4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

This is sad. I didn't realize hypothermia was possible down here. News link
http://extreme.mobile.msn.com/


-- Edited by Forkliftt on Sunday 13th of February 2011 09:23:04 AM

Forkliftt wrote:This is sad. I didn't realize hypothermia was possible down here.*

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With water temperatures around 45* in that area, survival is problematic after around 3 hours and exhaustion can be expected in as little as 30 minutes even if you are young and fit. If* you are in that water without a lifejacket, plan on 30 minutes to ponder your choice not to wear one.

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Forkliftt wrote:

This is sad. I didn't realize hypothermia was possible down here. News link
http://extreme.mobile.msn.com/

-- Edited by Forkliftt on Sunday 13th of February 2011 09:23:04 AM

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Apparently MSN has replaced the news item to which you refer. Where did this occur?

*

Stuff happens.

We were rounding Lopez Island heading into Upright Channel in the US San Juans two years ago when my wife saw something floating in the water.* Turned out to be a 70 year old guy who had bypass surgery the year before who had fallen off a charter boat his son had rented for the week.* He had gone forward to bring in a fender that had been slapping against the hull, probably for the last two hours, and fallen off - fortunately with the fender, which he was hanging onto, otherwise he'd already be dead.* One of my sons was with me and we were able to drag him onboard only because Delfin can be boarded about 12" above the waterline.* If I was by myself, or just with my wife the results for the guy might have been different because after only 5 - 10 minutes in that cold water all he could do was hang onto the fender.* On board, we had him strip off his clothes and wrapped him in blankets.* He hadn't been in the water long enough to be hypothermic, but a max of 10 minutes was enough to render him useless in helping with his own rescue.

We called the Coasties, who met us in Friday Harbor.* A description of the boat was provided and the chartered boat was contacted while at anchor by another vessel who heard the Coast Guard call.* Dad had been missing for about an hour and a half at this point, and they hadn't noticed yet.* The son was a doctor.

Stuff happens.

You know, he was very grateful at the time, but we haven't heard from him since although he gave us his card.* Perhaps too embarrassed.

hypothermia can happen at almost any temp..

from wiki:

Heat is lost more quickly in water[18] than on land. Water temperatures that would be quite reasonable as outdoor air temperatures can lead to hypothermia. A water temperature of 10 °C (50 °F) often leads to death in one hour, and water temperatures hovering at freezing can lead to death in as little as 15 minutes.[31] Water at a temperature of 26 °C (79 °F) will, after prolonged exposure, lead to hypothermia.[32]

Carl, you saved that guys life twice, once by pulling him out of the water and second by giving him the proper treatment. Well done.

My understanding is that water temperature less than about 80 degrees can lead to death by hypothermia, given sufficient time.

Where*I boat Here in South Central Alaska The water rarly reaches 45 Deg.

*The joke is be sure to wear you PFD.

Makes it easier for the Coast Guard to find your body.

SD

I have a friend who is an English Channel swimmer. Hours on end at 50 degrees is ok for him if he is moving hard burning calories. Unlike some of his peers who are built with seal blubber it would seem, he is rail thin.

sunchaser wrote:

I have a friend who is an English Channel swimmer. Hours on end at 50 degrees is ok for him if he is moving hard burning calories. Unlike some of his peers who are built with seal blubber it would seem, he is rail thin.

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And just a little FYI....if you find yourself in a bad situation in cold water...DO NOT move around to stay warm. *Those calories you are burning are what your body needs to keep itself warm. *When they are gone, so are you!!! *I guess this would hold true in any hyporthermic event....on land or in water.

*

http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm



That is just the first hit in a google search.....

Baker wrote:

*
sunchaser wrote:

I have a friend who is an English Channel swimmer. Hours on end at 50 degrees is ok for him if he is moving hard burning calories. Unlike some of his peers who are built with seal blubber it would seem, he is rail thin.

Click to expand...

And just a little FYI....if you find yourself in a bad situation in cold water...DO NOT move around to stay warm. *Those calories you are burning are what your body needs to keep itself warm. *When they are gone, so are you!!! *I guess this would hold true in any hyporthermic event....on land or in water.

*

*

i remember waterskiing at big bear lake at easter one year, was the day after and i think the alcohol was still clouding our sound judgement skills.. we did not have wetsuits.
the best thing was to sit absolutely still in the water as your body would warm up the waterlayer up against your body, as soon as you moved it would turn cold again.



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Baker wrote:

http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm


That is just the first hit in a google search.....

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That says it all John.

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The two things I learned from our experience was first that it is really hard to get someone back on the boat after they are in the water.* It is likely the person in the water won't be able to help much, so you have to be prepared to hoist them on by whatever means you can muster.* Best to have a plan beforehand.* The second is that it happens that boats lurch and people fall off, so my wife and I maintain situational awareness of each other's location.* If I disappear into the ER for 5 minutes without telling her where I'm going, she comes a looking.*

Delfin wrote:

The two things I learned from our experience was first that it is really hard to get someone back on the boat after they are in the water.

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This was demonstrated first hand in the USCG Auxilliary boating course my wife and I took back in the mid-80s.* Even getting somebody up onto a swimstep can be an impossible task.* This is why when we got our GB we got rid of the ring life preserver that came with the boat and installed a Lifesling.* We would use the boat's mast and boom and double-block fall to help*hoist a person on board.

*

How about a survival suit? Do any of you guys up north keep one near your ditch bag?

Forkliftt wrote:

How about a survival suit? Do any of you guys up north keep one near your ditch bag?

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My wife sleeps in one, but I am not sure why......

On the boat, no.* It would be good to have if you know you're sinking, but on most dude boats, the problem is falling offl.* I read someplace that half the bodies that wash up on the beach from drownings off boats have their flys open.

*

That's funny!

True story:
My daughter's best friend lost her father in this accident in their grade 12 year, 1998.
Herring opening in January in the gulf Islands. The fish boat that Leo was on was fishing in Tricomali channel, off the south end of Ruxton Island. Flat calm, clear and cold. The owners had a second boat that suffered mechanical problems, so the quota for that boat was transferred to his. After midnight, they were loading the last of the set into the boat when it turned turtle and went quickly to the bottom. Four aboard. All got out, 2 with survival suits on , two without. the two with suits survived. The two without huddled together, and worked their way to shore. they were located in the morning, but only one survived.
The WCB inquiry determined that the survival suits were still on their hooks. The sinking was too fast for them to get them. Two of the crew did get theirs, only because they were closer to where they were stationed.
SSuits work. You need to have them on, or close enough so you can get to them quickly in an emergency.

Very sad story, Keith.