Received: from zonker.hpl.hp.com by hpl-milo.hpl.hp.com with SMTP (15.11.1.3/15.5+IOS 3.14) id AA08798; Sat, 2 Oct 93 00:25:57 pdt Return-Path: <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Received: by zonker.hpl.hp.com (1.37.187.4/15.5+IOS 3.14) id AA11400; Sat, 2 Oct 93 00:25:38 -0700 Date: Sat, 2 Oct 93 00:25:38 -0700 From: Ken Poulton <poulton@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> Message-Id: <9310020725.AA11400@zonker.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis> To: schuh@ra-iris.arc.nasa.gov-DeleteThis, wind_talk@hpl-milo.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis Subject: Re: Windsurfer Death at 3rd Cc: cord@hpoemb.sj.hp.com-DeleteThis, fred_schmidt@hpd700.desk.hp.com-DeleteThis, geisinger@admin.fhda.edu-DeleteThis, ghs@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, hahn@gigantor.nas.nasa.gov-DeleteThis, kenb@hpinddu.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, kenf@netcom.com-DeleteThis, kirk@hpoclpa.sj.hp.com-DeleteThis, luigi@paris.cs.berkeley.edu-DeleteThis, matt@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, mfabrega@raynet.COM-DeleteThis, missimer@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, pauld@corp.sgi.com-DeleteThis, schofiel@hpldsl5.sid.hp.com-DeleteThis, sjn@hpisod9.cup.hp.com-DeleteThis, walter_menge@hp5400.desk.hp.com-DeleteThis
> A windsurfer was not breathing when he was found face down in the water
> 1/2 mile out and half way between the old and new launch sites at 3ed
> today. He was assisted by many sailors and then air lifted by a Coast
> Guard helicopter from the water at about 5:00. It was reported that he
> had a history of heart trouble. I got this information from another
> sailor and I do not know it originated from a medical tag, a friend, or
> supposition. I do not have any names or physical descriptions. The
> dead sailor's rig was not located and is probably still be in the water.
Jerome found him floating face down, no board in sight. He tried to tow
him to shore (per his training for surf-sailing) but the wind was too
light. Two other sailors then put him on a board and started CPR. I
arrived about five minutes after they started CPR (maybe 4:10) and
helped steady the board until the Coast Guard chopper arrived (maybe
4:50). Doing CPR on a short board is damn hard work. We had
one guy doing the breathing and two guys taking turns on the chest
massage.
I haven't heard for sure, but I assume he is dead. A windsurfer who is
a doctor arrived about 10 minutes before the chopper and said from lack
of pulse, time in water, and the fixed and dilated pupils that it was
pretty much hopeless. The 3 guys doing CPR kept it up, though.
He had been seen sailing 15 minutes before he was found, but no one
could time it any closer than that. No rig in sight says to me that
he was probably already in the water for a few minutes at least.
The sailor was someone Jerome knew by sight as 3rd regular, but a good
friend of the sailor was also there and said he was 32 and had a heart
condition. I did not get a name. Scott went looking for the rig on the
south side of the SM bridge and saw a Tiga board and a mast in a truck
driving the other way but could not catch up to it.
The main thing that might have helped the sailor would have been a
quicker discovery by other sailors, but there is certainly no blame to
assign here - it's pretty hard to see a person in the water even with
his head up. With the head down, you almost have to run him down to
see him.
The thing that might have speeded the professional response would
have been a boat launchable from the sailing site (like a Zodiac).
The Fire Department was there on the shore about 15 minutes before the
helicopter showed, but they apparently had no way to get out to us.
Because of the shallow water (about 5 feet at the time) a cutter
could not have come in to us, and even the helicopter had to come
down extra low (maybe 15 feet) to drop the diver safely.
Ken Poulton
poulton@opus.hpl.hp.com-DeleteThis
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