drowning article - good read!
 

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

Came across this and I believe its something every boater should read and take time to comprehend. Something it seems like we all deal with every year...

Let's all have a great 2014 season!

Good stuff to keep posting. I witnessed this once when a friend who was not a good swimmer couldn't reach his floating cushion. He kept swimming and pushing it away and I saw the panicked look but no other sign that he was in trouble. I immediately jumped in and shoved the cushion into his arms and showed him how to leap and grab it while swimming. I always watch him when he is in the water over his head and without a vest on. We really need to watch the kids and not so good swimmers. That article is absolutely true. You will not know that the victim is in trouble until he disappears.

Great article.

Great read. Seen it in several different versions.

When I lived on the lake a 15 year old kid drowned on Lake Lanier in Coctail Cove one weekend. My wife and I always say it can happen quickly - so try this... When you are at a tie up with a group of people hide under your swim platform. Since everyone is having a great time and everyone is engaged in conversation nobody ever realizes your whereabouts. Everybody always says "I always pay attention" but my wife and I did this to each other literally dozens of times. After you sit under the swim platform for 10 minutes. Emerge and let your wife know you are dead. It is harsh reality but its true. It will make you think a little after nobody says wheres Keith for 10-15 minutes. You or anybody that you are hanging out with could be at the bottom.

Wow, that is a good and thought provoking article.

How many times have i heard on the 11 oclock news about somebody was missing in one of Michigans local lakes.

Wannabe

Great post, we often have a lot of kids on our beach and it's amazing how oblivious their parents are sometimes

Read something similar last year. Truly changedy strategy when watching the water. Directly, how I watch my kids as well as others.

6 years ago this summer, three friends and I were standing in the surf and no one had been drinking or doing anything else to be impaired in any way. Just a perfectly beautiful July day and four of us guys were taking in the sun up to our knees in the water. One of our friends, an EXCELLENT swimmer, decided to take a swim and out he went into the waves about 20 yards out. 10 minutes later, he was dead. We never heard a scream, a cry for help, not a peep from him; there were no flailing arms, no waving hands, nothing. Just a limp body that we pulled out of the water and spent the next 45 minutes on the sand trying to revive waiting for paramedics to arrive while our wives stood there on the beach screaming in horror. My friend was 42 and left behind 2 beautiful girls and a wife. It is a day that has been permanently etched in my brain.

Moral of the story... this article is a good one. Drowning in reality is nothing like it is on TV.

That is one of the best and most informative articles I have read. Thanks for posting. Hopefully by getting people educated we can save more lives just by knowing what to look for.

posted here before, very timely reminder.

if you guys can send out some thoughts and prayers i was just informed two very long time family friends are missing out in lake Erie, their boat was found over turned and four are missing as of this morning. Waiting on info . . .


Worst part was my mom called me this morning to tell me of the one missing. My girlfriend just called a minute ago and told me of the second, we did not know they were together and my mom did not make the connection.

Prayers sent..

glassdave, prayers to your friends that they may be found safe.

Here is what it looks like when someone is actually drowning.

http://mariovittone.com/2011/07/vide...ning-response/

This is why our two daughters are ALWAYS wearing their ski vests when they are on the boat or in the lake. In fact, we make them wear the vests even when they are just wading in the shallow surf when we are at the beach. The only time we have let them go without them was when we were right there next to them in shallow water and there was not any rough surf occurring.

Very sorry to hear that, Dave.

Fantastic video of an actual drowning rescue. No one else had a clue. It looked like the boy was playing.

Thank you for sharing, I have been in and around the water my entire life (43yrs), grew up on a lake, parents took me to swim lessons at the YMCA at 9 months old and I didn't know any of this. We spend every weekend on the boat in the water, now with a 2 month old baby boy tagging along.

Sending good thoughts and prayers.

Padraig

sorry to hijack the thread with that, was just online looking for news. They found my friends daughters body . . . . Still looking for my other friends son and one other, thanks for you thoughts . . . .

that's awful Dave... thoughts and prayers to you and their families...

Glassdave - prayers sent...

Scary stuff. Thanks for posting this. It should probably be brought up to the top once a month during the season.

GD...sorry to hear about your peeps. My thoughts and hopes...

I'm sorry Dave :( . That water is so cold no one could survive long. Sad news. We had a drowning on Lake St. Clair already too. I guess this all goes together to remind us to be safe this season.

Drownproof yourself and your family . Yes it works , I taught my children this when they were very young . Unfortunately this will not help much in cold water . http://www.drownproofing.com/

http://youtu.be/JFHClnhrKE8

Your friends have my prayers Dave .

Prayers sent Dave, That was a eye opening article.

Dave, I'm really sorry to hear about that !! My thoughts & prayers are with all involved...

I'm obviously not the "op" but in no way did you hijack anything, it was very timely and just validates what the thread is all about.. And not to take a "rabbit trail" but I don't know anybody around here who has given any more to this board than you have.. I know you've helped me from time to time throughout the years with little things here & there and I've seen countless times where you've gone well out of your way to help many many others as well, so know that your appreciated and that you have the prayers of many !!

Scott

Prayers sent gd, news no one ever wants to hear

Please forgive me but I have an issue with this statement of teaching drown proofing to kids of any age.

Drown proofing is reserved for advanced swimmers with scuba training that focuses on neutral buoyancy. Professional divers and combat swimmers are trained in this realm, not rec swimmers/divers. Again, please forgive me but this training evolution has no place in teaching swimming.
This is from a man that has over 15 years dive experience, 13 of them as a police diver.

Not popular with rec boaters but necessary, if you are not a strong swimmer the PDF is always on where near the water including the dock.

Sorry for those of that have lost ones to drowning, very sad

Prayers sent Dave, very sorry to hear.

I will not get into a debate with you on this . In my eyes it is very easy to teach and may prevent a drowning so why not . Take a peek at my profile to get an understanding of my background .
PS: Drownproofing focuses on the natural positive buoyancy of most bodies with two lungs full of air and has nothing to do with neutral buoyancy . That is diving terminology .

awesome

Prayers your way.

Great article OP.

That is so tragic, prayers for the missing and especially for those grieving

thanks Scott and thanks everyone for you thoughts. my friends daughter had her cousin with her for the day she was sixteen, they both had pfd's on when they found them but the water temp is right around forty. they postponed the remaining search at dusk but will resume in the morning. they were experienced boaters and within their limits, I was told the boat (newer 21 Tracker) had engine/transom strike damage possibly hit a log. my other friends son is still missing.


really, thanks everyone. tough day . . .

Yes, it's all over the news now. The girls did have life vests on. I'm sorry that lives are being lost already. I'm sorry that you lost friends. I wonder if the fishing boat fatal on St. Clair hit a log too. There has to be tons of debris flushing through the lakes now.

Since safety is a theme in this thread, this month's Boating magazine has a great article on the proper contents of a ditch bag. I probably would modify it somewhat but it really gets you thinking about something we really don't spend too much time on. I'm not sure if it would have helped GD's people, but it couldn't have hurt. I always felt that you never conquered the water, the best day was that you break even with it and come home safe, once in a while it gets the upper hand but never the other way. Some of those critical items in a ditch bag might make a difference some day.

Bump for early season.

This technique could be helpful in certain situations, but I am not comfortable calling this "Drownproofing". It won't work in heavy chop or waves, because you won't get your mouth high enough with this technique to ensure a water free inhalation of air.

Michael