I hope that guy recovers quickly.  Definitely a scary situation this morning at Paradise.  It was a good thing folks are looking out for each other.  Kudos to his buddy for pulling him to shore.  I am not dissing the lifeguard but I think he would have drowned were it not for the folks around him.  The lifeguard would have not spotted him in time.  I paddled past him and wondered why was he floating that way?   Fixing his fins or shorts (he was a sponger).  I kept looking as I paddled by, waiting for him to surface for air.  Seconds later, I knew something was wrong and turned around towards him.  It was at that time his buddy was paddling back out and immediately pulled him to the surface and you could tell he was drowning because his face was blue.  We waved down the lifeguard but it seems help did not come until we were about to the shore.  Don't know what happened to him - seizure?  Passed out?  I hope he recovers quickly and is back in the water soon.  He was revived on the shore.

Keep any eye out for each other folks!

Yeah saw the same thing; good friend in a time of need. 

Been there, done that. I had to pull my best friend out of the water, many years ago, after he had a seizure. We where the only 2 out at Spessard , and there where zero people on the beach(a small summer Wed. morning). Had i not been placed ( unwillingly ) into summer camp every year, I would not have had the skills to get him out. He was/is a BIG boy, and I, at the time, was pushing maybe 130 soaking wet. We all need to be aware of our surroundings, and help people out as much as we can through life. Good to hear that this person survived.

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RUSS-D'S PHOTOGRAPHY

glad to hear someone helped him. hope he recovers. i've had to pull someone out of the ocean at paradise as well, no thanks to the lifeguards

no offense to individual lifeguards but brevard county ocean rescue is about as bad as I have ever been around. disorganized and completely unprofessional

on top of that, the guards that are typically at paradise suck even more...stop stand up paddleboarding and do your effin job

A few years ago in West Palm a swimmer was getting sucked out by the rip right towards me. It was something I never even thought was possible/would happen to me. I just froze. Thankfully, someone else realized he was in trouble and took the initiative. We swam the guy in using my board, but it was a wakeup call to me that I need to make less assuptions that everyone can handle themselves in the water/freak accidents can happen. Now I'm much more observant and prepared in case something ever does happen again.

The bodyboarder had a seizure in the water. It was helpful that he was surfing with a buddy. Everyone should look out for each other out there.

Rice and beans thank you for helping keep the waters safe. Can you post a picture of yourself so we know who to thank?

Two years ago I was riding my 5-9 Troy Borden pickle (it was green and had a lightening bolt down the top). I called it the 'Lightening Pickle.' Should NEVER have sold that board. Anyway, just to speak to how bizarre these incidents can be, I was surfing by myself at 7th Street on a nice waist high day. At one point this middle aged lady is bobbing up and down, quietly mind you with no evidence of panic, until she bobs past me (it was low tide) and she starts heading to the outside that way. I'm thinking "Huh -- that's weird." (Yeah - I can be pretty slow on the up-take.)

I looked at the beach and there was her husband who had waded up to the waist waving occasionally and their two kids frozen in terror staring at mommy. Well I started to put it all together and paddled after the lady who by this point was calmly bobbing under the water -- actually slipping under the water. Asked her if she was in trouble but she didn't answer. Grabbed her, put her on that floaty little board, and paddled her in. I was really struck by how quietly and peacefully she was going to give up the ghost.

I had an Advanced Life Saving Certificate (lifeguard) years ago and we always prepared for a frantic near-drowning victim. I remember they even taught us to be prepared to either knock them out or paddle out of arm's reach until they got weaker, then go in and get them because they could take you down with them. Not trying to brag. Right place, right time.

Hope to hear a positive update on this guy.

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Brother, when you get a minute, could I get a list of the words that trigger these fits?


Hey. Where are we going? (And what are we doing in a hand-basket?)

It happen so fast, had just rode past him, in fact he was even eyeballing the shoulder but pulled off after seeing me coming down the line, when I was paddling back I noticed two people helping him to shore, saw one of them trying get the lifegaurds attention, the lifegaurds acted fast after noticing what was happening, deftly could have gone bad if those two were farther away. Surfers do save life's!! Big props to the two that acted!!

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The Wavecaster

He had a seizure. They usually get water in their lungs and stop breathing for a time when postictal then begin puking up water and their condition improves. Very often they end up making it. That happens more often then you would think.

Thanks for relating your story Lagoonsurfer. If even 1 person recalls it at an unfortunate event in the future, it may save a life.

About three months ago I was surfing at ft p jetty saw a young boy waving his arms and saying help me! well at first I thought to go cuss him for fake'n and then I got closer and saw he was not joke'n!! we both got cought in the rip and went a way's!! where were his parents?? no boogie board or any thing! I bet he remembers the big K on my board forever!! he WAS out of gas! got him to shore and his dad said nothing!! show's he was not looking!! ALWAYS BE AWARE!!! long board short boogie  we are all looking out for each other! surforever and god bless!

Here's a popular blog item, "drowning doesn't look like drowning".  The author appears credible.  

A few years ago randy s - mark d and me were rescuing people left n right at the inlet .. mamaG had pix of the whole or deal .. it was a crazy day ..

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http://pureisland.com

Reminds me of back when BW broke well, last century, big swell, high tide, near Wendy's and the old bar since torn down, some tourists on the beach wading in the water, next thing is I hear a bunch of yelling, somebody got sucked off beach, he was helpless and getting pounded and would have been a goner but for a couple surfers that got him back on shore, before most of us even processed what was happening.

It does not take long for someone to submerge, especially if their body type makes them sink, i.e. muscle mass. Because they are literally gasping for air before they go under, there are no screams.

DROWNING IS FAST AND SILENT.

I was surfing sbi during dennis and a guy got washed thru the jetty! board and all!! lucky for him there was another fool in a boat in the inlet ! we flagged him down and got the guy . he was cut up pretty bad but ok!! shit happens fast for sure! what where the chances someone was in a boat during a cane?? his LUCKY day!!

 

Lagoonsurfer's story is an important perspective. Most drowning victims to not look like what we would expect. We would notice someone frantically yelling and waving their arms for help, but most drowning victims are almost silent, and their arms are below the surface. They are doing all they can to tread water, and their mouths are mostly closed because they are slipping beneath the water, only getting a little air when they surface but not having time to yell for help. Good call keeping an eye open her bro, glad you were there. In those cases that just look 'off', seems like a good idea to at least ask someone if they are okay, if they are then they should be able to answer verbally..

@Mufasa,

To the untrained eye a drowning in progress is tough to spot. It is important that surfers learn what a drowning looks and be ready to respond. Generally now until October is when most of our local drownings happen. With an inactive hurricane season foretasted, it may not be so bad.

3 decades ago, I was surfing on a Hobie, I was wearing Hang Ten baggies with a green trim and blue waistband.  I had come to the beach in black flip flops, and was wearing Ray Ban sunglasses.......anyway, I saved a drowning swimmer.

Thanks for sharing.

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Brother, when you get a minute, could I get a list of the words that trigger these fits?


Hey. Where are we going? (And what are we doing in a hand-basket?)