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philbox
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Dec 3, 2002, 9:51 PM
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Stu your the man, that`s a great photo in support of wearing a helmet. Thanks for taking the trouble to post that pic here. This is a fantastic education tool and I will be linking to this pic from other sites. Some may say this is a little gruesome but hey better to turn peoples stomachs a little than to have them wind up dead from not wearing a helmet.
...Phil...
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mountainmonkey
Dec 3, 2002, 9:57 PM
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What was the cause of the accident?
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thomasribiere
Dec 3, 2002, 10:47 PM
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not a banana falling in a forest I suppose
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thegodfather
Dec 3, 2002, 11:04 PM
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ouch.
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orangeoverhang
Dec 3, 2002, 11:55 PM
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The accident occured whilst climbing the Totem Pole sea stack in Tasmania, Australia. It was a falling rock which did the damage. As far as I can remember he WAS wearing a hemet at the time. I could be wrong though...
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beyond_gravity
Dec 3, 2002, 11:57 PM
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Yummmy
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krustyklimber
Dec 4, 2002, 12:00 AM
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Good ol' Uncle Stu!!!
There is a great book about Pauls climb back into the world of thinking and remembering... but having suffered a bad head injury myself, I cannot seem to remember the name?
Jeff
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mike
Dec 4, 2002, 12:36 AM
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If that did happen while wearing a helmet, all the more reason to wear a helmet.
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spydermonkey
Dec 4, 2002, 12:52 AM
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Thats a good reason.
spyder
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climbingpride
Dec 4, 2002, 1:17 AM
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REALY!
I love the pic i have of that tower! The one featured in the Rock Climbing in Australia book. Yeah is it true that you have to swim to it sometimes because of the waves crashing on it?
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orangeoverhang
Dec 4, 2002, 1:25 AM
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As far as i can remember from second hand storys you always have to swim across to it. You can also get a boat nearby if the sea is calm. I had friends who spent the night clipped to some anchors at the base of the pillar after failing to get off the rock before dark!
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camhead
Dec 4, 2002, 1:55 AM
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as I remember from an article in National Geographic Adventurer a few years back:
The totem pole is only approachable by way of a tyrolean traverse from the top. Paul was rapping down, was at the bottom of the tower, when his rope dislodged a rock the size of a cooler.
He swears that, had he been wearing a helmet, the rock would not have just glanced off the back of his head, but it would have forced his head forward, breaking his neck and killing him. Thus, the helmet may not have saved him.
Either way, he is a hemipelegic now (one half of his body is completely paralyzed).
too bad.
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wildtrail
Dec 5, 2002, 11:22 AM
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Paul,
Yeah, and it's better to not wear a seatbelt, too.
I know it ain't you, man. He should have been wearing a helmet. He might still be able to climb.
Steve
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climbingcowboy
Dec 5, 2002, 11:35 AM
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you guys think that looks bad you should see them when they come in to ER blood all over the place trying to die or later when they've got tubes in here and there, wires coming outta there skull monitoring if there brain is still working, their eyes glazed over from meds not being albe to talk right, or walk right. ya it's great. i've seen things that are so small mess up a head that i always (unless on toprope) wear a brain bucket when climbing. trust me.
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wildtrail
Dec 5, 2002, 11:38 AM
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Good point, Geoff. Besides, does that big ass scare and his paralysis say enough? I think so.
Steve
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fishypete
Dec 5, 2002, 11:43 AM
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You can go to www.paulpritchard.com an download an excerpt from the book which briefly describes the accident.
I am from Tasmania, and I have dived extensively around the base of the Totem Pole. Getting on to it generally involves swimming, except in very calm water at very low tide.
It is the most amazing rock feature I have ever seen. Impossible narrow, straight and tall.
Check out the pics:
http://onsight.com.au/publications/posters/poster1.htm
Cheers
Fishy.
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philbox
Moderator
Dec 5, 2002, 9:13 PM
Post #17 of 21
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And for some more light bedtime reading and viewing pleasure check this one too. Dunno whether a helmet would have done this guy any good though.
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/photo/photo29p.htm
...Phil...
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camhead
Dec 5, 2002, 10:43 PM
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Quote:i always (unless on toprope) wear a brain bucket when climbing
Geoff, this attitude is one of my pet peeves, so I'm going to start to rant. If you read my post concerning Pritchard's accident, you will realize that he was hit by a rock dislodged from ABOVE by his ROPE!!! There have been many accidents from rapping, belaying, and toproping this way.
Think about it: you are attached to the rope; anything it dislodges will head directly for YOU.
Toproping is not safer than leading, and, I would argue, probably more dangerous than leading overhangs, for obvious reasons.
end of rant.
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curt
Dec 6, 2002, 1:55 AM
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Hey ooze,
Now I at least know WTF you were talking about. And by the way, I agree with you. If you are so totally against any assumption of risk, quit climbing today. You are in the wrong sport, my friend.
Curt
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elvislegs
Dec 6, 2002, 1:59 AM
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Ooze, I am not sure if this is the response you wanted, but I see it. I understand what you are saying. Every time I'm on the freeway I think of that Police lyric: "packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes"
I definately see it, but so what?
I try to LIVE while I'm alive and I'm ready if death comes. What else can you really do?
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curt
Dec 6, 2002, 2:35 AM
Post #21 of 21
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By the way, I think Pritchard should have held out for a titanium plate--or maybe some kind of high tech kevlar composite or something would be OK too, but plastic? Christ, his HMO must be cheaper than mine.
Curt
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