RE: [Paddlewise] landing a victim through surf

Jusr remember that coming in with scuba gear is exponentially more difficult
than with mask fins and snorkel---scuba divers have too much mass and drag
to negotiate big waves. Set up like a freediver and waves are far easier.
For 10 footers and over you would have to find a way to body surf the victim
in with you----a new skill for us to attempt with a willing volunteer that
can hold their breath well in case you mess up a few times  :-)
Regards,
Dan Volker


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of Michael
> Neverdosky
> Sent: Saturday, November 07, 1998 3:13 AM
> To: paddlewise
> Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] landing a victim through surf
>
>
> I have done this scuba diving.
> I once had the surf go from 1-3' to 8-12' in the 2 hours my buddy and I
> were
> in the water (shallow dive and we were both low air consumption divers).
> Just as we surfaced, my buddy had major cramps in both legs.
> I had my buddy put his mask around his neck and regulator in his mouth.
> I then grabbed the back of his BC (bouyancy compensator) collar and towed
> him in.
>
> It was extreamly brutal.
> I kept kicking, screaming, crawling, etc., untill we were both on DRY
> sand.
>
> I was spent and my buddy was freaked out!
> If my buddy had lost the regulator or run out of air, then I might have
> had
> an unconscious or nonbreathing (possible full arest) victim on the beach
> and
> I did not have anything left to even be able to think of doing effective
> CPR.
>
> Each case will have to de decided individually, but if the surf is really
> bad
> and the victim is more than slightly hypothermic, I would radio for rescue
> and
> wait outside the surf zone.
> Better to wait for the Coast Guard with a hypothermic person than to have
> a
> person in full arest, hypothermic, trashed by the surf, surounded by
> exhausted
> friends on the beach,,,, and still needing rescue by professionals.
>
> There are no easy answers, and every situation is different.
> The only thing that is certain is that the survivors (if any) will have to
> live
> with the outcome, good or bad.
>
> Nobody (that I know) has ever said that going to sea was safe.
>
> michael
>
> dlv_at_gate.net wrote:
> >
> > If you were faced with really terrible surf to enter, your best
> way in would
> > be with a good mask, fins and snorkel---I'm not saying it would
> always be
> > fun, but 12 footers are not much challenge in this manner---and
> this is easy
> > to store as emergency or fun to use type gear.  As fas as
> dragging a nearly
> > unconscious person wth you, I'd do this with mask and fins LONG
> before I'd
> > try it on a kayak.
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