First responders renew warnings over cliff-jumping after 2 recent rescues at Lynn Canyon
Activity 'inherently dangerous,' fire service says; Lifesaving Society reports 25 drownings in B.C. this year
Tucked away in the forests of the North Shore sits an idyllic park with crystal-clear water flowing through steep cliffs.
Lynn Canyon is a popular swimming area for locals and tourists during the summer months — but despite its natural beauty, it also presents risks.
So far this week, the District of North Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (DNVFRS) has already responded to two calls in which swimmers had to be rescued from the frigid waters.
It's prompted officials to remind the public to take extra precautions in Lynn Creek — especially those who, despite the warnings, continue to cliff-jump at the canyon.
'Inherently dangerous'
At multiple spots along Lynn Creek, fearless — and sometimes fearful — swimmers leap from the clifftops and plunge into pools of cold water.
Despite the many signs that warn of the dangers, it's a popular pastime.
DNVFRS Deputy Chief Mike Danks says the majority of the calls the service responds to at Lynn Canyon are for injuries related to cliff-jumping.
"Cliff-jumping is inherently dangerous and conditions change on a daily basis," said Danks.
"You may jump in one spot one day and the next day it might be a totally different landing for you."
In 2020, DNVFRS told CBC News that about 20 people have died in the canyon in the past 25 years.
A man died in 2020 following a suspected cliff-jumping accident. In 2017, a 16-year-old visiting from Pennsylvania drowned near Twin Falls. And in 2016, Cole Marsh, 17, from Port Coquitlam, died in the canyon near the suspension bridge.
Danks said rescues from the canyon are more challenging than roadside calls, for example, given the challenges of the landscape.
On one of this week's calls, on Monday, a man had to be rescued near the Twin Falls Bridge after he dislocated his shoulder during a jump. Danks said it required a technical rescue, in which two firefighters had to be lowered into the canyon where they could treat the man, then place him on a stretcher to be raised out.
He says he wants the public to be able to enjoy the outdoors but warns it's important to learn about the risks, follow all signage and fencing and keep yourself and others safe.
Drownings on the rise
There haven't been any drownings at Lynn Canyon this year, but the Lifesaving Society says there have been 25 across B.C. this summer — an increase compared to this time last year.
On Sunday, a 49-year-old woman's body was pulled from a lake in Victoria following a two-day search.
Kimiko Hirakida, project manager for the Lifesaving Society of B.C. and Yukon, says it's crucial for swimmers to understand their own skills and the risks of open water.
"Every year, 400 Canadians don't come home when they thought they were going to have a fun day," she said.
When it comes to cliff-jumping at Lynn Canyon, Hirakida says there are a few things to watch out for, not least the temperature of the water.
CBC News spoke with several swimmers at Lynn Canyon who all agreed on one thing: the water is cold.
Hirakida says when the body quickly transitions from hot to cold, it can quickly go into cold water shock. That can greatly affect breathing, muscle strength, co-ordination and decision-making, and Hirakida says it can even lead to unconsciousness.
With cliff-jumping, it's also hard to gauge proper distances and hazards, she says: The water can magnify or distort things, making rocks and the river floor seem closer or farther away; ripples on the water can also affect visibility.
"There's been many cases in past years of people that have jumped and their friends describe it as they just never came back up because they might not be able to make it the distance to the surface," said Hirakida.
The current can also, unsuspectingly, pull swimmers downstream.
"We always have to factor in that when we swim in open water, our abilities are different, the challenges are different," Hirakida said.
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