ROPE - I have not heard of this snorkeling problem

[kinoons]

And yes, governments can warn of risks without outlawing activities. E.g. the U.S. State Department warns of dangerous areas to travel to on its website all the time, but they don't prevent you from traveling there.

I dont believe that the US government can ban a citizens travel, to include international travel, due to the interpretation of the US constitition and the 5th amendment. (Broadly applied public health policies not withstanding)

Additionally the safety of another country may be difficult to ascertain depending on how freely the press is allowed to operate within that country.

So this is a space that it is beneficial for the government to get involved.

A simple google search brings up the risks of snorkeling. The third link is a state of Hawaii has a snorkeling safety website that google says has been last updated in 2021 of I’m reading the info correctly. On that page there is a (albeit very short/minimal) warning that recent air travel may increase the risk of injury when snorkeling.

I’ll admit I have no idea if that website was as prominent on google six months ago. But it did exist.

 

[Billg68bg]

20 deaths a year is an absolutely enormous number for what people think of as a safe activity in an area that depends heavily on tourism. All it takes is one media outlet to promote this as a problem and then keep harping on it with every new death.

That aside, I'd be interested in seeing the number of deaths per year while snorkeling over a much longer term to see if there has been a noticeable increase since the introduction of the modern snorkel mask.

According to a study, I just read, for 2019, slightly over 10 million vacationers visited Hawaii that year. It was estimated that @ 49% of those vacationers snorkeled. If their numbers are accurate, then the 22 snorkelers that died that year equates to 0.00044%. Not exactly enormous in the grand scheme of things. And the report I found didn’t even mention the number of locals that snorkeled in 2019. Further reducing the percentage of overall snorkeling deaths.
I am not downplaying the deaths. I’m just showing the math.

 

[Billg68bg]

Every time we go into the ocean there is some degree of risk. Entering for the purpose of engaging in certain activities heightens that risk. People need to take personal responsibility and should be held accountable for the risks they choose to take. When I first started snorkeling, I didn’t think about the risk. I figured it was no big deal. After all, I know how to swim. What else do I need to know. Same when I first dove and foolishly ignored some of the instructions of my DM. I know better now, but, if I was injured or killed doing either, I would’ve been responsible. Not a company, town, state or country. Me.

 

[SlugLife]

A simple google search brings up the risks of snorkeling. The third link is a state of Hawaii has a snorkeling safety website that google says has been last updated in 2021 of I’m reading the info correctly. On that page there is a (albeit very short/minimal) warning that recent air travel may increase the risk of injury when snorkeling.

Right. Regardless of where such a warnings could or could have been posted, there's a significant likelihood her husband would have never seen them anyway, or seen and then simply ignored the warnings. Even if they were legally required to read and sign a document before snorkeling, describing the risks of ROPE, I don't think it would have made a difference.

Every time we go scuba-diving, we undertake significant risks which are far more likely than ROPE, just simply driving to and from the scuba-site.

 

[miked]

Dry drowning is caused by the partially aspiration of water, which causes laryngospasm. Edema is when fluid from within the bosy fills the lungs.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[dmaziuk]

According to a study, I just read, for 2019, slightly over 10 million vacationers visited Hawaii that year. It was estimated that @ 49% of those vacationers snorkeled. If their numbers are accurate, then the 22 snorkelers that died that year equates to 0.00044%. Not exactly enormous in the grand scheme of things.

Or, as someone put it the last time a snorkeler death in HI made the news, if you have 5 million people a year snorkel in your bathtub, you're bound to end up with a couple of dozen corpses in your bathroom.

 

[dmaziuk]

Missed that

IIRC overhydration was linked to IPE in triathletes who tend to pre-hydrate before the event... their levels of overhydration are probably not very relevant to "normal" people. Just like we have little chance of reaching their race-time cardiac output and getting their kind of IPE.

 

[Rob9876]

IIRC overhydration was linked to IPE in triathletes who tend to pre-hydrate before the event... their levels of overhydration are probably not very relevant to "normal" people. Just like we have little chance of reaching their race-time cardiac output and getting their kind of IPE.

I thought I recalled some mention of IPE in scuba divers who guzzle water prior to a dive. I've been trying to find a balance and drink water slowly but consistently before dives.

 

[John the Pom]

The deceased was purported to have been an experienced snorkeler. I can understand the "experienced" qualifier being used for a scuba diver or freediver, but a snorkeler? This is a somewhat dubious characterization.

[snip]

I have a couple of mates who are strong ocean swimmers and very capable in the water, but who simply don't like the "gear" aspect of SCUBA diving and prefer to enjoy the underwater world with just fins, mask, and snorkel. I think the term "experienced snorkelers" would describe them pretty well.

 

[John the Pom]

According to a study, I just read, for 2019, slightly over 10 million vacationers visited Hawaii that year. It was estimated that @ 49% of those vacationers snorkeled. If their numbers are accurate, then the 22 snorkelers that died that year equates to 0.00044%. Not exactly enormous in the grand scheme of things. And the report I found didn’t even mention the number of locals that snorkeled in 2019. Further reducing the percentage of overall snorkeling deaths.
I am not downplaying the deaths. I’m just showing the math.

49 million people doing some healthy exercise in the water probably also saves a few lives!