With a new summer in the Northern Hemisphere comes a planned change to tombstoning.com. Over the last three years this site has changed from being a place for me to share pictures of tombstoning with friends, to a commentary on tombstoning in the UK. It has introduced me to members of the RNLI, RoSPA and various coasteering groups. I have been approached by numerous documentary makers, news programs and radio shows all interested in the opinion of someone who is willing to clearly promote an activity that is getting such a bad press. But most importantly, while discussing tombstoning with the RNLI and RoSPA, it led to a clear definition of what tombstoning was, and a decision that educating people of the dangers of tombstoning would be a better approach than trying to enforce a ban.
I am very pleased to see campaigns like ‘Don’t Jump into the Unknown’ get as much promotion as possible. Along with some short and sharp points of advice, people should be able to make their own educated decision as to whether tombstoning at a particular spot is safe. The RNLI have just launched a campaign to coincide with summer holidays to stop people tombstoning. Although it warns people not to do it, it is still a step in the right direction – away from trying to ban it altogether – which I am happy to see.
This step back from an attempt to enforce a ban, along with a better definition of tombstoning, agreed by RoSPA and the RNLI, has in a way made this site a success. It will continue to bring news and commentary on tombstoning, but will re-organise itself to focus on the safety aspect rather than countering sensationalist and ill-informed news articles.
The ongoing maintenance of information and news on the site has taken a blow in 2010 as I am in the middle of a year long trip around the world, chasing the snow and enjoying winter both north and south of the equator. It is making tombstoning at my favourite spot, Stair Hole, quite difficult. It will also no doubt have an impact on this site and my ability to capture all newsworthy tombstoning references and share them here. One thing it has given opportunity for is a look at how other countries respond to tombstoning, albeit likely by a different name. This is something I hope to add to the site in future.
As always any comments on posts here are appreciated and encouraged. I am always interested in other peoples perspective, whether it be for or against throwing yourself off the edge of a perfectly stable piece of terra firma, into – if like me you’re in the UK – a usually rather cold stretch of water.
BBC Radio Leeds contacted me on Friday last week, asking me to talk on their breakfast radio show yesterday before the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire regions Inside Out programme yesterday evening.
The interview covered why I do it, whether I visit different jumping points, and my feelings about an audio clip of Joel Scott’s mother, Lorraine describing how the loss of her son has affected her. It felt like an impossibly difficult question, one that I don’t think given any amount of thought and time, I could have answered in a way that suggests tombstoning can be safe and still maintain a level of sensitivity to Lorraine Scott’s situation. It was a tragic story, and I always question whether offering possible causes of the accident could be justified to help someone else think twice of the danger involved.
The radio interview was just after 7am and can be heard 1 hour and 9 minutes in to the 3 hour breakfast show available on the BBC iPlayer.
Inside Out is a regional programme and was not available to me at the time of broadcast; but thanks to the BBC iPlayer, anyone interested in the programme can also watch it now.
Jamie Coulson investigates ‘tombstoning’ at a Yorkshire beauty spot and finds out why an east coast town is taking legal steps to stop it. source: BBC iPlayer programme information
If you haven’t seen it already, this is the video uploaded by a group of friends travelling around Scotland tombstoning, which has been in the news recently and branded as a ‘map’ of jumping sites.
Having watched the video I think they give a good account of themselves; wearing wetsuits, life vests and sometimes helmets. During the 8 minute clip they can also be seen with flippers and goggles, checking out the areas they are jumping in to.
The video, inspired by the award winning Gravity Chasers is just another example of people doing something they enjoy, but understanding it can be dangerous and doing what they can to minimise the risks.
tombstoning.com has been contacted by BBC News in Sunderland who are looking for local tombstoners who feel they understand the risks and continue to safely tombstone on the North East coast.
I’m doing a report for BBC News in the Sunderland area this week. We’re talking about Tombstoning and I’d really like to talk to people who do it and believe it CAN be done safely, so long as you know what you’re doing. Is there anybody from the North East that can talk to us?
Fiona Trott
If you are an avid tombstoner and want to have your say on it with the BBC please contact fiona.trott@bbc.co.uk
Last Tuesday we were joined by Debbie (Randle), Andy and Vanessa from Radio 1 Newsbeat as they were excited about creating a piece on tombstoning for Radio 1 and the Newsbeat website.
It wasn’t the best day for film and radio work as the ‘British summer’ blessed us with high winds and light showers, but after many delays (Newsbeat originally wanted to join us last summer but we couldn’t arrange a date everyone was available) we decided to go ahead with it and make a decision on the conditions when we arrived at Stair Hole.
I spent the two previous days confirming and re-confirming tide times and depths, and also checking the wind forecast as we were seeing high winds moving in from the Atlantic. Ordinarily a wasted trip isn’t too much of an issue, but we didn’t want to have the Newsbeat team drive down from London if the winds were going to make it too dangerous to jump.
As it was a Tuesday and the day job had to be finished first, we arranged to meet at Stair Hole around 6.30pm about an hour before high tide. On meeting up and checking the area, we allayed any fears it was too windy and got on with fulfilling the requirements Newsbeat had of us. This comprised a piece for radio and some footage for an introduction on the Newsbeat website. It worked out perfectly as the wind continued to calm during the onshore interview, and a bright and pleasant evening emerged from the grey clouds.
I think Newsbeat were surprised at the scrabble down to the waters edge and the swim out to the jumping spots. Access to some of the jumps and the less than tropical conditions proved this was more of a hobby than a fleeting interest and they were really happy with the footage captured. Unfortunately they were unable to take part in the actual jumping (I believe for work insurance reasons) but they were (wet)suited up and Andy swam across to film us from below the jump to get an alternate angle to the footage from the shore.
Job done we all headed back to the car park and discussed what happens next. They were returning the next day to interview a RNLI Lifeguard from Swanage to get a balance for the piece, and editing would begin the following (this) week.
I’m looking forward to seeing how it is received and if there is a similar response to an earlier visit from ‘The Times’. Links will appear on this site when I receive them from the BBC.
Shallow water is frequently the cause of serious injury while tombstoning, but in this case it was the climb back up the rocks that resulted in Joel Scott falling and suffering fatal head and back injuries.
The climb back out of the water after a successful jump can be just as dangerous as the jump itself.
If this is a first jump in a particular area then make sure you have carried out a good check of the water depth and your exit route (see checking the water below in the safety section). Having done this you should know the climb out of the water is possible, and you can get back to a safe point once your first jump is complete.
In this incident it looks like Joel had been jumping from the same spot for some time and it could have been a slip due to tiredness that caused him to fall. Jumping in to the water can be the easiest bit; it’s the climb back out that requires more planning and a better understanding of your fitness and ability.
These pictures show how easy it can be to get in to the water, but once there a 40ft climb is required to get you back to the same spot. You need to be sure you are ready for that climb before every jump.
Is tombstoning a breach of the peace? It would appear so after a teenager at Needle’s E’e near Arbroath on Saturday was rescued by the RNLI then charged.
The BBC News article doesn’t give enough detail to fully understand the reasoning for the charge, but if you compare this incident with another one that was in the news recently (and I was aware of due to its close proximity to where I live) it suggests that the act of tombstoning is the reason for the charge.
Both incidents involved the water, and a rescue effort. So how is the decision made to “ask people to be more careful and be prepared” when they crash a boat in to a 1000ft long pier, throwing one person in to the sea and resulting in head injuries; then charge a teenager with breach of the peace for jumping in to the sea and getting in to difficulty?
It appears clear that this charge has been made to send a message to everyone that tombstoning should not be tolerated. You are of course welcome to get in to serious trouble in the sea on a surfboard, kiteboard, jet-ski or in a boat and feel safer knowing you will be rescued and asked to be more careful next time.
The Court of Appeal defined a breach of the peace as being ‘an act done or threatened to be done which either actually harms a person, or in his presence, his property, or is likely to cause such harm being done’.
After another seemingly never-ending winter, the sea is finally returning to a temperature that can be enjoyed by those of us who don’t have winter wetsuits. This means more people getting back in the water, enjoying the coast and the amazing scenery it offers. But as we all know, it also increases the chance of accidents and in severe cases, fatalities.
In the last week, two people have lost their lives in coasteering and tombstoning incidents. The RNLI have been quick to respond with a media release containing safety advice for both activities and further clarifying the difference between them.
See RNLI safety advice issued today in PDF or image format.
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