Scary Moment

[Boo3636 2]

Just wanted to share a scary moment from yesterday. We were tied up swimming at Sandy Beach at Possum Kingdom Lake and I was beside the boat swimming with my 9 year old son and our 10 month old puppy. My wife was up on the beach in front of the boat and I heard her start sceaming at the people about 30 yards down the beach. I was directly beside my boat and had no clue what was going on, but I knew it had to be serious. I swam up to the front of the boat and I saw the group next to us not even paying attention to her. As I got to the front of the boat I could see a small (aproximatley 4 year old) boy struggling to stay on top of the water. I then see his head go under and all you see are his hands barely above the water. My wife can not swim at all. She was on the beach, but did have her lfie jacket on. She started running out there to save the boy as I tried to swim that way. As she runs out there the kids parents look over to see what she is running and screaming about and that is when they saw him go completely under. The dad ended up getting to him right before my wife was able to get there. He pulled him out and he was fine, but was shaken up. I will never understand how parents can let their young kids in the lake without any life jackets or flotation device at all. My son is 9 years old, can swim like a fish, was within three feet of me the whole time, and he was still wearing a life jacket. I have given my wife grief for years for being overly cautious when it comes to water safety, but I can assure you I will never give her grief over it again.

 

On July 7th of this year a 3 year old boy drowned at this same beach while swimming with his father without a life jacket. I truely believe if my wife was not there it would have happened again as the family did not even look up until she started running out there.

[WakeDoc 471]

Hats off to her for being there and watching out for not only your kids but, those of others. I stand with my jaw hanging open on a weekly basis now days as I watch the stupid stuff parents do around their kids.

 

On another note and not meant to offend but, you should encourage your wife to learn how to swim, she is 50% of your crew and if something happen to do with water, pool, lake, etc. and she had to watch, she would never be the same. Have her look into adult swimming lessons at a local YMCA, etc. she will be glad she did once she finishes.

[Kevin Baugh 78]

" My wife can not swim at all.

 

I have to agree again not to offend but So many times multiple people end up drowning because someone or multiple people don't know how to swim and go in the water anyway because another person is in trouble and needs help.

[KnuckleDragger 7]

Very scary! I'm so glad your wife was being aware and people were able to get to the child before it got any worse. I'm guessing that experience will be a lesson learned to the parents of the child. Can't be too cautious with kids and water. As for your wife not being able to swim. I'll echo what others have already said...and I will admit that I have always been unable to swim (despite owning a boat for 13 years). I've never worried too much about it because I always have a lifevest on in the water....but I don't wear it while in the boat. With that being said, I finally came to my senses this year and realized that not being able to swim is making me a huge liablity when I go on other people's boats and that if something were to happen out on the water (boat accident,etc) I could not rely solely on other adults to rescue my young children (even though they always have their vests on). I swallowed my pride and signed up for an adult swim class at the local pool and it has been great. I still feel that I need some more practice but I'm glad that I now am gaining enough ability/confidence to survive in the water if something were to happen out on the lake and I did not have a vest on. Convince your wife to take lessons or teach her yourself. She'll be glad she did and it will make days out in the water even that much more enjoyable.

[duramat 462]

My wife can not swim at all. She was on the beach, but did have her lfie jacket on.

The fact she had her jacket with her on the beach is awesome. Wife and I had a bad experience last year and now we will keep/take jackets for us on beach as well. My wife is not a swimmer as well, so I can see Kevs and Docs veiw.

 

Kudos to your observant wife!!

 

I would add add, I recommend everyone to be current on CPR for adults and kiddos.

[Boo3636 2]

Thanks, and no offense at all. I have been trying to get my wife to learn to swim for 11 years. She sits on the shore or in the boat with her life jacket on. After we got home last night she said to me what if that boy would have been under the water and I was the only one out there with him. I said you would have had to try to go under with your life jacket on. She said to me that she is ready to learn how to swim. We have had two different pools built, and both times we had to stop at just uder 5' deep. She called to not sign up but to get info on swimming lessons today, so that is a good start.

[scottnorm 9]

Thank you for this post. It can't be emphasized enough -- EVERYONE should wear vests when in the lake, regardless of ability. We were at PK for the 4th of July fireworks, which were supposed to start at 9. We found out at 10:30 that a 27 year old female had gone missing and was presumed drowned. this is in the middle of hundreds of boats/swimmers. It is so preventable, which makes it all the more tragic.

[Boo3636 2]

Thank you for this post. It can't be emphasized enough -- EVERYONE should wear vests when in the lake, regardless of ability. We were at PK for the 4th of July fireworks, which were supposed to start at 9. We found out at 10:30 that a 27 year old female had gone missing and was presumed drowned. this is in the middle of hundreds of boats/swimmers. It is so preventable, which makes it all the more tragic.

Yes, unfortunately I was there for that one as well. Well kind of. We left Hells Gate an hour before dark, and drove our vehicle over there to watch the fireworks. I was tied up on the far east side of Hells gates away from all of the crazies, but it looked pretty crazy where the majority were tied up. So sad and preventable.

 

On a side note, my wife's cousin was fishing from the shore in Arkansas last year, and he ended up falling in Lake Ouachita and drowned. I thought she might learn to swim after that, but hopefully this will get her to learn.

[nailem 29]

I'm sure I'm going to get flamed for this but I disagree. I mean if you want to wear a vest at all times that's is a great choice for you but I don't wear a vest all the time. I don't think that it could never happen to me or anything but understand the risk and I'm willing to take it. Kind of like riding a motorcycle or any other sport. I love to swim and spending the entire day in a vest does not appeal to me. My kids do not have vests on if they are in the water with me. Again I know things can happen real fast but with that mind set I should never let them ride the 4 wheeler or wakeboard. That said my wife can not swim either. I tell her and her parents that I think not teaching a kid to swim is child abuse. It is an essential skill every kid should know.

[scottnorm 9]

I'm sure I'm going to get flamed for this but I disagree. I mean if you want to wear a vest at all times that's is a great choice for you but I don't wear a vest all the time. I don't think that it could never happen to me or anything but understand the risk and I'm willing to take it. Kind of like riding a motorcycle or any other sport. I love to swim and spending the entire day in a vest does not appeal to me. My kids do not have vests on if they are in the water with me. Again I know things can happen real fast but with that mind set I should never let them ride the 4 wheeler or wakeboard. That said my wife can not swim either. I tell her and her parents that I think not teaching a kid to swim is child abuse. It is an essential skill every kid should know.

Yep, and I'll bite. I've been around so many adult drownings (people who could swim) that I was prompted to research how this could happen so frequently. What I read scared the crap out of me. I don't recall exactly the article, but I recall that your body can just shut down and you literally just sink under the surface. Here is how Wikopedia describes it:

 

The instinctive drowning response is a set of behaviors automatically undertaken by a person who either is, or is very close to, drowning. These are autonomic responses of the body, undertaken without deliberate control, and "represent a person's final attempts to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in water" before sinking. Contrary to the normal popularisation of drowning as a highly visible behavior, involving shouting, abrupt or violent movements such as splashing and waving, and visible difficulty – which is a related phenomenon, known as aquatic distress, which often but not always precedes drowning – the 'instinctive drowning response' is noiseless and confined to subtle movements. While distress and panic may sometimes take place beforehand, drowning itself is deceptively quick and often silent. A person at, or close to, the point of drowning is unable to keep his/her mouth above water long enough to breathe properly and is unable to shout. Lacking air, his/her body cannot perform the voluntary efforts involved in waving or seeking attention. Involuntary actions operated by the autonomic nervous system involve lateral flapping or paddling with the arms to press them down into the water in the effort to raise the mouth long enough to breathe, and tilting the head back. As an instinctive reaction, this is not consciously mediated nor under conscious control. The lack of leg movement, upright position, inability to talk or keep the mouth consistently above water, and (upon attempting to reach the victim) the absence of expected rescue-directed actions, are evidence of the condition. The instinct takes place for typically no longer than the final 20–60 seconds during drowning and before sinking underwater. In comparison, a person who can still shout and keep their mouth constantly above water may be in distress, but is not in immediate danger of drowning compared to a person unable to do so.

[Bigcatpt 408]

.I would add add, I recommend everyone to be current on CPR for adults and kiddos.

^^^^good point^^^^^^^^

[Bigcatpt 408]

.The instinctive drowning response is a set of behaviors automatically undertaken by a person who either is, or is very close to, drowning. These are autonomic responses of the body, undertaken without deliberate control, and "represent a person's final attempts to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in water" before sinking. Contrary to the normal popularisation of drowning as a highly visible behavior, involving shouting, abrupt or violent movements such as splashing and waving, and visible difficulty – which is a related phenomenon, known as aquatic distress, which often but not always precedes drowning – the 'instinctive drowning response' is noiseless and confined to subtle movements. While distress and panic may sometimes take place beforehand, drowning itself is deceptively quick and often silent. A person at, or close to, the point of drowning is unable to keep his/her mouth above water long enough to breathe properly and is unable to shout. Lacking air, his/her body cannot perform the voluntary efforts involved in waving or seeking attention. Involuntary actions operated by the autonomic nervous system involve lateral flapping or paddling with the arms to press them down into the water in the effort to raise the mouth long enough to breathe, and tilting the head back. As an instinctive reaction, this is not consciously mediated nor under conscious control. The lack of leg movement, upright position, inability to talk or keep the mouth consistently above water, and (upon attempting to reach the victim) the absence of expected rescue-directed actions, are evidence of the condition. The instinct takes place for typically no longer than the final 20–60 seconds during drowning and before sinking underwater. In comparison, a person who can still shout and keep their mouth constantly above water may be in distress, but is not in immediate danger of drowning compared to a person unable to do so.

 

This is an excellent post!!!! So many times we expect drowning to look like it does on TV and in the movies. This is just not the case. Drowning is a silent event with very little splashing or movement. They say that most people would not spot a person drowning in a crowded pool even if they were told to find the drowning person.

[BillC4 24]

Yep, and I'll bite. I've been around so many adult drownings (people who could swim) that I was prompted to research how this could happen so frequently. What I read scared the crap out of me. I don't recall exactly the article, but I recall that your body can just shut down and you literally just sink under the surface. Here is how Wikopedia describes it:

 

The instinctive drowning response is a set of behaviors automatically undertaken by a person who either is, or is very close to, drowning. These are autonomic responses of the body, undertaken without deliberate control, and "represent a person's final attempts to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in water" before sinking. Contrary to the normal popularisation of drowning as a highly visible behavior, involving shouting, abrupt or violent movements such as splashing and waving, and visible difficulty which is a related phenomenon, known as aquatic distress, which often but not always precedes drowning the 'instinctive drowning response' is noiseless and confined to subtle movements. While distress and panic may sometimes take place beforehand, drowning itself is deceptively quick and often silent. A person at, or close to, the point of drowning is unable to keep his/her mouth above water long enough to breathe properly and is unable to shout. Lacking air, his/her body cannot perform the voluntary efforts involved in waving or seeking attention. Involuntary actions operated by the autonomic nervous system involve lateral flapping or paddling with the arms to press them down into the water in the effort to raise the mouth long enough to breathe, and tilting the head back. As an instinctive reaction, this is not consciously mediated nor under conscious control. The lack of leg movement, upright position, inability to talk or keep the mouth consistently above water, and (upon attempting to reach the victim) the absence of expected rescue-directed actions, are evidence of the condition. The instinct takes place for typically no longer than the final 2060 seconds during drowning and before sinking underwater. In comparison, a person who can still shout and keep their mouth constantly above water may be in distress, but is not in immediate danger of drowning compared to a person unable to do so.

 

I agree whole heartedly with this post. Great post. Very scary.

 

I don't understand why adults are too proud to learn how to swim. It's never too late. No offense meant. But don't let your wife's pride get in the way of learning how to swim. Strictly a pride issue.

 

I am very happy that your wife acted out on her fears. With the motherly instincts, the end results could have been bad. Thank goodness the little one is ok.

Edited July 30, 2013 by BillC4

[rawinnin 73]

I'm sure I'm going to get flamed for this but I disagree. I mean if you want to wear a vest at all times that's is a great choice for you but I don't wear a vest all the time. I don't think that it could never happen to me or anything but understand the risk and I'm willing to take it. Kind of like riding a motorcycle or any other sport. I love to swim and spending the entire day in a vest does not appeal to me. My kids do not have vests on if they are in the water with me. Again I know things can happen real fast but with that mind set I should never let them ride the 4 wheeler or wakeboard. That said my wife can not swim either. I tell her and her parents that I think not teaching a kid to swim is child abuse. It is an essential skill every kid should know.

Flamed, No. But my advice is to think long and hard about what actions you maybe teaching an impressionable person. I am with the others on life vest especially when children are involved under a certain age they should be required by law when on a lake to have a life vest swimming or on a boat.

A friend of mine saved a young little girl that was 4 years old but could not save her father from drowning while he was trying to enjoy a family day at a lake here in Texas, this was in a shallower water area. He has beat himself up for 3 years over this until finally this year the mans wife reached out to him and thanked him and asked him to have no regret over his actions because he did everything he could and she still had her baby girl due to his actions.

[nailem 29]

I have read that article before. Very accurate about drowning but all it does is point out that drowning does not happen like they show in the movies. You can drown in a pool correct so do we all wear vest or make our kids while in the pool? How about when you take your kids to the beach do you have them vest up? Again I understand it happens, lots of things happen. I keep a close watch on them while they are in the water,is this a guaranty that it will not happen? There are no guaranties. This year my 8 year old jumped of a 25' bridge (she did have her vest on for that) but her mom said no she'll break her neck. True is could that happen? Sure anything can happen but odds are she was not going to break her neck. I was so proud of her when she climbed up there and jumped.

[superdtf 68]

Man, I'm gonna get flamed...

 

Our kids swim like fishes. For me it depends on the water. At our local lake, visibility is near zero; everyone wears a lifejacket at all times. In our pool, our four year old who can swim well enough (but not awesome) doesn't have to wear a lifejacket, because anybody with eyes can see where he is in the pool, even if that's the bottom. At the lake near my sister-in-law, visibility in the water is good. So the older kids who are strong swimmers can skip the lifejacket at the beach, but not out on the boat where the water is deep (because it doesn't matter if I can see them if it's 75' deep).

 

So in summary - the conditions dictate the level of safety. Everybody wears a lifejacket when they ride (except myself in certain foolish circumstances), and all the kids wear a life preserver on the boat. At the beach, if the water is turbid, all the kids wear them. In the deeps, all the kids and parents wear them when they swim. On the boat, everyone under 14 wears one. Over 14 can skip it ONLY if they pass the water safety test (borrowed from the Boy Scouts).

 

As for an adult that cannot swim- I don't judge. Who knows what may have happened in one's lifetime to make the thought of getting in the water without flotation unbearable?

[DrNate 426]

I tend to agreee with you Super. My kids are both a little older and can swim better and faster than I can so when we're just tied up swimming at the lake I let the swim for short periods without their life jacket if the water conditions are favorable (not windy or choppy). It is a Texas law that they wear their life jackets while on the boat and underway (until 13), so they always do that.

 

Even if conditions are ideal, however, after 10 or 15 minutes of swimming withough life jackets, we always make them put them back on because kids just like to go forever and they don't realize that fatigue can start to set in and that can become a problem. We try to be pro-active about it and my wife always watches them like a hawk.

 

But I can certainly understand the other views on this as well.

[Skibumm 184]

I will also get flamed but I think it is situational. All my kids were competetive swimmers and my youngest swims over 4000 meteres per day faster than me. I am not ever thinking jackets for them unless the water is very rough or they are at powell just swimming around while we park. I obeyed the law for jackets on kids in boats even though my kids hated it and proved they cold swim better than 99% of the people out there. My kids now ski in a non coast guard approved jacket (per Law) but I always have enough coast guard approved in the boat.

 

When I was 17 I taught swim lessons in our pool and had a mother there watching which was common but she was not paying attention to her toddler. He went over and jumped in the deep end 10 ft and the mom freaked out. She could not swim and the kid went right to the bottom. I hurried and pulled him out and he came up smiling and wanting to do it again. I changed my rules from then on that only parents could watch lessons.

 

In short Sh&% happens and we should be safety oriented but we also need to remember that going overboard is also not good for kids. Life is full of risks. Know them, Repect them. Teach them, but do not run away from them.

[BillC4 24]

"In short Sh&% happens and we should be safety oriented but we also need to remember that going overboard is also not good for kids. Life is full of risks. Know them, Repect them. Teach them, but do not run away from them."

 

Great advice.

[David 0]

Last year we had a father jump in to save his son and both ended up drowning.

 

 

http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/20120907/NEWS0107/209070394/