 |
2nd Light Forums |
 |
 |  |
|
Topic Title: FIVE SURFERS DROWNED IN HOLLAND LAST NIGHT Topic Summary: Sounds like crazy circumstances.... Created On: 05/12/2020 11:43 AM |
Linear : Threading : Single : Branch |
 Topic Tools
|
 05/12/2020 11:43 AM
|
|
|
Authorities are still attempting to figure out exactly what went wrong but a few witnesses have described the scene. It's understood that a heavy storm was raging off the coast and it ended up blowing towering mounds of foam along the harbour wall, which spread for hundreds of metres across the beach and beachbreak. According to local witnesses, the foam also extended onto the white wash and from the shore, it's unlikely anyone would have been able to see how deep the foam was on the water's surface. "Six experienced watermen went swimming with suits and fins, but three of them couldn't fight the current and got dragged under the foam, they didn't make it out. And two experienced surfers didn't make it out either. Huge drama, the surf community is in total shock and disbelief," one photographer told MSW this morning. "The community is hurt, no one dares to go near the water with a board this morning, even though the swell is on," he added. Another local said: "It is terrible. It was a small group of really fit and healthy surfers they went to bodysurf and got in trouble by a surprise set. They got caught inside with a ton of foam on top of the whitewash, and a few other surfers." One person still remains unaccounted for but a search by local coastguard was stood down late last night before it was resumed again this morning. In Holland, an intelligent lockdown is in place during COVID-19, meaning you have to be sensible and abide by social distancing measures. From all accounts, this was a horrific tragedy rather than people taking unnecessary risks. The coastguard did manage to get three people to shore but attempts to revive them failed. Our condolences go out to the families and friends of all those impacted by this news, and to the Holland surfing community as a whole. We'll update when more comes in about the situation. magicseaweed 
------------------------- Specializing in sarcasm and condescending rhetoric since 1971. |
|
|
|
|
|
05/12/2020 12:55 PM
|
|
|
Sounds like they drowned in the boundary layer between the water and the air. I've heard of it happening in hurricanes and other high wind situations where you can't get above the layer of blowing water to breath.
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/12/2020 06:39 PM
|
|
|
Wow, what a nightmare. I've gulped some foam and it really, really sucked.
------------------------- I was right. |
|
|
|
|
|
05/12/2020 07:00 PM
|
|
|
Sounds like the death of bodysurfer Glenn Whitford, "Redwings" at Waimea in January 1998. The waves were enormous, 30-35' but the problem was great masses of foam so thick that breathing was impossible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/13/2020 07:51 AM
|
|
|
I am only now understanding this. I read that last night and still couldn't figure out how and assumed the big surf made the big waves invisible and they got overwhelmed.
------------------------- "One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky. |
|
|
|
|
|
05/13/2020 06:06 PM
|
|
|
There's some additional replies including a video at Magic Seaweed. It looks like death by drowning/suffocation in foam, an apparent rarity.
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/13/2020 08:39 PM
|
|
|
hellofa a way to go.
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/14/2020 06:02 AM
|
|
|
Aweful. RIP.
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/15/2020 09:40 AM
|
|
|
The comments at Magic Seaweed have expanded, and one gives a clear account. Worth reading. The victims were professional lifeguards, training and skilled surfers. The cause of death was suffocation in foam.
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/16/2020 03:42 PM
|
|
|
On my first paddle out on October 31, 1991 at RCs, I got nailed by the lip of a monster set that grabbed me and sucked me up the face of it to the top pulling me up and backwards with the flow. Feeling the air on my back at the top I whipped my head up to grab a breath of air before it pitched me. I sucked in a mouthfull of foam and then down to the depths of hell. I wrapped my arms and legs around my board, at 6'5" way too small for that day, and down to the pit of hell. It pushed me to the bottom as I refused to let go of the board, knowing if I did it was over. My board's buoyancy took me to the surface where I briefly coughed out water, then sucked in air then got nailed by another monster. I lived to see another day. Yep, foam hell. Been there, done that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
05/16/2020 03:56 PM
|
|
|
My 2nd near death experience was Hurricane Bill August 22, 2009, Ponce Inlet. First paddle out, large beat down. Riding my 6'7" Joe Johnson QF. I get out about 300 yards or so. Some guy takes off on a monster wedge, gets pushed towards the jetty, freefalls and lands on my board. Cutting his fins into my tail to the stringer, ripping my leash cup out, taking my board away. I am now surfacing, 300+ yards from shore, and a good 2 feet of foam. I breath in foam and staring at the rock jetty as my only haven. I see a kid 50 yards away and beg him to come over and let me hold onto his board. He seems impatient but complies, but tells me to go over to hang onto the jetty. Another guy comes up to let me hang onto his board before some crazy heroic dude brings my board out to me. I have no idea how he got my board out. I rode it in on my belly, then grabbed my LB and surfed another session.
Edited: 05/16/2020 at 04:00 PM by rc |
|
|
|
|
|
06/11/2020 01:10 AM
|
|
|
A fresh review of the tragedy at BBC
|
|
|
|
|
|
FORUMS
:
Surfing
:
FIVE SURFERS DROWNED IN HOLLAND LAST NIGHT
|
Topic Tools |
FuseTalk Basic Edition - © 1999-2024 FuseTalk Inc. All rights reserved.