Jet Skier body found...

[richaceg]

When you go out on the lake make sure you have a PFD no matter how good a swimmer you are...there are factors beyond your skills you need to consider.
There were 2 of them on the jet ski, the woman who was wearing a pfd survived...

Body of missing jet skier recovered at Bluffer's Beach

Toronto police's Marine Unit has recovered the body of a jet skier who went missing at Bluffer's Beach in August.

toronto.citynews.ca

 

[SchlongConery]

This guy didn't even know how to swim. Yet he went out on a jetski with a girl who couldn't swim and only had ONE lifejacket.

Still sad.

 

[SchlongConery]

And even if you are a great swimmer, you can still drown.

A friend of mine recently drowned (august 11) swimming from his sailboat on Lake Ontario just off Ajax.

He was a GREAT swimmer. Was returning from sailing the St; Lawrence and jumped in for a quick dip. Never surfaced.

http://instagr.am/p/DNRgXIbuUr_/


"I was saddened to learn today of the passing of long time friend Henry Less.

Henry was a brilliant director and cinematographer, with boundless energy and endless ideas.

If not for Henry we would not have our “compound” on Miskwabi.

Henry was on a commercial shoot when he flew over the property and bought it soon thereafter.

He decided he’d prefer a sail boat to a “static” cottage, bought a boat and sold us the cottage he called the “Love Shack”.

Henry loved sailing and he loved swimming…naked. I think everybody who knew Henry had seen him naked at one time or another.

Yesterday, in the middle of Lake Ontario, Henry decided to jump off the boat and go for a swim, something he’d done hundreds of times previously.

This time Henry dove in and never resurfaced.
Recovery operations continue.

Henry was definitely one of a kind.
He will be missed by many friends and family.
He always said he wanted to die on set. In this case, the set was his boat, on the lake, on a beautiful sunny day. Roll camera!

He would have wanted it this way. Rest in peace my friend. May Henry’s memory be a blessing."

 

[richaceg]

What do you suspect went wrong? Just jumping in doesn't seem like a dangerous move for a decent swimmer.

lot's of factors can get you in trouble in Lake Ontario. temperature changes as it get's deeper...cramps can also factor in with age...I fell from a paddle board on the otonabee river last year and was cramping (standing on the paddle board on summer can cause these cramps) my wife had to haul my ass (she was on a paddle board too) to shore...i had a pfd and my leg is also tied to my paddle board. I also troll lake ontario arounnd ajax and pickering and it is really deep a few kms away from shore. some boats also drift slowly even when anchored. again, temperature on big lakes are no joke...it gets too cold.

 

[SchlongConery]

What do you suspect went wrong? Just jumping in doesn't seem like a dangerous move for a decent swimmer.

Nobody knows

That and the boilerplate news articles are all I, and our mutual friends, know. We don't even know who was with him on the boat.

Police continue search after swimmer disappears in Lake Ontario

Police say they received a call around 5 p.m. reporting that a male swimmer had gone underwater near his boat and did not resurface.

toronto.citynews.ca

He was 72 but in great shape. Was in deep water so unlikely he hit his head.

Ruling out foul play, and taking that he 'fell' in, about the only thing I think that could have happened was a sudden cardiac arrest. There is no word on him floating back up or struggle or anything...

Problem with drowning in deep water in a cold lake is that first you sink to the bottom where it is very cold. Off Ajax it is at least 100' and as deep as 170'. At those depths, the temp is like 5C. So the cold temps will slow the decomposition of the body and the decomposition by-product gases might not be enough to cause the body to float to the surface. And even then, it can off-gas a re-sink unless it gets washed up on shore somewhere. And if he surfaces in a NW or west wind, he will drift across Lake Ontario for possibly 200 miles... and will likely sink again from being pounded by waves

We may never know...

Except for simply not going swimming off his boat (which he always did) there is probably nothing preventable to be learned. He was divorced, no kids (step-children) so only his friends will be left to wonder. We'll miss him the same anyways...

Great guy. I wasn't a really close friend but met and hung out with him many times with mutual friends over the past 4-5 summers. Sailed with him on his 45' Beneteau several times. Skilled, experienced big water sailor. He was always positive, happy and engaging. Lived an incredible life. And while it is sad he has died, he likely didn't suffer.

We should all be so fortunate to live a life like his.

 

[SchlongConery]

Lots of people drown or go missing on Lake Ontario and the Great Lakes every year.

Statistics – Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project

glsrp.org

I can't believe the number of IDIOTS, yes...IDIOTS,,,, I see paddleboarding and kayaking in the Harbour, and especially the Western (and Eastern) Gap(s).

Worse than getting run over or capsized by a wake, you don't want to fall IN the dirty harbour water . (The lake itself, outside the harbour is really clean)

Inconsiderate assholes in power boats come plowing through at speeds that throw a HUGE wake, and those waves ricochet off the concrete walls of the channels and harbour, creating a chaotic bathtub sloshing of waves piling up in every direction. Not to mention the maniac water taxi drivers racing across the harbour wayyyyy over the speed limit. And the fuckiing useless Marine Unit cops do nothing to enforce the rules.

Kayak and paddleboard off Cherry Beach or anywhere along Woodbine Beach (The Beaches) or any of the Island beaches. Not in the Harbour. At least not on the weekends when it is a crazy free-for-all.

 

[whynot888]

This guy didn't even know how to swim. Yet he went out on a jetski with a girl who couldn't swim and only had ONE lifejacket.

Still sad.

Both were not wearing a life jacket, it was the rental company staff who took his off and gave it to the female while overboard. Big lawsuits coming

 

[SchlongConery]

One other thing to mention about idiots.

On Saturday there was a Mayday call on Channel 16 about a blue and white 22' Bayliner (POS boat brand) with 12 people on board (!) reported a failed engine, taking on water, in the Eastern Gap near the old Rochester Ferry Terminal. A sailboat named Smowflake radio'd they were heading over. AFAIK, Cops NEVER responded. Nothing on the radio and while I was exiting the Western Gap, never saw any police boats heading across the Harbour.

Never heard anything more.

However on Sunday when I was heading out the Eastern Gap to go to see the airshow, ANOTHER Mayday call (through the Prescott Coast Guard Radioo Station relay) said a blue and white 22' Bayliner with 8 on board had lost power off 50 Point Creek (Stony Beach) and was drifting onto the rocks. And coincidentally, SV Snowflake was motoring alogside us!

Imagine the stupid irresponsibility if it was the same boat?

I see stupid behaviour all the time in the Harbour. Almost ran over a 28' day cruiser power boat who was plowing with his bow so high he couldn't see my BIG sailboat and he cut straight across my bow! Blasted the horn, full reverse and turned hard to avoid him. Had I not been looking so attentively because of all the traffic coming in from the airshow, I definitely would have hit him broadside. He gave me the "Huh, WTF bro!" look like *I* was in the wrong. And while he was looking back at me giviing me stink eye... he bounced off the airport side concrete wall ! Easily a $10k repair.

 

[TauCeti]

No lifejackets?

Wait until the brainiacs on e-scooters doing 50kph meet a concrete sidewalk without a helmet. Oops. I don’t need no stinking PFD!

 

[SchlongConery]

Both were not wearing a life jacket, it was the rental company staff who took his off and gave it to the female while overboard. Big lawsuits coming

There is a BIG problem with the rental AND more importantly, unlicensed, uninsured private charter operations in Toronto.

Just last week (or two?) someone fell off an unlicensed private charter while being dropped off (illegally) near Ontario Place.

At least one or two people die on unlicensed, unsafe charter operation in Toronto every year.

There was an article in last week's Toronto Star about the problem. I don't have subscription though.

Apparently Transport Canada DAGF nor do the Toronto police.

Harbour chaos: Inside Toronto's unregulated boats-for-hireToronto Starhttps://www.thestar.com › News › GTA

Tragic Drowning Incident During Allegedly Unlicensed Yacht Expedition on Lake Ontario Surfaces

/CNW/ - A recently obtained iPhone video has brought to light a distressing incident involving the fatal drowning of an individual who, on or around June 19th,...

www.newswire.ca

One girl was trapped in the washroom when the (drunk) captain of an unlicensed private charter boat smashed into the rocky breakwater at night at high speed. She was fine from the impact, but drowned in the head. No insurance.

Pirates: commercial boat operators say some boaters are putting public at risk | Watch News Videos Online

Watch Pirates: commercial boat operators say some boaters are putting public at risk Video Online, on GlobalNews.ca

globalnews.ca

 

[SchlongConery]

Both were not wearing a life jacket, it was the rental company staff who took his off and gave it to the female while overboard. Big lawsuits coming

Probably not licensed and not insured so there will be no money to realize.

Never rent or charter or hire unlicensed anything that should require a license. Not worth it. It shows they do not care about rules. Tombstone Rules that are engraved on the graves of the victims who learned the hard way.

 

[richaceg]

One other thing to mention about idiots.

On Saturday there was a Mayday call on Channel 16 about a blue and white 22' Bayliner (POS boat brand) with 12 people on board (!) reported a failed engine, taking on water, in the Eastern Gap near the old Rochester Ferry Terminal. A sailboat named Smowflake radio'd they were heading over. AFAIK, Cops NEVER responded. Nothing on the radio and while I was exiting the Western Gap, never saw any police boats heading across the Harbour.

Never heard anything more.

However on Sunday when I was heading out the Eastern Gap to go to see the airshow, ANOTHER Mayday call (through the Prescott Coast Guard Radioo Station relay) said a blue and white 22' Bayliner with 8 on board had lost power off 50 Point Creek (Stony Beach) and was drifting onto the rocks.

Imagine the stupid irresponsibility if it was the same boat?

I see stupid behaviour all the time in the Harbour. Almost ran over a 28' day cruiser power boat who was plowing with his bow so high he couldn't see my BIG sailboat and he cut straight across my bow! Blasted the horn, full reverse and turned hard to avoid him. Had I not been looking so attentively because of all the traffic coming in from the airshow, I definitely would have hit him broadside. He gave me the "Huh, WTF bro!" look like *I* was in the wrong. And while he was looking back at me giviing me stink eye... he bounced off the airport side concrete wall ! Easily a $10k repair.

Bayliner is such a shitty boat...cosmetically they are ok. if i'm going to buy something...it would be the cigarette...not really into those...I had a skeeter bass boat I sold a couple of years and lund deep hull after that, then sold and got me a bass tracker...i'm also done with console and just want a brand new tiller for some serious fishing...it's always the speed boats and jet skis that have no regard for wake...

 

[richaceg]

Strange and sad, sorry for your loss. Water is one of the most unforgiving elements we encounter as humans.

See it 9 months of the year from all types of water crafts...I fish all year round and on my boat from late spring to early fall...from paddle boards, kayaks, canoes, jet skis to jon boats and yachts...people are overly confident about their swimming skills some also show off...2 people disappear at burleigh falls 2 weeks ago trying to save a person in distress... never approach a drowning person if you are not skilled to save lives.

 

[SchlongConery]

Strange and sad, sorry for your loss. Water is one of the most unforgiving elements we encounter as humans.

 

[richaceg]

As someone who can't swim I won't even go on a jetski with a life jacket. I know there's a good chance it won't help me. 2 close friends of mine who are expert swimmers went camping and heard screams and 2 people rafting tipped over who could barely swim and the 2 friends saved them and it wasn't easy of course but those 2 friends said they are done camping like that. One suggested once I tag along with them in the water and I said even with both of them there and me in a life jacket on a ski or whatever else small isn't worth my life. Every year it's the same story too. Over confident weak swimmers and generally trying to show off. Sad.

PFDs are lifesavers...when I fell off my paddleboard on the river, i was cramping and can't even swim my way to shore as the river has some flow on it and otonabee isn't a small river...but my pfd kept me afloat no problem...until my SO paddled back and pushed me and my paddleboard to shore...

 

[richaceg]

Ice fishing is the worst when people know it's been a warm winter and such and they take the chance and fall in. Can't fix stupid as they say.

i do a lot of ice fishing...I don't go out in 8inch of water or thinner...10 inch or thicker...my rule is if there's 10" of water, the thinnest would be 3" because they don't freeze equally...what worries me out on ice is alcohol + ATVs...and some even bring trucks...a couple of years back in lake simcoe a truck ran over a hut with 2 people on it...

 

[Mr Deeds]

and the winner of this years Darwin award goes to this guy. and as with most Darwin awards its given posthumously.

 

[massman]

So many people have died on the water this summer in ON. Almost all had no life jackets. Even if a few died of medical causes, at least their bodies would float (giving them at least a chance of resuscitation) and if dead, body would be easily recovered, no days/ weeks of opp divers searching the silty depths.
Wear a freaking life jacket / pfd and if in a motorized vessel (especially if solo) have a kill cord clipped to your life jacket.

 

[TauCeti]

Play stupid games for your 10 mins of cringe fame.

Nature‘s way of culling the herd

 

[SchlongConery]

Ice fishing is the worst when people know it's been a warm winter and such and they take the chance and fall in. Can't fix stupid as they say.

Had one good day of ice fishing. Caught over 100lbs! Almost drowned cooking it all.