I have created a page (see the Safety tab?) detailing all the things I feel are important to consider when tombstoning. There are a few more sections to add, and I’m sure it will grow more as the site develops; but I wanted to get some safety information up here soon after the site was created to make sure people see how tombstoning can be a well thought-out activity.
A 25-year-old holidaymaker is left permanently disabled after he jumped into water near the Mermaid Hotel at Hughtown on the island of St Mary’s (Isles of Scilly).
See 24dash.com.
Finally something positive has been published regarding tombstoning.
An extreme sports group is teaching supervised “tombstoning”, where swimmers jump into the sea from cliffs.
If the BBC says tombstoning really is an extreme sport when supervised by experts and not carried out by “drunken idiots” then it must be true! Sarcasm aside, this is a step in the right direction. Tombstoning is only a slight variation on coasteering which is a very popular activity provided safely by many outdoor pursuits/adventure companies.
On a related note I’m in the middle of organising a day at TYF in Pembrokeshire to have a go at some coasteering and rock climbing away from the familiar face of the Dorset coast.
Check out the DWSWORLD blog for their thoughts on how tombstoning could affect a well established extreme sport.
The BBC recently broadcast ‘Ultimate Rock Climb’ with Tim Emmett (and Julia Bradbury) which included a DWS climb of Nicky’s Leap. Once he reached the top Tim composed himself, said to the camera he’d never done this particular jump before, and then fell the 80 odd feet down to the water below. In my eye’s that’s tombstoning. But the BBC seem to think they have covered themselves, by saying Tim was an expert and that we should never try this at home. Is that going to stop people trying it? I’m thinking no.
The thing is, Tim was completely within his ability, climbing without ropes the 80 feet to the top of Nicky’s Leap. And has been deep water soloing from an early age, learning how to fall in to water from height. So it’s so obviously not the ’sport’ that’s the real danger, it’s the people doing it that don’t give it the respect and consideration it deserves.
See THE Bournemouth Daily Echo.
Great opening statement?
IT COULD be a portrait of an idiot.
I have seen this particular point mentioned a great deal in comments following tombstoning articles…
Earlier this year the RNLI joined forces with the Great British Diving Federation to highlight the issue of tombstoning following news that more than 70 per cent of indoor diving centres have shut down over the past 30 years.
Do you think there would be less people tombstoning if we had more indoor and outdoor swimming areas with diving boards? I haven’t heard of a new pool development including diving boards in many years. I’m lucky enough to have one within a few miles of me, but an indoor pool doesn’t compare to the vistas you get when climbing on the coast.
While visiting Australia I saw a few swimming pools cut in to the coastal rocks which had pool ladders so you could get in and out. They were around high tide level so the water would be refreshed by the sea each high tide. Seems like a great idea but I guess our climate isn’t quite as inviting.
See thisissomerset.co.uk.
The post mentions…
Days after a man nearly died jumping off rocks from 65ft into the sea these pictures show that people are still risking their lives.
I don’t see any pictures, which is a shame as it would be interesting to see if they were jumping from the same spot, how many of them there were etc.
This time on my doorstep…
BBC - Dorset - Features - Tombstoning
I would be really interested to hear people’s thoughts about tombstoning. I will not be screening or editing posts like the majority of news publishers do on their pages (apart from the obvious spam, general insults, abusive language etc).
This site was first registered on 24th August 2005. The roots of the name ‘tombstoning’ appear to come from coastal lifeguards referring to the sport as an easy way to earn an early grave. As names go it certainly grabs attention. I registered this domain after years of jumping from the Dorset coast in to the sea; thinking I would post some of my favourite pictures of the local cliffs (with me throwing myself from them) for friends, family and the odd person who liked doing it as well. The plan was to gather a list of places along the south coast and surrounding area where this sport seemed safe (your interpretation of safe may differ) to take part in.
Two years on and things have changed dramatically. The news is awash with stories of people drunkenly jumping from piers and harbour walls. Visitors to the sea side finding the nearest cliff edge and hurling themselves from it. General perception now frames tombstoning as a foolish, dangerous and ill-thought action rather than a well planned and calculated ‘extreme sport’…
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