Drowning in Destin?

[UofL]

I heard on our local tv this morning, that someone from Louisville drowned at Destin. Alot of times, our local media will say Destin, but it can be anywhere in that area. Any details? Three years ago, I believe, just before we came down to Grayton, a woman from Indiana drowned at Grayton. We stayed at Fort Lauderdale earlier this year and there was one drowning and 20 people saved in one day. The waters aren't as friendly as I remember when I was little. We would walk so far out. Stay in the water for hours. I guess the hurricanes keep rearranging the ocean floor.
Be careful everyone when you are out there. Don't go too far. Understand how to swim out of the rip currents.

 

[KY oyster eater]

I heard on our local tv this morning, that someone from Louisville drowned at Destin. Alot of times, our local media will say Destin, but it can be anywhere in that area. Any details? Three years ago, I believe, just before we came down to Grayton, a woman from Indiana drowned at Grayton. We stayed at Fort Lauderdale earlier this year and there was one drowning and 20 people saved in one day. The waters aren't as friendly as I remember when I was little. We would walk so far out. Stay in the water for hours. I guess the hurricanes keep rearranging the ocean floor.
Be careful everyone when you are out there. Don't go too far. Understand how to swim out of the rip currents.

I hear ya barkin'! I think most people look out at the ocean and are mesmerized by how peaceful it looks, most of the time. Some are led into a false sense of security and fail to understand what exactly is happening under those frothy white capped waves. I have gone too far out and had difficulty once or twice myself. Go CARDS!

 

[Beachlover2]

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/6473


Per the newspaper article it is uncertain if he drowned - possible heart problems???

 

[Paula]

The Walton Sun said there were yellow/red flags that day he drowned. Usually that's the case when there's a drowning in the area. We have renters throughout the summer and I tell them to do what the locals do, which is to assume the flag warnings should be followed. Since we've been connected to SoWal (about 4 years now), most/all of the drownings seem to be visitors, not locals. I, too, wondered if it was a heart problem or something unrelated to the ocean for this gentleman -- either way, it's sad.

I also think (but don't know for sure) that most of the drownings have been men. If this is true, and I'm not sure it is, it could be that they think they're strong enough to keep standing even if there's a rip tide/wave action or strong enough to fight it if taken off their feet. Or a few times it's someone who has gone in to save a child (who shouldn't have been in the water on a red flag day) and saved the child and drowned himself. Again, I don't know if this is true (a higher percentage of the drownings being men).

 

[apsies]

Hey UofL, I'm from Louisville as well (although I root for that other team ). Which local station was reporting it? I was searching on Courier-Journal's website for some information but couldn't find anything.

 

[UofL]

Thanks beachlover2. It was a man from the Louisville area, Georgetown IN. I work with people who live there.

Since we have been going to GB, we noticed the change in flags - double red - and the police riding the beach and telling people they have to get out of the water. You can still enjoy the beauty of the area...but what a awful circumstance for people to deal with away from home.

(It was either WHAS or WLKY.)

 

[Beachlover2]

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/6473

They did not perform an autopsy at the request of the family - so they don't know for sure if it was a drowning but ruled it one since he died in the water.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I also think (but don't know for sure) that most of the drownings have been men. If this is true, and I'm not sure it is, it could be that they think they're strong enough to keep standing even if there's a rip tide/wave action or strong enough to fight it if taken off their feet. Or a few times it's someone who has gone in to save a child (who shouldn't have been in the water on a red flag day) and saved the child and drowned himself. Again, I don't know if this is true (a higher percentage of the drownings being men).

Paula, interestin observation which I've never thought about. I know that many of the people who drown are the very people who were trying to perform the rescue of others, who end up surviving. I would be interested in seeing stats regarding drownings, including age, sex, place of residence (local vs visitor), and whether the drowning victim was trying to rescue someone else. Maybe we need a memorial sign with each drowning victim's name placed at our beach accesses beside the flag legend. It would certainly get some people's attention and maybe change their decisions, or learn how to escape from a rip current.