Jumping into the unknown....

A lifeguards advice on tombstoning

It’s that time of year again – the weather is warming up and people young and old are flocking to the coast to cool off and enjoy the summer season and already we are seeing the annual rise in an activity known as tombstoning - jumping off pier, cliffs and bridges into water below.

I can see the attraction of tombstoning, being a bit of an adrenaline junkie, but I have also seen firsthand the sheer dangers such an un-regulated activity brings.

According to ROSPA over a 5 year period 2004-2010 there was a reported 139 incidents requiring rescue or emergency response on our coastline.  12 of these ended in a fatality.

However, there is a really simple message for people to keep in their minds: don’t jump into the unknown!

Thombstoning has been a common activity across the British coast for generations, unfortunately in recent years it has gained the attention of the press for all the wrong reasons, mainly the number of people killed or suffering life changing injuries as a result of their jump.  So we took a little time to look at some of the dangers and ask is there a safer alternative?

Why is it dangerous?

Tombstoning offers a high-risk, high-impact experience but it can have severe and life-threatening consequences. This is because:

• Water depths alter with the tide – the water may be shallower than it seems
• Submerged objects like rocks may not be visible – these can cause serious impact injuries
• The shock of cold water can make it difficult to swim
• Getting out of the water is often more difficult than people realise
• Strong currents can rapidly sweep people away

Who is harmed?

To answer this question we looked at 41 of the most serious cases in more detail, and the stats may surprise you.

• Most of those involved in the most serious cases were male (85%)
• Teenagers were involved in just over half the cases (55%), followed by those in their 20s (25% with the remainder of incidents involving people aged over 30 years
• All of the known alcohol-related incidents involved males aged over 40 (which accounted for three of the fatal incidents)
• Of the non-fatal incidents, spinal and limb injuries (both at 20%) were most commonly reported.  Many of which resulted in life-changing injuries.

Is there a safer alternative?

Yes.  There is.  Activities such as coasteering are very similar to those associated with tombstoning but the key difference is that coasteering is done in a safe, controlled and lead manor.  Groups are escorted around pre-determined routes by specially trained guides who are equipped with both the skills and equipment needed to deal with any incident that might occur.