Drowning at Tulum

[FITZ]

I read the news today and one of IL politicians son-in-law drowned in Tulum yesterday. He was mid age and snorkeling alone. They had a family vacation there. How sad.
We both agree that if one of us desires to go a bit further out in the water in Tulum, we go together. It can get pretty rough. I just missed smashing my head against a rock a few years back.
Places such as Akumal, are much calmer, but Tulum can get quite iffy sometimes.
My condolences to the family and anyone who witnesses tragic events like this.

[minniemex]

That is truly tragic. My sympathies go out to the family.

I agree about the snorkeling only in a minimum pairs, especially in rough or unknown water. Also wearing a vest when snorkeling unknown and rough water is a must in my book.

[pepper]

So awful.

My husband kayaks to the reef and it makes me so nervous - sometimes that water can be rougher out there than expected.

[pepper]

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/08/congresswomans-son-in-law-dies-snorkeling.html

Sounds like they may have been in Soliman Bay.

[Lynnette]

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/08/congresswomans-son-in-law-dies-snorkeling.html

Sounds like they may have been in Soliman Bay.

I thought the same thing....sadly there have been many drownings in Soliman. I'm showing this to my DH...he likes to snorkel alone, too. :( My heart goes out to the victim's family.

[beachreader]

How awful for the family and everyone affected. Pairs only from now on, and with an established signal for trouble and frequent checks. Vests, too, always a good idea.

[FITZ]

I just wanted to add a thought.
There have been moments when I looked out on the water and actually thought someone was in trouble. The first time was in Puerto Vallarta. We were on our balcony and through our binoculars, saw a small boat with two people waving. The boat was way out there and a big storm was approaching. We called the front desk and subsequently observed a rescue. The boat had run out of petro and the big storm started about five minutes after they were rescued. It was a big storm and I think those guys would have been goners.
Another time, two years ago, I saw a struggling man on his way back from snorkeling the reef at Tulum. We both swam out to him, and he was one very tired hombre. His pride wouldn't accept our help....until a wave knocked him over near shore and he didn't have the energy to get up.
Always assume the worst, and don't be shy about reporting what you suspect to be a problem. That person out there could be me or u.

[beachreader]

Great point, Fitz!

There are no lifeguards on the Tulum beach, so we should all keep our eyes open and aware whenever we can.

[minniemex]

Wow, good thing for your watchful eyes Fitz!!

I personally got caught once in an undertow while snorkeling in Hanama Bay in Hawaii. I kept fighting it and I should of just let it take me and then swim across it. You have a tendancy to panic in situations that you can't control. I was exhausted, but I finally got past it. My husband was with me too and missed it (the undertow), so I would have had help if I had needed it.

We never snorkel alone or without our vests if we are in an area we don't know. That part is probably not even smart, as we should wear them all the time. Stories like this should convince us to wear them all the time!

[Sandfan]

Thanks for the segue into this topic. We were debating how to post this tragic event without compromising the family's privacy. I share this, hoping someone will be motivated to take all the necessary precautions so their vacation will not end with this same type of tragedy.

It was the day before we were to leave, when this unfortunate event took place. We were on the beach when the family next door to us started wondering where Michael was snorkeling. Hearing just a slight tone of concern, I thought I'd take a look with my binoculars. I spotted him in an area that our host had warned us to avoid. He was not staying in a normal snorkeling position, but appeared to be alternating between floating on his back and being face down, which by my own experience is an attempt to conserve energy. We alerted the family that he may need some help and that's when his father-in-law rushed out in a kayak with a life preserver to go help him. Seeing that he struggled getting him the life jacket, and had to jump into the water, I knew there was trouble and immediately raced out there in another kayak. The father-in-law was holding him keeping his head above water. He was unconscious and completely limp. His father-in-law and I tried to lift him onto one kayak to help clear water out of his lungs, but he was too heavy with the depth of water (just over 6 ft. with 2 ft. waves coming through). Other family, including his wife, soon arrived in a double kayak. With the extra help, we were able to get him onto the double kayak. His wife valiantly worked to give him breaths from the front of the kayak, while I was in the back straddled over him giving him chest compressions as the kayak was being pushed to the shore. On shore, my wife and Michael's brother-in-law stepped in and we continued CPR until the ambulance arrived. Our efforts were doing some good in that he retained color in his skin, but there was never any pulse. Once the medics arrived, they had no medications, nor defibrulating device and even though they continued with CPR in the ambulance, he could not be resuscitated.

We felt so devastaed for the family. Our hearts felt heavy for the tragic loss. Each of us conversing with each other kept expressing, "How needless this loss." "It was so preventable". "All he needed was to have a life jacket and he'd probably still be here." We all kept rehearsing in our minds what we could have done differently as tears welled up in our eyes.

The drastic mood change between then and merely an hour before was palpable. Imagine then how torturous it was for us as we were sorting through our emotions, having just received the hospital report of Michael's death, to see others from another part of the bay venturing out in the same waters without any sort of flotation device. I wanted a megaphone and a huge sign to shout out to everyone. Please, please, please don't be so careless!

The ocean is nothing to mess with no matter how many times you've done it before, no matter how experienced you may be. Get advice from those that know the area first, then always have a flotation device, and best of all, have a buddy.

Have a healthy fear for, but don't be scared of the ocean. There is so much beauty on the reefs and in the water that God has put there for us to enjoy. Just take the time to be knowledgeable of the issues and situations you may encounter and don't think you're so experienced, strong, or invincible that you don't need some sort of flotation device.

[minniemex]

Sandfan ~ thanks for sharing with us! To have experienced that first hand is overwhelming to say the least. I hope everyone learns from this. Check with the "locals", never snorkel alone and never without a flotation device of some kind. Make no excuses, as this was a young man this happened to, no heart attack victim, just out snorkeling alone, without any flotation device and without a buddy. Just give the ocean the respect it requires.

[letele]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Sandfan. I hope people will listen and take heed. What an absolutely awful thing for the family to go through...snorkeling is great, but there is nothing out there so great that it's worth losing your life over. Buddy system, always.

[pepper]

Sandfan - thanks for reminding us of something so simple, yet so necessary when snorkling. I'm sorry that we have to talk about snorkling safety after a young man's death.

It sounds like there is a known spot to be avoided, or cautioned of, when snorkling. Is it in Soliman Bay? Or Tankah Bay? I hope you can tell us the location.

[John in DC]

I imagine I know where this happened -- right where the Soliman Bay reef has a break that's maybe 100 yards wide, about in front of Hacienda Kass. Depending on tides and winds, the water can really churn there, and it can be difficult to make headway even in a kayak. If you were snorkeling, you could be really screwed.

We were staying on Soliman in 2007 when a visitor drowned while snorkeling in that area, and in 2008 had several conversations with people about why snorkeling there was a bad idea. Everyone said they were strong swimmers. So was the guy who drowned.

Soliman Bay isn't any more or less dangerous a place to snorkel that other spots up and down the coast. But like every other spot, it does require you to pay attention to the water, and to your own abilities.

[Sandfan]

John, you are correct. Soliman has a barrier reef that goes across the mouth of the bay. It is a fairly long swim for even a strong swimmer to get out there. Most of the way out you swim in about 3' to 6' of water depth. Once you get 2/3rds of the way out, the depth becomes 8'-12'. Obviously even at the shallower depths you're going to be swimming, so if you're fighting any kind of breeze or wave action, it begins to wear you down from the start. I recommend taking a kayak out, then tying onto one of the buoys that are tied up out there. Have a little rope on the kayak so you can tie it up, and if you wish to snorkel back to shore, you can tow the kayak behind you. It works well.

The problem area is directly in the middle of the reef barrier. From shore you can see waves crashing against the reef to the left of the center of the bay and crashing to the right of center. What actually happens is there is about a 300' gap in the reef where the water is deeper. This allows waves to come into the bay uncontested through this channel, and more dangerously can create some rip currents which can draw you outside the reef even when trying to swim against it.

Here's some side note advice: If that does happen to you, wherever you are. Don't panic, don't fight it, just start swimming parallel to the shore until you are out of the effect of the rip current, then you can aim to shore without having to work twice as hard. A rip current is like a river current flowing in the ocean formed by the combination of the ocean floor topography, tides, and weather conditions. Once you're at the edge of this current, it no longer is pulling you. They are usually not too wide, so keep your wits about you to work out of them should you find yourself in one.

With all that, where is the best snorkeling? Just to the left of the center gap. Where you see the waves beginning to crash, you will see the darker patches indicating coral heads. The reef makes a fishhook curl towards shore right there. Within that curl is nice coral for snorkeling and safer conditions as well. There is a white buoy to help you locate it as well as hitch your kayak to. Here is a picture with labeling to help identify the areas.

http://images2c.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp53669%3Enu%3D32%3C%3A%3E842%3E66%3B% 3EWSNRCG%3D32%3C6683945336nu0mrj

[PhyllisB]

Minnie or Fran, I wonder if we want to put an edited down version of this thread (at least Sandfan's latest one) into the Resources & FAQ with a title about snorkel safety, so people could find it easily.... I think it is really helpful information and we should try to make it easy to find.

[Zapatista]

Thanks for the really helpful information, sandfan.

[Maverick]

Somewhat relevant, but people should also take heed at Half Moon Bay in Akumal. The centre of the bay has the same kind of dangerous action if you're not aware. The reef has eroded in the middle and on certain windy days and tidal action can pull you outside the reef. A group of us crossed the opening one windy day, and I had to alternate back to front to conserve energy. If I had panicked, it could have ended badly.

Always keep a healthy respect for the power of the ocean.

[pepper]

Sandfan - thank you for the very detailed picture. We will remember it and refer to it often.

Maverick - thanks for the reminder about Half Moon Bay.

We all need to be cautious.

[BP.]

So very sad, and such great information shared here. Thank-you.

Like some of you guys, I've been the Nervous Nelly on the beach with the Baby Binocs, while Solo Snorkeler did her thing. Now instead, I kayak out to the coralheads or reef (Xcalak) towing Snorkeler, kayak around keeping an eye Snorkeler, then tow Snorkeler back to shore. Great plan; I just need to apply more sunblock next time- my shins are still peeling from all that exposure out there.

[Grasshopper]

Great point, Fitz!

There are no lifeguards on the Tulum beach, so we should all keep our eyes open and aware whenever we can.

Ditto - we all need to look out for eachother! Ya just never know!

[FITZ]

I'm surprised to know there are no defribulaters or heart starting meds on the ambulances. Why? They are not that expensive. I realize this is Mexico, but for the amount of money tourism puts in there, I would expect that much.
Sandfan-thanks for the input, and I am so sorry for your experience, as for that of the family.

[Freddy]

John, you are correct. Soliman has a barrier reef that goes across the mouth of the bay. It is a fairly long swim for even a strong swimmer to get out there. Most of the way out you swim in about 3' to 6' of water depth. Once you get 2/3rds of the way out, the depth becomes 8'-12'. Obviously even at the shallower depths you're going to be swimming, so if you're fighting any kind of breeze or wave action, it begins to wear you down from the start. I recommend taking a kayak out, then tying onto one of the buoys that are tied up out there. Have a little rope on the kayak so you can tie it up, and if you wish to snorkel back to shore, you can tow the kayak behind you. It works well.

The problem area is directly in the middle of the reef barrier. From shore you can see waves crashing against the reef to the left of the center of the bay and crashing to the right of center. What actually happens is there is about a 300' gap in the reef where the water is deeper. This allows waves to come into the bay uncontested through this channel, and more dangerously can create some rip currents which can draw you outside the reef even when trying to swim against it.

Here's some side note advice: If that does happen to you, wherever you are. Don't panic, don't fight it, just start swimming parallel to the shore until you are out of the effect of the rip current, then you can aim to shore without having to work twice as hard. A rip current is like a river current flowing in the ocean formed by the combination of the ocean floor topography, tides, and weather conditions. Once you're at the edge of this current, it no longer is pulling you. They are usually not too wide, so keep your wits about you to work out of them should you find yourself in one.

With all that, where is the best snorkeling? Just to the left of the center gap. Where you see the waves beginning to crash, you will see the darker patches indicating coral heads. The reef makes a fishhook curl towards shore right there. Within that curl is nice coral for snorkeling and safer conditions as well. There is a white buoy to help you locate it as well as hitch your kayak to. Here is a picture with labeling to help identify the areas.

http://images2c.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp53669%3Enu%3D32%3C%3A%3E842%3E66%3B% 3EWSNRCG%3D32%3C6683945336nu0mrj[/quote]
Beautiful picture sandman. A tragic and needless loss. The ocean in Soliman can be very misleading.. it looks tranquil but when u start swimming there are many underlying currents..esp. near the reefs( where they are the strongest). You can drown in shallow water as well as deep water. On rough days, its better not to snorkel in and among the coral.. because of these currents. This family was staying at Villa Buene Suerte, and most all of the rental homes in this area encourage kayakers and swimmers to wear life vests. Punta Soliman is a private bay with no public facilities, ie toilets, lifeguards,beach chairs. Its best to swim where there are life guards if possible. I think Tulum has public beaches with guards. Anyway, it may be a good investment for owners of these villas to buy some emergency equipment ie: defibrillator..given all the drownings in this area. Teaching basic CPR to workers may save a life. Just some thoughts.

[John in DC]

All the drownings? I'm no expert, but I recall two over the course of three years.

Of course, that's two too many, so I do agree that having a defibrillator handy might be useful sometimes. In the case of a solo snorkeler drowning in the middle of the bay, however, I have doubts about its value.

The better approach, as you say, might be actively encouraging people use flotation, discouraging people from going out when conditions are iffy and vehemently discouraging people from going out alone.

[ChicagoCraig]

Thanks for all the information that has been posted in regards to snorkeling in Soliman Bay. We always use inflatable snorkel vests but this information has really helped us be informed about SB in particular.

Condolences to the family if they happen to come across this site.