windsurfer fatality at dougs

lance_k · Since 04 May 2005 565 Posts Hood River Photographer

http://forums.iWindsurf.com/viewtopic.php?t=15366
From the rescuer>>
"Scott here- I was quite a ways downwind of Doug's with only a couple guys that were further down wind.

I was actually kind of looking for my friend Trudy that I had seen a bit before- but hadn't seen her go back up towards Dougs, so when I saw (just under the under the surface), a red harness just like Trudy's, I freaked- jumped in and pulled the head up to see it wasn't my friend. I saw no gear around and I knew it had been more than a few minutes time that had passed since his accident. I got behind him and put his head on my shoulder and started to kick to the OR side since I thought it was a bit closer. I tried feeling for a pulse but it was hard to determine out there with some big swell crashing over our heads.

My main thoughts were trying to get some attention from other sailors, whether or not to keep my board for flotation and the most frustrating realization, that I couldn't figure out how to try cpr in the rough 3.7 overpowered conditions. I held onto my gear which seemed slower but much easier to keep us above water. Tried keeping him on my board to no avail -but on my sail worked better.

After a while I felt the sandbar under my feet (sooner than I thought I would), but soon it got very slippery. There were a couple of guys sailing out in the middle but didn't seem to see me waving as I struggled in the mud. I finally got to the beach and started doing chest compressions and some breaths with a lot of water and some blood coming from nose/mouth and some blood from his eye. He had very short hair but still I couldn't see any signs of trama to his head other than the blood in eye /and slight possibility of a broken nose.

Within a cpl of minutes, a sailor that was waiting on the OR side came out of nowhere and happened to be an ER worker so we took turns pumping his chest when another guy came up and said he had called 911 already.

I'm guessing about 30+ minutes had passed since I found him, when the paramedics arrived. They didn't look hopeful when they found out the timeline - I think one told me 4-7 min. was about all you could survive without cpr.

Damian's buddy got there just before the rescue workers and my heart goes out to him and and the family. I didn't know Damian but felt I easily could have. I felt I should tell this to maybe help myself deal with what may haunt me a bit in the future. Thanks for the kind words of the previous posts and lets all keep an eye on each other out there!

I mainly sail the coast and my mom is always telling me how worried she is about that - but I've told her more than once.. Just remember if anything happens to me out there, It happened while I was doing something i love..."

Rollo Tomasi · Since 17 Mar 2005 983 Posts Attractive

Thx for the post Lance.
Sad to hear the news. kudos to those who worked to get him to shore and do their best to revive. what a heroic effort.
We tend to complain about a lot of little stuff in life and an incident like this really puts things in perspective.
Life is precious. Our thoughts go out to the family.

shredbarbie · Since 17 Sep 2005 97 Posts Hood River, OR

Hi Lance,

Unbelivable. Thanks for the post.

I am reminded today to up my own personal safety gear.

My condolences to the windsurfer and his family.

-Kirsten

kiterron66 · Since 18 Jun 2007 13 Posts spi New Member

My condolences for Damian's family and friends.

Scott, you did just great We had two kiting accidents in SPI this winter. The first was promptly witnessed; the kiter was face down in the water. The first person at the scene got his head out of the water and got him breathing. It turned out to be a brain aneurysm that had ruptured and it wasn't really from kiting.
The second was a beginner who had his kite leash hooked up backwards(he couldn't reach it) and the kite started looping. He was pulled underwater. the lines were twisted 2/3 way from the bar to the kite. A jet ski stopped the kite, no small effort. We started CPR and then took him by jet ski to the EMS pickup point on the shore.
I ponder whether we could have done better CPR and brought him back. He was between 5-10 minutes under the water when we started. It was waist to chest deep water. He didn't make it after several days in the hospital.
As a former college swimmer, Navy Seal, and MD I thought there must be a better way to do CPR in the water.
There isn't! I researched this and talked with several authorities.
It requires a hard surface to do the chest compression. A jet ski is very tippy and a boat would be much better.
The Coast Guard rescue swimmers can do CPR; it's part of their training. They however have large flippers and a BC, which allow them to really get the victim's airway up away from the water. No one kites or windsurfs with that kind of equipment.
Scot, you did a great job and the best anyone could have done.

shastadogs2 · Since 28 Mar 2005 336 Posts Obsessed

my sincere condolences to the family and friends, i am sorry for your loss.

kinda puts the whole kiters-vs-windsurfers into perspective. remember, we are all so fragile, vulnerable even, despite our posturing. and we are all more alike than we are different.

god bless

mmac · Since 15 May 2005 93 Posts SC

I am so sorry to hear of this accident. My deepest condolences for friends, family and everyone involved. Godspeed to Damian.
A grim reminder that we all need to watch out for each other on the water.

Nak · Sat Jul 19, 08 8:06 pm

My heart goes out to Damien and all those he left behind. I hope your family finds peace, and I hope you find steady winds.

Scott, thanks for helping your fellow wind junkie in his time of need. That he passed on does not diminish your effort, rather it highlights how important it is to help out when someone is in need.

lance_k · Since 04 May 2005 565 Posts Hood River Photographer

some confusion here... i'm just reposting what the rescuer Scott said. i was not apart of the incident.

boardrider · Since 05 Apr 2006 1034 Posts Ventura, CA XTreme Poster

I thought about this while KBing today - could happen to anyone.

bustingbladder · Since 12 Jul 2006 387 Posts Seattle Obsessed

My condolences to Damian and family. Rest in peace wind brother...

Wally