but even in that time it's exploded. iSUPs have gotten so popular due to their low cost, easy storage in city apartments and small homes, and quick access to water from nearly anywhere in the city. I've seen many people without PFDs and some without leashes. Most of them don't get too far from shore though.
I had my own close call early on when I flipped my iSUP. My PFD was strapped to the bungees and now underwater. The bottom, now facing the sky, was too slippery to hold onto and I struggled to right it. Fortunately it was calm water, I was goofing around when I jumped off it and it flipped, so eventually I figured out that I needed to flip it from the end and not try to get on top and across it. I learned my lesson but not everyone gets that chance. I'm glad they're trying to educate users more.
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Of course it's bad about people buying or renting boards from places that don't even mention pfds or leashes, and everyone knows how idiotic the Coast Guard rules are.
I chewed out Costco a couple years ago for selling a kids' board that actually had a bungee strap at the back with the words, "STORE PFD HERE" printed on the board. I told them when a kid drowns with their pfd strapped right where the board that Costco sold them said to store the pfd, they'll get sued, as they should be. I never saw that board sold again.
But what gets me the most is that it's as if people have forgot that the skill of swimming even exists. As the article illustrates, all the focus is on pfds, and swimming is almost never even mentioned. I wrote to the American Canoe Association a couple years ago also, when they rolled out a huge safety campaign for standup, and again, all the focus was on pfds (and maybe leashes) but "Do I know how to swim?" wasn't even mentioned in their "Am I prepared to standup paddle?" checklist. I got a bureaucratic, snotty (as I recall) reply.
Very few standup drownings are in extreme conditions. Most are people drowning in summer in mild conditions, with no special complications such as heart attacks, cold water shock, sudden weather changes, etc. I'd guess almost every victim would be alive if they were competent swimmers. But it's hard to know when news reports and authorities don't even mention swimming. I wonder if authorities even ask if the victims knew how to swim.
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I would agree with you in stating that most SUP deaths don't occur in extreme conditions but I do remember multiple deaths did occur in 2016 and 2017 when paddlers were swept off their boards due to strong wind, current and waves. There was the Lake Tahoe death when a young, fit man who apparently had experience paddling, got caught with his friends in powerful waves and wind, and they could not make it back to shore, getting swept out.
There was also a mother on a reservoir who died when a thunderstorm moved in quickly, and I remember the article stating 4-6 foot waves occurred as a result. I completely agree that being able to swim well is important, but not wearing a PFD is a primary contributing factor man to these and most SUP deaths, and a decent swimmer may still have died and it doesn't take long to drown when you are swallowing water in waves that are 3-6 feet high. More than one death occurred as a result of entanglement resulting from tidal currents pushing paddlers into buoys, boats, and barriers as well. Not sure how well a PFD would have helped in these entanglement situations.
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I would agree with you in stating that most SUP deaths don't occur in extreme conditions but I do remember multiple deaths did occur in 2016 and 2017 when paddlers were swept off their boards due to strong wind, current and waves. There was the Lake Tahoe death when a young, fit man who apparently had experience paddling, got caught with his friends in powerful waves and wind, and they could not make it back to shore, getting swept out.
There was also a mother on a reservoir who died when a thunderstorm moved in quickly, and I remember the article stating 4-6 foot waves occurred as a result. I completely agree that being able to swim well is important, but not wearing a PFD is a primary contributing factor man to these and most SUP deaths, and a decent swimmer may still have died and it doesn't take long to drown when you are swallowing water in waves that are 3-6 feet high. More than one death occurred as a result of entanglement resulting from tidal currents pushing paddlers into buoys, boats, and barriers as well. Not sure how well a PFD would have helped in these entanglement situations.
Yes, I agree, those kinds of cases also occur, and I'm also not saying swimming is a substitute for not having a pfd.
In rough conditions, even a strong swimmer is better off with a pfd (assuming they're not able to get to their board). But as far as not having a pfd being a contributing factor in MOST SUP deaths, it's not a straightforward answer. You could say that just about every SUP drowning in mild conditions would have been prevented if the victim had been wearing a pfd (and I agree with that). But I also think that a strong majority of those victims, who drowned without wearing a pfd, would be alive if they were competent swimmers.
The main point is I don't think anyone should be paddling (or doing anything in the water, except learning to swim) who can't swim well, and the focus on pfds with no thought to swimming ability is bad. When people see a safety campaign with "Wear your pfd" that doesn't mention "also know how to swim", the message people get is that you're safe in the water even if you can't swim, which is a bad message. And the other message is that if you're NOT wearing a pfd, you're not safe, which also isn't true. So we end up with silly requirements mandating pfds for swimming in some lakes and rivers.
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Man we love to talk about this stuff. ;)
Take the energy of writing here and comment on that story and maybe send them a well thought out email (there are several here now in fact.)
Mike spoke to someone and they seemed to change their actions. We can bring this up and hash it out and share stories here and that’s all well and good. But I’d offer that one good email could save more people than 50 posts here where folks can swim, wear leashes, and even sometimes a PFD
These are great threads, very helpful. But there’s been a ton. Let’s draft up an official zone statement on this subject, we have consensus. We can make it into a newbie FAQ and we can all quickly email it out to stupid media outlets when they do this. Hell, one of those last bastards just might google it and find it.
The next time someone shares a story like this, link up the contact and comment area and we can all cut and paste that email statement and I’ll bet they run a retraction or edit the story.
Let’s change something.
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cowbot makes a good point--we KNOW what it takes to have fewer folk die--we discuss often--why not put our ideas in frt of the largely ignorant entities that impose regulation?
id help with drafting if anyone wants to take the lead--send me an outline, a few clips of what needs be said, ill write up a draft and you guys can edit the hell out of it, and we'll have a letter/statement/piece of text that states our POV for any number of applications
this assumes we'll agree on what needs be said
oh. and ill attempt to use caps and normal grammar!!
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Really good points - I would be happy to send it to the Seattle times too.
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Leash and PFD. Every time. Like most I have the belt inflatable. I do do a lot of solo paddling. Would probably be the most prudent to wear a real pfd in case you ever hit your head on the board and get knocked out. Like most I take that risk for comfort. Most drownings are when board gets away and wind moves it faster than most swimmers. That's why the coastguard reg of pfd attached to the board makes not that much sense. A good leash is better than a lashed pfd. I'd worry sick if I was in the rental business.
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I completely agree with the posts on this thread that suggested we should be voicing our thoughts on this subject to those outside this forum. For better or worse, these posts inspired me to send a letter, both to the Seattle Times, and to the author of the article. Someone mentioned drafting a letter that others could use, who are not inspired to write long letters. I am attaching the letter that I sent, so that anyone interested can use it as a starting template if they choose, that they can then edit to their own beliefs and opinions. Though I did mention a national forum in my letter, I was careful not to mention the Zone, so that I would not be claiming my opinions to be those of everyone on the forum, which I am sure they are not.
Here is the letter that I sent:
"As someone who paddles SUPs (stand up paddleboards) on a regular basis in a wide range of conditions, I would like to offer some well meaning feedback on your recent article in the Seattle Times regarding paddleboarding and life jackets. Your article attracted a lot of attention on the primary national SUP forum, and there is a strong consensus that, while the article makes some valid points, it misses the most important issues.
While life jackets can play a valid role in some situations, the real key to safety in SUPing is wearing an ankle leash that attaches the board to the paddler. The board has much more flotation than any life jacket, and allows someone to climb back on board to escape cold water situations. Most fatalities do not involve someone wearing a leash but not a life jacket. The serious or fatal accidents are caused by not wearing a leash, so the board is able to float or blow away from the paddler. A person wearing a life jacket in this situation would have flotation, but would still be stuck out in the water without the board, which could be serious in cold water far from shore. If the paddler is a strong swimmer, and the leash were to break, having a life jacket will slow the person's swimming speed down to the point that they may not be able to catch a board that is blowing away, that they could have easily reached if they were able to swim normally. There is no question that any non-swimmer, or a very weak swimmer, should wear a life jacket during any water activities, including paddleboarding.
The most ridiculous, and dangerous, regulations are those that require, or allow, a life jacket to be strapped to the board. If the person is not wearing a leash, the board may get away from the paddler, taking the life jacket with it.
Experienced paddlers would never consider getting on a board, even for a moment, without a leash, but there are some situations where wearing a life jacket may be considered unsafe. Much of my own padding is done in surf, sometimes quite sizable. In large surf, it is often critical to be able to dive underwater, either to swim under a powerful wave, or to escape from a surfboard or surfer coming towards you on the surface. In a surf situation, no experienced paddler would ever wear, or support someone else wearing, a life jacket; it is just plain dangerous to be trapped on the surface. What is critical in SUPing in the surf is the use of a heavy duty leash designed to survive higher stress loads.
One of the more extreme branches of SUPing is what is called ‘downwinding’. This involves going out in 20 to 40 mph winds, and paddling with the wind in order to catch and ride the large rolling windswells. Those of us who are very concerned with safety will sometimes even wear two ankle leashes during the most extreme conditions, in case one leash were to fail, and some of us will wear an inflatable device that is worn in a compact waist belt. A full Coast Guard approved life jacket could once again be dangerous in these intense environments. Climbing back onto the board in high winds and rough seas can be challenging, and wearing a large life jacket can make this a great deal more challenging, verging on impossible; a dangerous situation.
Some Coast Guard regulations that try to link SUP safety to boating regulations are very misdirected efforts. No one is going to leash themselves to a boat, whereas in SUP, this is the primary rule of safety. It makes sense to require life jackets to be carried on a boat, but attaching a PFD to a SUP is asking for a drowning, as the PFD floats away attached to the board. This gives a dangerously false sense of safety to those new to the sport.
We in the SUPing community applaud your effort to bring SUP safety into public awareness. However, it needs to be recognized that it is the ankle leash that is the primary safety device in paddle boarding, not the life jacket. Life jackets have their place for non-swimmers, very weak swimmers in a non-surf environment, or in extreme cold water situations, but only if used in conjunction with a leash. It is very concerning that the ankle leash, the primary safety device in SUPing, is never mentioned in the article.
I hope that this information may prove useful in any future articles on paddleboarding."
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nalu, that's a great letter. That (or even just parts) could work as a response to just about any article about a SUP drowning. I read it thinking, "But you need to mention (whatever)" and then the next line, there it was, plus some points I would have missed.
Personally--not aimed at your letter, but as thinking about the idea of a template for future letters--I'd add something about everyone doing water activities should learn to swim competently, and not consider a pfd as a substitute for swimming ability, and I'd also hope reporting on any drownings goes beyond focusing on whether the victim had a pfd, and mentions leashes (as you noted) and swimming ability.
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+1....
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Nalu, this is a good letter and informative but there has been deaths in recent years due to leash entanglement and the deaths that have been publicized were not in white water paddling situations. More than one death over the past two years involved entanglement with barriers including buoys and lines across river mouths. One death Involved a paddler going under a boat and her leash getting entangled. While most deaths involve losing a board several deaths involved leash entanglement over the past couple years has occurred.
Current and tidal changes were involved in at least two of these entanglement deaths over the past two years and education is also needed on paddling in currents and entanglement with leashes, because a leash can also directly cause hold downs and inescapable entrapment.
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Yes, I have nearly died on FOUR different occasions because of my leash getting caught up with an obstacle. We all should really be wearing quick-release waist leashes. That would solve most leash entanglement issues. Stupidly perhaps, I only tend to wear one for downwinding (where there are strong performance advantages too), although sometimes for surf too. But I really should be wearing a waist leash all the time. Helmets for surf and downwind would also be a good idea, although no-one does it (well, sometimes I do if the conditions are very extreme, but I’m the only ocean person I know who does).
And yes, being able to swim is critical. That’s the biggest lifesaver of all.
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I try really hard to stay out of this kind of discussion, as they often devolve into a bunch of nannies, all trying to out-safety each other ::)
That said, this one was constructive, and everything Nalu wrote is, in my opinion, right on target. Got all the points and counter points. At times, not everyone wears a PFD, there are good reasons why not, and they were properly addressed here. An inflatable can be USCG-approved Type-V, just like my kayaking rescue vests. But a Type-V has to be worn, and not stowed to be "approved."
On the dangers of leash entanglement. Pretty much all surf leashes are quick release. The most important factor being that one must have the presence of mind to release it, and be familiar with how to do it under pressure. Regardless of where it's attached, if someone panics, it's not coming off. 40 years surfing, I've had the leash wrapped up in the coral after a wipe out more times than I can remember. I've never failed to reach down and release it (obviously) with a single tug. If someone's really worried about the Velcro not coming undone, Dakine sells a quick release kit for their ankle leashes. But again, if someone's panicking, it doesn't matter. Any quick release requires practice. If someone thinks they may need to use it, it should be practiced until it's an automatic reaction.
I only wear Dakine leashes, and as I often surf well off shore, I'm obsessive about maintaining them. I do an inspection before I go out, after I get out, and any time during a surf where I suspect the cord may have come in contact with the fins (I've caught cuts like this). If I'm out farther than I know I can comfortably swim in, I wear an impact vest, even when it's small. Close-fitting and doesn't obstruct getting back on the board, while providing substantial flotation.
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In some situations where there are heavy currents and fast-moving water it is simply not possible to reach down to an ankle- or even calf-mounted leash attachment. And some leashes that have quick release pins, actually won’t release under tension. A friend alerted me to this about the XM leashes. I didn’t believe him so tied the leash to a tree and pulled the pin from different angles under tension. From most angles the leash stayed firmly attached even when the quick release pin was fully pulled out.
So, make sure you actually try the “quick release” features of your leashes to make sure they work in the way you expect them to.
None of this is a reason not to use a leash, of course. But the limits and uses of pretty much any safety equipment (including a pfd) need to be considered carefully. Most of this stuff (like pfds) will save you in one circumstance but put you at risk in another. It’s tough to get this across in a simple message, and it doesn’t reduce to a simple law or regulation. For instance, for people who can swim, the primary safety device is a leash. But for complete non-swimmers it would be a lifejacket. I have no idea why someone who can’t swim at all would SUP. Madness. But they do.
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One thing I see and this is just my opinion. If a leash becomes an "official" requirement rather than sup rental companies just making their customers wear one, I see a lot more red tape. Because now any official life saving leash is going to have to be put through a series of proving tests and be have some sort of certifications. This could now be the life or death link. And if it some how fails, now it is just another avenue for blame and lawsuits.
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Another fatality due to leash getting stuck on piling. What’s weird is the woman was doing sup yoga and went to help someone else who got stuck in a current, huh!
Happened Friday in Long Island, NY. I had trouble trying to get a link to the article.
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Another fatality due to leash getting stuck on piling. What’s weird is the woman was doing sup yoga and went to help someone else who got stuck in a current, huh!
Happened Friday in Long Island, NY. I had trouble trying to get a link to the article.
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/albertson-woman-drowns-1.34564310
Very tragic and this can happen in seconds. To touch on what Area put out there is that quick release leashes aren't actually quick release imo. These leashes have "quick release" tabs or straps that you typically have to reach down to release, and in strong currents, and when you are already entangled, this becomes much more difficult and sometimes impossible. I have leashes with quick release toggles for whitewater/river use, and sometimes even getting to this on my waist isn't easy at all in strong current, so as mentioned before, preventative education, practice and staying calm is key, but entanglement with leashes is obviously dangerous and there has been multiple deaths over the past few years as a result.
There is some great stuff getting put out on this thread but I think it has to be a really balanced approach that goes both ways. If we are going to say the board is also a floatation device and it's very important to be tethered to it, then the dangers of entanglement need to be presented as well. Education on paddling in current, around boats, being aware of obstructions that can lead to entanglement, and learning about leashes and their different applications. No one thinks they are going to get entangled when they head out for the day and then it happens. It's the preventative piece, the equipment, and escape practices that also need to be incorporated as well.
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One thing I see and this is just my opinion. If a leash becomes an "official" requirement rather than sup rental companies just making their customers wear one, I see a lot more red tape. Because now any official life saving leash is going to have to be put through a series of proving tests and be have some sort of certifications. This could now be the life or death link. And if it some how fails, now it is just another avenue for blame and lawsuits.
Yes, any time people talk about this subject, I'm dreading where the laws may go--mandatory pfd wearing, leashes doubling in price due to testing listings...
And like robon (and others) said, leashes have problems, too. The reality is laws won't create safety. It still comes down to people taking responsibility to learn what creates safety for their own situation, and doing it.
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In some situations where there are heavy currents and fast-moving water it is simply not possible to reach down to an ankle- or even calf-mounted leash attachment. And some leashes that have quick release pins, actually won’t release under tension. A friend alerted me to this about the XM leashes. I didn’t believe him so tied the leash to a tree and pulled the pin from different angles under tension. From most angles the leash stayed firmly attached even when the quick release pin was fully pulled out.
So, make sure you actually try the “quick release” features of your leashes to make sure they work in the way you expect them to.
None of this is a reason not to use a leash, of course. But the limits and uses of pretty much any safety equipment (including a pfd) need to be considered carefully. Most of this stuff (like pfds) will save you in one circumstance but put you at risk in another. It’s tough to get this across in a simple message, and it doesn’t reduce to a simple law or regulation. For instance, for people who can swim, the primary safety device is a leash. But for complete non-swimmers it would be a lifejacket. I have no idea why someone who can’t swim at all would SUP. Madness. But they do.
Now THAT'S disturbing news to learn! Quick release that doesn't actually release???? I'm glad this little bit of information was posted in here because I for one would've NEVER thought of this being an issue with tension applied. Ironically, in moving waters there's ALWAYS going to be tension!!
Thanks for sharing that CRITICAL piece of information!!!
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My other thought is, would having a diving knife be a wise thing to have? Perhaps more than one strapped to calf, forearm, bicep or even a thigh??
Even though I've never been a diver, I know that most have a knife or two strapped for just in case moments.
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A paddler in Newport Beach always wore a dive type knife on his calf. Most of the time he paddled out to the ocean for a two hour paddle.
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https://people.com/human-interest/woman-drowns-paddleboard-yoga-class-accident/
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In any design you can’t cover all edge cases.
We all agree on this for 99% of situations. Keep it simple.
1. You should know how to swim.
2. PFD’s are great
3. Leashes are equally as important.
Only we understand these nuances. And I’m not even sure where to get a waist leash. I’m betting you can’t buy one in Wisconsin or wherever they rent these damn boards on lakes. ;) All the points here are solid and especially the one about currents and ankle leashes but I’d offer that while seatbelts can kill you, they save far more people.
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A paddler in Newport Beach always wore a dive type knife on his calf. Most of the time he paddled out to the ocean for a two hour paddle.
Is there something missing from this story? I don't get it.
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None of this is going to translate to public safety and the likelihood of the government making rational decisions that translate to increased safety is less than zero. I tried. I teamed up with other people who were trying. Long, sad story, but we got nowhere.
Leash entanglement is a big deal, nearly killed me, I was just lucky. I couldn't reach my knee, no matter how hard I tried. Believe me, I was giving it all I had. Not panicked, just couldn't do it in the waves and current.
The obvious choice is a waist leash. The work really well. And I wear an impact vest--always. Not just for float--I knocked loose all the cartilage around my breastbone--at least that what the doc told me. Got stuffed in pitching wave and the tail of my board got me right in the chest. The float is nice too though. With a waist leash and an impact vest the amount of time you spend underwater in serious waves is very short. Gotta love that. A waist leash pulls you to the surface, but the drag you put on the board is a lot greater than ankle leashes. Every part of the leash needs to be 2X stronger.
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Windwarrior—
Nothing is missing from the story. Somewhere early in this post, there was mention of carrying a knife. But, the writer had never seen anyone carry a knife.
I reported seeing someone wear a knife on a regular basis. I never asked him why.
That’s all.
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https://mkt.com/leashlok-hawaii/item/leashlok-leash-belt
i buy a new one every year in advance of the northeast storm season (like, now)--first big day i switch to the new leash--dont like leash breaks in big surf
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Windwarrior—
Nothing is missing from the story. Somewhere early in this post, there was mention of carrying a knife. But, the writer had never seen anyone carry a knife.
I reported seeing someone wear a knife on a regular basis. I never asked him why.
That’s all.
Roger that.
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I know that most people on here know what they are doing, but I am more and more convinced that many people don’t know the basics, whether it be how to swim or how to remount or how not to get drunk before boarding.
Two cases in point, just today Search and Rescue recovered the body of a 30 something guy from a lake over on Orcas Island, in the San Juan chain in far northwest Washington. He was seen to fall off his paddle board yesterday. No PFD, nothing about a leash but he was in a small (deep) lake.
Sunday, I was going hit a few laps on my race board, at a small (two miles around) very popular local lake. Just as I was getting ready to hop on, a teenage guy started screaming, “My mother is drowning!” As he ran into the water and started swimming out. A few of the 40 or so people at the small swim beach started yelling, “She’s drowning.” I looked out and saw a face bobbing up periodically next to an inflatable, in the classic drowning scenario. Not making a sound, face barely breaking water, hand up in the air. She indeed was near the end.
As I paddled by the swimming son, he swam back to shore, which was good because he was going to drown too. She was about 150 feet out. He just couldn’t not try to save his mother. After a few seconds I realize an overweight older guy, about 65, was fishing from a small boat about 15 feet from the woman. Hence all the people yelling, which I realized was directed at him. I yelled to him, “you, you in the boat, three times, as I had to pass him to get to her. The third time, I yelled “You in the fishing boat, you need to help her, she’s drowning.” I couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t answering, because I was very confident he was hearing me. As a retired law enforcement officer, I know how to give commands and have people hear me. when he finally looked up he said, “I hear you, and I don’t care.”
Anyway, I got to her and there she was, paddle in one hand and sunglasses in the other, not able to get hold of the board, or really use her arms for swimming. In the moment, she couldn’t process her predicament enough to ditch the paddle and shades and use her arms to save herself. I got her stuff and had her put one arm over her board and one over mine, until she could calm down and catch her breath. She held up a toy quality inflatable PFD, about half full of air, and told me she wanted to put it on. Her Costco board was also about half inflated, which is probably how she fell to begin with. I told her not to bother with the pfd, and I tried to help her get back on her board, but she was too weak and spent to remount. As this was playing out, the wind blew us right by the SUP rental stand, I have no idea if they were aware of all this or not, but it seemed weird that I was the only one with her. And, by the way, she was wearing a leash!
A guy in a river raft with his young son then paddled up, and he was able to tug her up into the raft and take care of her from then on. But not before she asked for her sunglasses back. First things first.
Anyway, the Coast Guard caters to the masses. There’s really no other way. Maybe test all Paddlers and give you an expert badge exempting you from rules designed to the lowest common denominator? I get the sense that most SUP drownings are occurring in what I call casual waters, where big box SUPs have replaced pool floats and cheap plastic kayaks. I see ten cheap inflatables for every serious boarder, when I am in the lake, usually for a swimming workout. People think that being able to swim in a pool equates to suddenly finding yourself alone in a cold lake, with a leash around your leg, and waves hitting you in the face. I guess at the risk of inconveniencing all the expert Paddlers, the Coast Guard is just trying to save these people from themselves.
As for the fat fishing hillbilly, all I could do is paddle back by him and say, “Good job, buddy.” He just stared at me, not saying a word. I don’t know what his major malfunction is, whether he thinks people recreating in the lake messes with his fishing, or maybe that the woman was Asian. Or maybe he’s just a piece of s.... it’s not a crime here to watch someone drown without trying to assist, even when you have the means. In some places there’s a Failure to Render Assistance crime, but here it’s only Failure to Summon Assistance, meaning to call 911. Later when I got back to shore, an NFL sized guy was pretty upset about the fisherman, he had heard and seen it all. Don’t know if they met later ...
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Orcas was always fun times! I loved hitting Mountain Lake. A lot of great beach landings or coves to hang out at. Which lake did he die in?
Lake Washington was always another cool place. I loved circumnavigating Mercer. Many many trips and beach landings.
I was always in a sea kayak though. Never an SUP. I didn't get into SUPing until I landed in Colorado. Still have the kayak but really love my ISUP. Missing Washington bad though.
I'm really blown away the guy in the boat responded like that. I always encountered quite the opposite of Washington folks. That's a shame.
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Media reports he was in Mountain Lake, which I am not familiar with. Sad story, I have sons sons about his age ...
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I know that most people on here know what they are doing, but I am more and more convinced that many people don’t know the basics, whether it be how to swim or how to remount or how not to get drunk before boarding.
Two cases in point, just today Search and Rescue recovered the body of a 30 something guy from a lake over on Orcas Island, in the San Juan chain in far northwest Washington. He was seen to fall off his paddle board yesterday. No PFD, nothing about a leash but he was in a small (deep) lake.
Sunday, I was going hit a few laps on my race board, at a small (two miles around) very popular local lake. Just as I was getting ready to hop on, a teenage guy started screaming, “My mother is drowning!” As he ran into the water and started swimming out. A few of the 40 or so people at the small swim beach started yelling, “She’s drowning.” I looked out and saw a face bobbing up periodically next to an inflatable, in the classic drowning scenario. Not making a sound, face barely breaking water, hand up in the air. She indeed was near the end.
As I paddled by the swimming son, he swam back to shore, which was good because he was going to drown too. She was about 150 feet out. He just couldn’t not try to save his mother. After a few seconds I realize an overweight older guy, about 65, was fishing from a small boat about 15 feet from the woman. Hence all the people yelling, which I realized was directed at him. I yelled to him, “you, you in the boat, three times, as I had to pass him to get to her. The third time, I yelled “You in the fishing boat, you need to help her, she’s drowning.” I couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t answering, because I was very confident he was hearing me. As a retired law enforcement officer, I know how to give commands and have people hear me. when he finally looked up he said, “I hear you, and I don’t care.”
Anyway, I got to her and there she was, paddle in one hand and sunglasses in the other, not able to get hold of the board, or really use her arms for swimming. In the moment, she couldn’t process her predicament enough to ditch the paddle and shades and use her arms to save herself. I got her stuff and had her put one arm over her board and one over mine, until she could calm down and catch her breath. She held up a toy quality inflatable PFD, about half full of air, and told me she wanted to put it on. Her Costco board was also about half inflated, which is probably how she fell to begin with. I told her not to bother with the pfd, and I tried to help her get back on her board, but she was too weak and spent to remount. As this was playing out, the wind blew us right by the SUP rental stand, I have no idea if they were aware of all this or not, but it seemed weird that I was the only one with her. And, by the way, she was wearing a leash!
A guy in a river raft with his young son then paddled up, and he was able to tug her up into the raft and take care of her from then on. But not before she asked for her sunglasses back. First things first.
Anyway, the Coast Guard caters to the masses. There’s really no other way. Maybe test all Paddlers and give you an expert badge exempting you from rules designed to the lowest common denominator? I get the sense that most SUP drownings are occurring in what I call casual waters, where big box SUPs have replaced pool floats and cheap plastic kayaks. I see ten cheap inflatables for every serious boarder, when I am in the lake, usually for a swimming workout. People think that being able to swim in a pool equates to suddenly finding yourself alone in a cold lake, with a leash around your leg, and waves hitting you in the face. I guess at the risk of inconveniencing all the expert Paddlers, the Coast Guard is just trying to save these people from themselves.
As for the fat fishing hillbilly, all I could do is paddle back by him and say, “Good job, buddy.” He just stared at me, not saying a word. I don’t know what his major malfunction is, whether he thinks people recreating in the lake messes with his fishing, or maybe that the woman was Asian. Or maybe he’s just a piece of s.... it’s not a crime here to watch someone drown without trying to assist, even when you have the means. In some places there’s a Failure to Render Assistance crime, but here it’s only Failure to Summon Assistance, meaning to call 911. Later when I got back to shore, an NFL sized guy was pretty upset about the fisherman, he had heard and seen it all. Don’t know if they met later ...
Well done Seldom!. It amazes me how people get attached to personal items, to the point that they would die because of it. I watch Live PD and I've seen people in roll over crashes crawling out on the elbows because their phone is still in their hand. Then when the police are cuffing them for a DUI they still won't let go of their fucking phones. I buy $10 Walmart sunglasses and don't worry about losing them. I lost my Oakley's in a SUP race about 8 years ago. It's been Walmart sunglasses since. Like you I always have my eye's out for people over their heads or in distress. Maybe someday some one will look out for me. The guy in the fishing boat will have his day.
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Media reports he was in Mountain Lake, which I am not familiar with. Sad story, I have sons sons about his age ...
How old was he? You have a media link?
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Sorry I can’t seem to post the actual link on my tablet. The story is on the local newspaper, IslandsSounder.com. Maybe someone with a computer can post the actual link. Guy was in his 30s.
I hesitated to post the near drowning incident at my local lake because I like to be seldom seen (hence the screen name) and I was trying to figure out how to highlight the guy in the fishing boat and the woman’s all too familiar mistakes. Paddling up next to someone and giving assistance is a far cry from a big water rescue, Swift water rescue, or actually getting in the water for a lifesaving type rescue.
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Good work SeldomScene.... she's lucky that you were there... alert and capable.
it is stunning how people process their situation.... and almost more stunning how they make decisions to engage in activities without the basic skills needed, like swimming.
Here's the link you asked for to
http://www.islandssounder.com/news/emergency-personnel-searching-for-man-who-fell-off-paddleboard-in-mountain-lake/
I was entering the surf with a brand new "Creek" last weekend.
There was a big ditch between the beach and the sandbar where everyone was swimming.
The water was overhead in the middle and 20 yards across.
At least 1,000 people and lifeguards right behind where I was walking.
I saw a little kid (6 years old?)
Struggling and starting to sink.... he saw me coming and his eyes locked on me. Someone noticed him! You could see the relief in his eyes.
Gently, I slid the nose of my board to him and he grabbed on.
"You got it?"
"Yes"
and I pulled him into shallow water.... without the drama of a "rescue"...He smiled and ran up the beach.
I patted my new board: "Nice start!"... and hit the waves.
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Right guy at the right place st the right time, good eye for you. I would urge everyone who hasn’t taken a lifeguard course, not to take a course, but to go to you tube and watch a video of what someone drowning looks like. It’s actually very, very subtle and easy not to Notice.
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Nicely done guys!
Back in 1966, when I was 5, I was that little kid. Crowded beach, and I slipped just a little to deep (learning to swim was just taking hold back in Norway at that time). Only one person recognized my struggle. Like that kid you helped Rick, I said thanks, and just ran off. But, I'm forever grateful.
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so scary---and when a child goes under in whitewater shorebreak, who knows where he's gone?
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Another fatality due to leash getting stuck on piling. What’s weird is the woman was doing sup yoga and went to help someone else who got stuck in a current, huh!
Happened Friday in Long Island, NY. I had trouble trying to get a link to the article.
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/albertson-woman-drowns-1.34564310
Very tragic and this can happen in seconds. To touch on what Area put out there is that quick release leashes aren't actually quick release imo. These leashes have "quick release" tabs or straps that you typically have to reach down to release, and in strong currents, and when you are already entangled, this becomes much more difficult and sometimes impossible. I have leashes with quick release toggles for whitewater/river use, and sometimes even getting to this on my waist isn't easy at all in strong current, so as mentioned before, preventative education, practice and staying calm is key, but entanglement with leashes is obviously dangerous and there has been multiple deaths over the past few years as a result.
There is some great stuff getting put out on this thread but I think it has to be a really balanced approach that goes both ways. If we are going to say the board is also a floatation device and it's very important to be tethered to it, then the dangers of entanglement need to be presented as well. Education on paddling in current, around boats, being aware of obstructions that can lead to entanglement, and learning about leashes and their different applications. No one thinks they are going to get entangled when they head out for the day and then it happens. It's the preventative piece, the equipment, and escape practices that also need to be incorporated as well.
A colleague of mine is joining HVH2O with some SUP lessons. She's bringing a friend and was asking all sorts of questions about the current and our safety equipment. Then the colleague tells me that her friend was close with the person who drowned on Long Island. I had to let her know that we take safety very seriously and don't operate in any substantial current. We also always do leashes and PFDs, which is the right call for where I paddle.