Jump to content

Parasailing death seems like a horrible way to die.

crash_davis

By crash_davis
in Daily Texan

 Share

Recommended Posts

austingirl

austingirl 2191

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Yeah I don’t fully grasp that the captain cut the line instead of reeling them back in. And if they don’t have the power to reel them in with high winds, perhaps that is a problem that should be addressed earlier.

I’ve never gone parasailing but I’ve always assumed it was a cheaper and less safe sky diving. Zip lines can also be sketchy depending on how well the lines are maintained.

This article looks like it's saying two different things, too. At first it says:

Quote

The individuals were parasailing shortly before 5:30 p.m. when the vessel's tow line snapped, causing them to drag across the water, according to a Monroe County Sheriff's Office incident report.

"Snapped" makes it sound like an equipment failure. Then towards the bottom: 

Quote

When this took place, the captain "cut the line" that was tethered to three parasailers," who then "dropped from an unknown height and dragged through the water by the inflated parasail

"Cut" makes it sound deliberate. So which was it? I'm guessing the answer is that it snapped because it was cut.

All this just confirms my decision to sit at the tiki bar and drink instead of going parasailing with the family when we're at the beach. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nice Guy Eddie

Nice Guy Eddie 13515

Posted
Posted
20 minutes ago, austingirl said:

This article looks like it's saying two different things, too. At first it says:

"Snapped" makes it sound like an equipment failure. Then towards the bottom: 

"Cut" makes it sound deliberate. So which was it? I'm guessing the answer is that it snapped because it was cut.

All this just confirms my decision to sit at the tiki bar and drink instead of going parasailing with the family when we're at the beach. 

The differences look to be reports from 2 different agency reports. Police say snapped, Florida Fish & Wildlife says cut. I'm sure both are initial reports that can be adjusted.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nice Guy Eddie

Nice Guy Eddie 13515

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:


I’d trust F&W before the cops.

Yep. I could see cops being very cautious in assigning blame in their report whereas F&W say screw-it, the captain or witnesses told us what happened so we're putting that in the report. 

Unless the parasail was putting the people in the boat in some danger, I would view cutting the line as an criminal act.  Someone earlier in this thread described it as thinking that the parasail would gently float to the water. Obviously the captain would know that wouldn't be the case when the wind is that strong.

Edited by Nice Guy Eddie
  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gladeite

Gladeite 375

Posted
Posted

In the early 90's, my wife and I were in South Padre for the weekend.  We went out Saturday morning to see the boat captain about parasailing.  He said it was too windy that morning and come back after lunch.  Being young idiots, we showed up at 1 p.m. to see about going.  He said the winds were OK and let's go.  We cruised out to the floating platform in the bay and we harnessed up.   Took off from the bay and about 100 yards from the platform, the wind really starts to blow.  Our sail goes nearly straight up and we are swinging about 90 degrees each way.  Looked down and the sail was pulling the boat backwards.  Water was coming in the back of the boat and captain was screaming something at us, but we could not hear because of the wind.  I was looking at my wife's harness and how to detach it and somehow she could slide down the rope to get close to water.   It was impossible because of all the swaying back and forth.   Luckily the sail pulled the boat back into the platform and it crashed there.   He was able to winch us back down.  Scared us to death.  The captain was white as a ghost and we spent a few minutes bucketing water out of the boat.  The hull was cracked but still able to operate.  He drove us to the dock and invited us to a bar.  Once we got seated, he said no charge, drinks are on him and explained what was about to happen.   He was able to see that the boat was going to crash into the platform.  If it missed, he was going to cut our rope and had already radioed for 2 jet skis to trail us.  The jet ski drivers were to wait until we got closer to shore and tie the rope.  Then manage our descent into calmer water with the second driver to be there and help unbuckle as we hit the water.  The backup plan was to have guys along the shore to catch the rope and tie off to anything before we hit any building.  We have not tried it since that one time.

  • Hook 'Em 5
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nice Guy Eddie

Nice Guy Eddie 13515

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Gladeite said:

In the early 90's, my wife and I were in South Padre for the weekend.  We went out Saturday morning to see the boat captain about parasailing.  He said it was too windy that morning and come back after lunch.  Being young idiots, we showed up at 1 p.m. to see about going.  He said the winds were OK and let's go.  We cruised out to the floating platform in the bay and we harnessed up.   Took off from the bay and about 100 yards from the platform, the wind really starts to blow.  Our sail goes nearly straight up and we are swinging about 90 degrees each way.  Looked down and the sail was pulling the boat backwards.  Water was coming in the back of the boat and captain was screaming something at us, but we could not hear because of the wind.  I was looking at my wife's harness and how to detach it and somehow she could slide down the rope to get close to water.   It was impossible because of all the swaying back and forth.   Luckily the sail pulled the boat back into the platform and it crashed there.   He was able to winch us back down.  Scared us to death.  The captain was white as a ghost and we spent a few minutes bucketing water out of the boat.  The hull was cracked but still able to operate.  He drove us to the dock and invited us to a bar.  Once we got seated, he said no charge, drinks are on him and explained what was about to happen.   He was able to see that the boat was going to crash into the platform.  If it missed, he was going to cut our rope and had already radioed for 2 jet skis to trail us.  The jet ski drivers were to wait until we got closer to shore and tie the rope.  Then manage our descent into calmer water with the second driver to be there and help unbuckle as we hit the water.  The backup plan was to have guys along the shore to catch the rope and tie off to anything before we hit any building.  We have not tried it since that one time.

The post-cut-line options all seem fairly bad but I guess it was a positive that he had a few ideas before the buildings would be used as a backstop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
crash_davis

crash_davis 23114

Posted
  • Author
Posted
41 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:


I’d trust F&W before the cops.

F&W is are the Texas Game Wardens. They are basically THE law on the water. Cops prob just took the Captain's statement and never stepped foot on the boat. If F&W are like the Texas Game Wardens, those fuckers walked and inspected every inch of the boat. I too trust F&W over cops.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DFWTexEx

DFWTexEx 277

Posted
Posted

Was sitting on beach bed in Riviera Maya sipping champagne and trying to enjoy the morning when a parasail boat lost power and got stuck in the sand just up the beach.  A bunch of guys gathered and tried to free the boat, but that was not happening.  The two people in the sail were stranded in the air, hanging over buildings and praying that the wind didn't die.  Death hung over all of us.  Two miserable hours later a snorkeling party boat big enough to pull the parasail boat got the smaller boat off the sand and got enough power to it to bring the people in.  We all cheered and raised our glasses.   

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Nice Guy Eddie

Nice Guy Eddie 13515

Posted
Posted
56 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

Nice to see there are additional members of the "Fuck Parasailing Club". It looks safe as hit watching them off the porch in Cozumel, but I know better.

CHIEF

Same with Zip lines. A co-worker of mine lost his wife in a zip line accident in Mexico/Central America. Can't recall the exact details. Or at least that is what he claimed.

In both activities, when something goes wrong, it can quickly go very wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
crash_davis

crash_davis 23114

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 minute ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Same with Zip lines. A co-worker of mine lost his wife in a zip line accident in Mexico/Central America. Can't recall the exact details. Or at least that is what he claimed.

In both activities, when something goes wrong, it can quickly go very wrong.

it's not the fall that kills you. it's the ground.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deej

Deej 76848

Posted
Posted
35 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Same with Zip lines. A co-worker of mine lost his wife in a zip line accident in Mexico/Central America. Can't recall the exact details. Or at least that is what he claimed.

In both activities, when something goes wrong, it can quickly go very wrong.

 

the-office-office.gif

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
austingirl

austingirl 2191

Posted
Posted

Looks like the pilot did cut the line and they are investigating it as a crime.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mother-killed-kids-injured-after-parasail-line-cut-by-boats-captain_n_6298ebcde4b07aa938976b59?d_id=3758469&ref=bffbhuffpost&ncid_tag=fcbklnkushpmg00000063&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=us_main&fbclid=IwAR27-CKWDZ2eRyaYPjKRbokGxQpKngoXkW5ABsxHnc5iLPCbbQUMUbvcAlI

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Borachio

Borachio 416

Posted
Posted

I've been parasailing once and it was smooth sailing.   After reading this thread however, that will probably be the last time.  

I've also been skydiving, bungee jumping and zip lining.   I would go bungee jumping and zip lining again out of those 3.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hate

Hate 20123

Posted
Posted
I've been parasailing once and it was smooth sailing.   After reading this thread however, that will probably be the last time.  
I've also been skydiving, bungee jumping and zip lining.   I would go bungee jumping and zip lining again out of those 3.

Same here. The wife and I both did it in Cabo many years ago and it was awesome. I did have it in the back of my mind that these kinds of activities are probably not regulated as much in Mexico as in the US.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lhorn

Lhorn 4922

Posted
Posted
On 6/3/2022 at 9:21 AM, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Same with Zip lines. A co-worker of mine lost his wife in a zip line accident in Mexico/Central America. Can't recall the exact details. Or at least that is what he claimed.

In both activities, when something goes wrong, it can quickly go very wrong.

Man that sucks.  I have no problem with anyone who does it but I’d imagine it hurts a little more knowing she died doing something so pointless.  I’d imagine if anyone asks and he tells them, a pretty good percentage of the time they respond “are you serious?”

Link to comment
Share on other sites
High Plains Drifter

High Plains Drifter 11050

Posted
Posted

 

S. Padre Island is perhaps the kite surfing capital of the world. The wind blows consistently at just the right angle to the shore. You can surf for miles going north more or less parallel to the shore. I used to kite surf when I lived in Weslaco in the RGV. It was fun as shit, until I got dragged along the beach and found out the hard way why sand paper is made out of sand.

Hot tip- wear a wet suit even if its not cold.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ClubWhatever

ClubWhatever 12152

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, High Plains Drifter said:

 

S. Padre Island is perhaps the kite surfing capital of the world. The wind blows consistently at just the right angle to the shore. You can surf for miles going north more or less parallel to the shore. I used to kite surf when I lived in Weslaco in the RGV. It was fun as shit, until I got dragged along the beach and found out the hard way why sand paper is made out of sand.

Hot tip- wear a wet suit even if its not cold.

 

 

Username tweak required

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HouTex

HouTex 1887

Posted
Posted
On 6/3/2022 at 11:18 AM, crash_davis said:

So basically, parasail operators are the carnies of the ocean. Good to know.

This.  As a kid I didn’t trust carnies.  If they had teeth, they were green.  Don’t trust the bungee guys either.  Hugh downside for a few moments of excitement.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...