[Tengocity]

I'm trying to get my head round how so many people have lost their lives in multiple incidents at various beaches around the country in just the last few weeks.

Is it just sheer co-incidence and bad luck or has something changed?

Have people just become less sensible about the dangers?

Articles like this make me nervous:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-37191585

Devastating and sad as this story is, I hate the idea of authorities closing beaches because of it. What if someone just wants to go for a walk?

Where do you draw the line? Do you close mountains because someone could fall down them?

What are people's thoughts?

[Daftasabrush]

I honestly think it's Darwin in motion. Sorry if anyone's lost someone like this, but I know I've pushed my limits in the sea before while sailing, and if I'd got into difficulty it certainly wouldn't have been anyone else's fault!

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Lobb

H and S gone mad Terry. You can't wrap the nation in cotton wool. People have to make judgement on danger themselves. When I were a lad, this kind of stuff happened. I don't think it's more than sad coincidence.

They haven't done it yet, that's just the initial reaction of the family. But... Is it that there is so much H&S everywhere in life that some folk, especially youngsters who know no different have been left ill-prepared to make common sense judgements for themselves?

[teaston]

I think some people just don't realise the power of the Sea/Ocean! It is the most powerful thing on Earth (true fact that), and some people treat it like any novice can just grab a boat and go out on it.

I personally hate large bodies of water, I'm fine with lakes & rivers but really don't like being on the sea on anything smaller than a ferry!

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

They haven't done it yet, that's just the initial reaction of the family. But... Is it that there is so much H&S everywhere in life that some folk, especially youngsters who know no different have been left ill-prepared to make common sense judgements for themselves?

I've a nephew in the Coast Guard and he often works with the Mountain Rescue lads. From some of the stories I've heard, it does seem many folks are just so out of touch with risk and thinking things through, before they engage in activities.

Plus it's always someone else's fault, or responsibility.

[SkyJawa]

Never treat the sea with anything other than massive respect or what's in the news will happen.

[NorthEastX5]

Having just returned from a stay with some friends in Torbay who live there their comments on these stories were interesting.

Obviously they live there and have done all of their lives. They are used to the changeable weather and sea and know how quickly the sea can "get up". They also know what is / is not safe and what areas are and are not a good idea to explore at certain times.

They also have one important rule. Never ever turn your back on the sea. Something they say tourists / visitors do all the time.

Their take on the sad recent events is what you would expect. People who don't live by and don't understand the sea simply taking risks they have no idea they are taking.

The solution? Better signage? Better education should all work but you cannot legislate for bravado or stupidity or in some cases bad luck but you have to assume in many of the recent sad incidents there was an element of taking a risk.

There was also a report this week of the RNLI being called out to rescue a woman in her 20s who got into difficulties swimming near some rocks I think. They've since been called out a further TWO times in the SAME WEEK to rescue the SAME woman if you believe the papers.

If that story is true then that just boils my piss I'm sorry.

Getting rescued once for being a cock (or just having bad luck/judgement) and swimming beyond your capabilities is one thing say your sorry thank them for saving your life and learn your lesson but then repeating the exercise the next day and again the next is just being a complete tw@t and should be a criminal office at worst or at best the RNLI should be allowed to "invoice" said person for the cost of the rescue.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by HighlandPete

Plus it's always someone else's fault, or responsibility.

Exactly this I'm afraid! We seem to have developed a culture (or perhaps imported one from the US?) of a) there's always someone to blame and b) it's never yourself. We even have lots of lawyers who are happy to encourage that line of thinking with their "no win, no fee" approach....

[Mattyk]

When my brother lived in Nova Scotia we visited this old lighthouse on a trip (Canada's tourist industry meh)

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/barrier...ocks-1.2840321

When we went there was just a sign as below.

If you can't read and understand, your clearly not required!

[Watsey]

I used to own ski boats and spent a lot of time holidaying along the coast of south east Devon.

I've helped a few people over the years, capsized catamarans etc, but one 'rescue' made me realise just how stupid people can be. Heading across the bay to hook up with friends for a day's skiing I see a 13' Dory (basically a flat open GRP boat with a foam-filled hull which was advertised as unsinkable ) with 9 people on board most of which were waving their arms in distress. The gunwales were inches from the surface of the water and the outboard had stopped.

Basic check-over and diagnostics : no-one including the 5 children had a life jacket; run out of fuel; spider's nest in the fuel hose connector; no flares; no radio; 2 oars. Asked 'dad' if the engine had ever been serviced - no.

Siphoned half a gallon of fuel into their tank and managed to get the outboard started. Told him to motor it slowly back to the estuary and get if off the water until he'd had it serviced, bought all the necessary safety equipment, and not to go out overloaded again.

Later that day I was heading back to the estuary to refuel and I see the same boat, broken down again, still dangerously overloaded, people waving to me. I motor over to them but keep a distance. They've used the fuel, not been back to the estuary, asked if I could give them more fuel or tow them back. Told them to pick up the oars and start rowing - they only had to go about 1/2 mile and it was a calm day (otherwise the boat would have already swamped).

They were genuinely surprised that they had to start trying to help themselves rather than rely on others.

[JD6]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Devastating and sad as this story is, I hate the idea of authorities closing beaches because of it. What if someone just wants to go for a walk?

Where do you draw the line? Do you close mountains because someone could fall down them?

What are people's thoughts?

As quite a keen walker in the mountains we had to call Mountain Rescue for the first time last year (plus one time before when we found a body) after one of our group fell and suffered a severe triple break to his leg. They are an impressive outfit - setting up a field hospital on the mountain to reset the leg before flying him to hospital.

I looked at the figures afterwards and in just the Lakes one person dies on the fells every fortnight, which seems high. Having said that, I expect that the health benefits to the millions of walkers probably exceeds the health 'cost' of those who require rescuing.

I expect that the same goes for the beaches. Keeping people out of the sea will save some lives, but will probably kill more in a less visible way, through health problems arising from lack of physical activity.

I think we should educate people to mitigate risks, but just accept that some will die.

[Edinburra]

Whatever happened to personal responsibility?

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by JD6

As quite a keen walker in the mountains we had to call Mountain Rescue for the first time last year (plus one time before when we found a body) after one of our group fell and suffered a severe triple break to his leg. They are an impressive outfit - setting up a field hospital on the mountain to reset the leg before flying him to hospital.

I looked at the figures afterwards and in just the Lakes one person dies on the fells every fortnight, which seems high. Having said that, I expect that the health benefits to the millions of walkers probably exceeds the health 'cost' of those who require rescuing.

I expect that the same goes for the beaches. Keeping people out of the sea will save some lives, but will probably kill more in a less visible way, through health problems arising from lack of physical activity.

I think we should educate people to mitigate risks, but just accept that some will die.

Couldn't agree more.

[....,,,,..,,..]

As mentioned in a few posts above, a huge amount of society just seem used to either having decisions made for them and are unable to think for themselves or are just utter dum fucks waiting for a Darwin Award.

I grew up a couple hundred yards from the river Tyne - where the only things in the river where turds and dead bodies. Also we used to go to coast very regular and fishing out in the North Sea - nasty bloody sea btw.

You grow a huge amount of respect for the sea and also beaches - quicksand, very fast tides etc.

With bits about Mountain Rescue did a bit with them at both Lossiemouth (Cairngorms etc) and Leeming (Yorkshire dales and Lake District etc). The vast number of people that go out in sandals, flip flops etc just beggars belief, they have totally no appreciation on how fast weather changes and visibility and temperature drops.

While yes a lot of genuine emergencies, a lot are down to fuckwits expecting to walk up a mountain in shorts and sandles as its warm in the car park....

Even when rescued they still don't get what went wrong, repeat offenders are common - however nature only let's you repeat some things once...

We regularly go on 25 mile or so dog walks and even then the number of people that do not have a basic first aid kit or any clue what to do if they need to do anything.

Basic first aid treatment and Darwin Potential tests should be mandatory at schools.

[isleaiw1]

[QUOTE=Brigand;20489713]As mentioned in a few posts above, a huge amount of society just seem used to either having decisions made for them and are unable to think for themselves or are just utter dum fucks waiting for a Darwin Award.

The vast number of people that go out in saddles, flip flops etc just beggars belief, they have totally no appreciation on how fast weather changes and visibility and temperature drops.

While yes a lot of genuine emergencies, a lot are down to fuckwits expecting to walk up a mountain in shorts and sandles as its warm in the car park....

Even when rescued they still don't get what went wrong, repeat offenders are common - however nature only let's you repeat some things once...

[QUOTE]

welcome back - we've missed your way with words and kind understanding nature

[Hartside]

The sea has been dangerous since time immemorial, it's people who are changing and unfortunately for the worst. The concept of risk doesn't even enter their minds

[ajfoggy]

The Sea or any large body of water scare the shit out of me.

I worked on Lake Powell in Utah after Uni and got caught in a storm in a little fishing boat. Scared the carp out of me, the wind just whipped up waves from nowhere. Lucky for us we were able to escape to a side canyon and shelter but don't want to go through that again.

Also in Utah got lost up a mountain, mt Hiller, Henry Mountains. again another scary experience, left the group...... yes I know, school boy error. Set off down from top, got lost and before I knew it out of water with no idea where to go. Each way I went couldn't go up or down and started to get really worried. Ended up slipping down a waterfall and badly spraining my ankle, again lucky for me not too badly and 10 hours later found my way back to the group.

Learn from your mistakes yes, but sometimes you are very lucky to get the chance.

[Wills2]

The sea is a cruel mistress, I once got caught in a wave when I was young in Tenerife back in 1981 on a beach with no one really around, it threw me into a ball and was like being in a washing machine and everything went black, thankfully for me it spat me out onto the beach.

Never been back in the sea again!

[Esto-Grande]

I've been out driving all day and there were reports of more water related deaths, 17 year old boy up near Tyne & Wear and a couple involved in a Scuba Tragedy.

It's been a terrible Summer Break.

Plus there's more warm weather forecasted.