Aussie Surfer Dies After Suffering Head Injuries In Indonesia
If you've been anywhere near a wi-fi connection over the past fortnight, then you'd be aware Indonesia has been strafed with swell. Much of it has been striking the western end of the archipelago, Sumatra and its offshore islands.
Not all the stories coming back are good, however, with news over the weekend that Jeremy Wann, a 48-year old tug boat driver from Geraldton, died while surfing in the Telo Islands.
Wann was with three friends, plus his son Mason, when he struck his head and was knocked unconcious in the water. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, Wann couldn't be revived.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are providing consular assistance to the Wann family. “We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” a DFAT spokesperson said. The department is coordinating with local authorities for the repatriation of Mr. Wann’s body to Australia.
Friends of the Wann family have rallied to offer support. Family friend Dee Wilson has organised a GoFundMe page that's currently raised $65,000 of an initial $15,000 target.
Mr. Wann is survived by his wife Rikki, their sons aged 17 and 16, and their 12-year old daughter.
Comments
RIP Wanny, Bloody top bloke & great surfer
Tragic news, RIP and thoughts with his family and friends.
I dont know him - but heartfelt condolences to his friends and family. He could be any one of us.
So sad.
So true.
RIP.
RIP legend, thinking of your family and mates
RIP to the surfer, condolences to family and friends.
I didn't know him but sounds like a great bloke , absolutely traumatic for his son & mates who were there, thoughts & condolences to to family & friends.
Such a tragic thing to happen.
Condolences to his family.
RIP.
Give your loved ones a big hug……..
Taken way too early.
Hats off to the boys and his son dealing with the long and heartbreaking trip back to Geraldton.
Very sad..
I was in the Banyaks in 2017 and a guy from another boat split his head open on the reef . A severe gash but luckily he was not knocked out. Still he had to be evacuated back to Australia.
Perhaps we need to consider the use of helmets more often ?
"Perhaps we need to consider the use of helmets more often ?"
Earlier this year a mate hit the bottom at the local pointbreak, almost scalped himself and also broke his neck, but fortunately he stayed conscious.
Also, earlier this year, my eldest clocked the bottom of the pool at URBNSURF Sydney, breaking the helmet in the process, but left me wondering 'what if?' had he not had the helmet on.
I've just had two head injuries, one resulting in concussion.
So when I read about old mate in the Telos - condolences to his family and friends - I bought a Soft Surf Helmet. Arrives tomorrow.
Could you do a review on it after a few sessions??
I have used a Gath in the past when in G-land, not really anywhere else in Indo or Oz but thinking of making it a regular item. Dodged a bullet hitting my head pretty hard at Rifles one year.
Be interested to know how soft helmet compares comfort wise, and do you think just as effective as hard-shell Gath.
Cheers.
Yeah, might do.
I've got a Gath in the shed which I use intermittently. The last time was a few years back when I broke my eardrum a few days before a G-Land trip. Wasn't so much to prevent hard impact but to keep the Blu-Tac in place during long sessions.
I don't mind Gaths but I've had near-whiplash when hitting the water awkwardly at speed. I chose this one cos it's a tighter fit, and though it may not completely stop hard impact it will (hopefully!) lessen it.
Cheers,...!
FWIW Stu, And at the outset major respect to Ric now sadly departed. To compensate the whiplash effect the Gath helmet caused, I found a partial solution.
Whilst duck diving & on wipe out impacts you needed to draw your head into your shoulders & adopt almost a turtle neck position to minimise head & neck wobble alleviating the problem albeit not a final solution.
In the end would only wear the Gath at Black Diamond locales because the negs outweighed the positive in the also ran spot's. Hope I'm not muddying Ric's legacy cause the helmets invention was entirely honourable, not a financial ploy, a credit to a true WA legend.
It has it's place & like everything it's not perfect. Hope that makes sense. Good luck with ur quest.
yes, i stopped wearing gaths for exactly the whiplash reason .. neck strain in gereral got pretty tiring.. i think the soft helmets would be much better.
And Mac. Following. Just went the soft option for next indo trip because they pack up with less space but feel the Gath would be safer? RIP and sincere condolence to old mates family.
Thanks @Gilligan
Soft helmet from Decathlon are really good, comfortable,robust and offer good protection and not bulky so no whiplash
https://www.decathlon.com.au/p/helmet-for-surfing-black-olaian-8600830.html
Condolences to family and friends
Cheers Richie!
Probably a good idea , especially when surfing over reefs ,rock shelves and concrete..
Even surfing on sand banks can break your neck ,,,but a helmet won't stop that.
We know the risks , we just have to try and fall the right way,,
but that is not easy in some waves.
"Even surfing on sand banks can break your neck ,,,but a helmet won't stop that."
A soft helmet can hopefully help it though. A few mm of play - just the give in EVA foam - can be the difference between broken and merely sore.
I guess it's not unlike how car makers use 'crumple zones' to slow down the impact during crashes and prevent broken necks and whiplash. Only has to be a few cms of crumple - many more forces in car crashes compared to surfing - but it makes a huge difference in resultant injury.
True , I had not thought of that .
What brand did you get @stu?
I'm looking at these.
https://dmcfins.com.au/products/soft-surf-helmet-v2?variant=43497248522429
Yep, that's the one.
I wanted to get the original version because it's cheaper (tight-arse) and came in red (vain), but they'd sold out so V2 it is.
Ok cheers.
Heap of crew wearing this season at G-land and they all rate them. Anyone know where I could try one of these on down in Vicco?
https://dmcfins.com.au/pages/store-locator
Thanks udo. Probably could/should have figured that out for myself.... Cheers
I’ve got one of those - they are comfortable - feel like a wetsuit hoody - I got one after a surfing concussion and if i was wearing this helmet it would
Have just been a “bad knock”
Instead of 30
Days of speaking slowly and waking up dizzy!
I'd be really surprised if a soft helmet prevented a force sufficient enough to cause a spinal injury. Just thinking of the axial load from the body going up the spine rather than just external reaction from the bank to the head (helmet).
I've always thought soft footy style helmets might help pad for abrasions and lessen the blow of a concussive force, but given the mechanism of a spinal injury I'd be doubtful it'd have any meaningful effect.
Ya never know, couldn't hurt. Not as though this could be studied with any rigor.
Thoughts go out to the Jeremy's family. Really makes you think.
Jury's out on whether they help against concussions or TBI too.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/apr/26/wearing-headgear-for-sport...
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11332-023-01058-8
Very sad news. My condolences to the family and friends. As someone else said, that could so easily be any one of us.
Do we know what break it was?
GT's/rangas/hill bus station - whatever you want to call it.
so sad, and condolences to everyone who knew or loved Jeremy
...also got me thinking about helmets
Went snow skiing for the first time in 30 years last month. Complete cultural acceptance - basically everyone in helmets these days on the snow. Many making them look fun n cool with a creative addition or two.
I wear helmets when I skate, foil and climb. I have been speared into sandbanks 2X surfing but luckily injuries have been modest and mostly overcome except for lingering minor neck immobility... time I seriously think about a lid for my surfing
the other remider from this and similar stories, is the improtance of looking after each other in the water. Although sadly not enought to save Jeremy it has and will save many. When someone is hurt and we help, its a reminder that surfing can still be a brotherhood/sisterhood if we invest in it that way.
I wasn’t there so don’t want to talk out of school, but from what I have been told the response for Jez was immediate and anyone that could offer assistance did.
From what I can gather it was a pretty good show of people pitching in to help in a crisis whether mates or strangers.
I was there.
It was a tragic morning. Swell was big…. And unruly, with a wobble and backwash. Jeremy had already packed a few before that one.
Mate who is ex paramedic was on hand…. He actually saw the wave. Not sure helmet would have changed it … we will never know.
Everyone did their best and his young fella was very brave, thoughts with him and family + friends.
Thanks fish fingered
Hope ur all getting lotsa support and managing as well as can be expected. In the circumstances. I didn’t mean to infer that Jeremy wasn’t given all the help that could possibly be given. I’m sure he was…
and you’re absolutely right - a helmet might not have made a critical difference in his case.
Commiserations - go safely
Such lows and highs in the same day.
Talked it thru with great mates and long time friend captain helped.
Across the bay in arvo was day of days.
We had a beer for Jeremy that night.
Few dads on the boat so a lot of reflection.
Such lows and highs in the same day.
Talked it thru with great mates and long time friend captain helped.
Across the bay in arvo was day of days.
We had a beer for Jeremy that night.
Few dads on the boat so a lot of reflection.
Amazing where a surfing life can take you. Even when still a father.
Thanks for posting about it, FF. And for treating Jeremy's death with due sensitivity.
Heavy...
All the best to you.
That's heavy man. Hope you and all involved are holding up ok. Thoughts with all his family, especially his son there when it occurred.
This news a real eye-opener ahead of a pending trip for me over that way. In processing of purchasing a helmet now for anything beyond playful.
Geez, poor kid.
All the best to those who helped out in an awful situation.
I know, that’s heart breaking for him.
Took a Gath helmet to Bali years ago and only wore it once, just couldn't get over the claustrophobic feel of it and the loss of peripheral vision.......also it was hot.....i think a soft one would be better .Tommy Carrol wears one i think.
Not many positives to take out of a situation like this, but it has opened up a lot of discussion on helmets with my mates especially now we are all dads.
I am going to get one as well, does anyone have any feedback on those Sumba helmets?
I think Owen Wright was wearing one when he came back after his pipe injury.
I like the idea of the hard shell helmets when you are surfing places a long way from help.
What happened to Jez really made me take a good look at the risks we take surfing.
I am lucky that we often get to surf in remote locations accessed only by boat or 4WD. Often it is just me and my three boys aged between 10 & 15.
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how heavy it would be for those three boys if I hit my head and couldn’t operate the boat in particular.
A helmet for myself and a crash course for the boys on how to operate a 70ft commercial boat are the first precautions on the list.
I wore one of the Simba helmets at the URBN SURF pool before they opened it up. It was also what my son was wearing when he clocked himself there - see above.
Great coverage without feeling closed in. I had issues with my Gath - which sits high - getting lipped while pulling into tight barrels. I didn't have that with the Simba helmet - and let's face it, the advanced barrels at the tub are pretty damn small.
I also like that it sits low in the forehead. That's both where my son struck the bottom - just above his eyebrow - and where Tom Carroll had bis big gash from a few years back. I don't think a Gath would've stopped either of those injuries.
Just not sure about high-speed unplanned dismounts with a Simba. Have a feeling it might reef your head the same way Gaths do.
Cheers that’s good info. Did your young bloke end up with a concussion in the pool? I imagine the helmet would absorb a fair bit of impact before breaking.
Likewise I have only had a couple of head injuries, one was whiplash / concussion from a late takeoff gone wrong that whipped my head into the flats nd just the surface tension of the water nearly knocked me out. Not sure if the helmet would help in that scenario.
The other was pulling into a close out on the first wave I caught. Unfortunately my head and surfboard surfaced at the same time. The nose of my board speared through my ear and into the side of my head. That could have gone very wrong.
A hard shell helmet would have meant I could have enjoyed an epic surf.
Instead I ended up walking down the beach covered in blood poking my fingers through my ear while trying to bum a lift back through the bush track and into town to get sewn up.
Will give the Simba and a soft helmet a trial.
No, they immediately did a head injury assessment on him and he was found not to have concussion (although he also wasn't allowed to re-enter the water which was a bummer).
The helmet hadn't broken - as in split apart - but it was quite markedly dented. Not sure they could still use it, but I figure it'd done what it's supposed to do.
Condolences to family and friends.
I took a soft surf helmet (DMC) to G-land last year and wore it on big days.
My advice is to make sure you get the right fit- mine was too big and kept sliding forwards.
I have it here, size L and happy to pass it on to anyone who wants it.
That is not what you want when you are trying to focus on the big days.
I have been turned off by the constriction factor, but I have a similarly proportioned head to the heavy bowling balls at the alley.
Crazy that more people aren't using some sort of head protection and/or wetsuits when surfing heavy waves in remote places
Like a lot of things in life people take chances usually because they haven't been bitten and twice shy. Think riding a motorcycle in a t-shirt, taking that pill at an overseas rave fest, surfing a heavy shallow reef with no protection kms from anywhere. It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt.
If you still have it at New Years, I'd love to try it, and will buy it off you if it fits. I have a big old melon.
Condolences to the family and friends.
I got the same as you after your review last year. Conscience of your sizing fit, I made sure I tried it on (surfection fwiw), and ended up being a medium opposed to a large as per the fitting guide.
Good sun protection and I hope board knocks, which I've tended to get a few of in the past.
I've got a Gath and find it hard to wear and the ones at urbnsurf don't fit my nugget.
I saw an image lately of the late Tamayo Perry wearing an extremely close fitting helmet. Any intel on what it was?
Andy Caps, best hard shell helmet on the market IMO, get hot though in warmer waters
Couple of product reviews here.
https://projectsurfhelmet.com/top-3/
Koa smith wears this type ...same deal i think
https://www.tiktok.com/@itskoasmith/video/7187396333953617195
https://www.avebodi.com/products/imphact
Is anybody familiar with these? I reckon a lot of resistance to helmets would be from people who don't think they look cool. Like mentioned above, when I started snowboarding very few wore helmets. Now those that don't are firmly in the minority.
I'm going away in a couple of weeks and you blokes have got me thinking twice.
Very sad situation and I feel for his friends and family and also for those that were there.
This news really hit me when i heard it, as happened at a wave ive surfed a bit, and just makes you think shit that could happen to me, and of all the waves in Indo i just never expected something like this to happen in the area.
One of the most likely spots in the telos tho. That rock can be brutal. Especially at low tide with size. Luke from TSV spent 2 months in hospital in Padang few years back due to it. If it can happen to him can happen to anyone
Thinking of getting a buoyancy vest . Only one I can find in Bali is the rip curl dawn patrol . Anyone used that type ? Friend has a different one and he likes as it gets him to the surface quicker it time to get a breath before next wave on the head .
I have a Rip Curl impact vest, and the number I times I should have worn it but didn't is growing. Recent serious back/shoulder/etc injury, and ensuing sleepless nights, could have been avoided.
It's very comfortable and does get you to the surface quickly.
@IB , is there a difference between impact and buoyancy vests ?
There are foam padded impact/buoyancy vests, and then the inflatable pull-tab big wave things. Mine's definitely the former type :-)
@IB What happens when you need to go under waves or even duck dive?
It does make duck diving harder, but not impossible. Got mine for bigger waves and big boards with heavy glassing - can't duck dive those boards easily anyway (~60L), so a few extra litres don't make a difference, but those boards can really whack the shit out of you - I have found.
Yeah okay
Yeah they make duck diving slightly harder but if you want some sort of trade off, they make bodysurfing much easier. Like necking a gallon of helium.
Interesting thought Stu, as I do a fair bit of body surfing through the warmer months.
Yeah thanks for that , I’ll settle for the former too .
SF a mate got one in Bali along with a crash hat that looks like a cap someone in Bali sells them... yeah I know not much help but ask around, he surfs Kuta reefs and a few of the regulars use the them (old blokes).
So there is a difference between rip curl buoyancy vests , the dawn patrol is actually a wakeboard vest with zips & buckles, the big wave paddle is zipless . I’m not really surfing bigger than 6-8 ft but never know when those bombs sets are going to catch you out and any help if getting continuously pounded would help. Have found one in shop in Bali, pick up Sunday .
https://www.avebodi.com/products/imphact
DM if you want old mate's WhatsApp number
Condolences to family and friends. There but for the grace of god...
RIP and thoughts to all that loved and cared for him
When buying helmet remember a plastic helmet will break from impact,
You aren't saving money getting a cheap one. Because if it breaks you need another one.
Andy Capps will last over 25 years I have one still going from 1997 , and it wont break after one crash like the plastic helmets, if your serious about getting a helmet look up Andy capps custom moulded to your head shape, they fit snug so don't feel like your heads being pulled around by the water getting in the gap between your head and the helmet worth the money probably 2 - 3 times the price of a plastic replica though
Devastating. Massive condolences to his family and friends.
On the helmet discussion, I remember chatting to a bloke in a bike shop in the 80s when they made it compulsory to wear helmets and he said the hard shell helmets are better for preventing neck injuries. Apparently the hard shells slide along concrete whereas the soft shells "stick" to it creating more of a risk of a neck injury. I don't know the details of that exactly but I imagine if it is true, I wondered if it could be a similar risk for helmets hitting reefs underwater.
I would say Probably. With that in mind the soon to be released hard framework- type Oakley helmets although much better than nothing,might not agree with a jagged reef either.
Been wearing a Gath hat now since being diagnosed with surfers ears in 1986! I'm onto my 2nd Hat & they have slowed the surfers ears down to the point where I managed to have avoided the operation where they drill out the bone deposits. I get my ears syringed every 6 to 12 mnths & haven't had an ear infection for 15 yrs or so! The Gath has also saved me from multiple head wounds & concussions on several occassions! If you do purchase one the visor also prevents pterygiums! I don't understand why most surfers don't wear head protection! RIP Jeremy& condolences to his family & friends.
Yesterday I had my first first surf with the DMC Soft Surf Helmet. Before I'd left the carpark I got asked if I was playing water polo, so it was a great start.
I found the sizing to be on the large side. Looking back I missed a crucial warning on the site: "If you're in-between sizes, go smaller as they have good adjustment."
I read Steve's comment about sizing, yet his orb is more like The Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz compared to my Big Cowardly Lion head, so I stuck with a large. Definitely could've gone smaller. The chin adjuster is at its tightest, the back strap too, and I found that by tucking the neck UV protector thing up in the hood I could make it fit snugly...just.
Speaking of, I'm not sure the UV protector is of much value as I almost always surf in a wetty or rashy.
The helmet is incredibly light, won't be any problem travelling with it, and I didn't have any adjustment issues while surfing. Gonna wear it a bit more and do a proper review.
I started wearing a gath in the 90s in Tasmania. Great in the cold, good sun protection with the visor , and takes a lot of the worry out of it in a wipeout.
I found I could protect the rest of my body and not worry about my head.
Until one time I was belly boarding Xl low tide 2 ft Rainbow, on my surfboard ,getting some long fast barrels, but every time i wiped out I felt like my neck was getting yanked back,so I had to go in and take it off.
Apart from that time no real issues
Terrible news, at what should have been a great time.
You guuna have to crack your scone on the hard to do a proper test Stu.
lol.
Apologies for making a joke on a thread honouring a brother who passed. RIP.
Separate helmet thread maybe?
my thoughts too, but I reckon Jeremy, Mason, loved ones and those that were there and helped would want something positive to come of an absolutely shit thing. It is given that we absolutely get it, they would all understand that. I'm gonna order an Andy Cap and be a bell-end for Jeremy when it's required.
It is tragic news, and thoughts are with family and friends.
Not sure how you get the size right buying online though?
with andy, you don a swim-cap and make a plaster bandage mould of you head and send it to him.
how cool is that? [email protected] 0409 355 837
Thanks ,
Just goes to show you, today the weakest, fullest , 2 footers, and was bashed on the shin by my 9.3 .
Limping up the beach . It happened underwater, after a nosedive, so it could have hit me anywhere!
https://www.baliwaves.com/2024/02/affordable-semi-impact-and-semi-flotat...
First - this is a devastating story. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Three reasons to wear a helmet:
1. To protect from head injures - especially the boards of ‘adult learners.’
2. Projection from the elements - mainly sunburn (and therefore skin cancer risks) and the cold (mostly surfers’ ear).
3. Warmth - in water under 15 degrees it is bliss.
Love the comment about helmets skiing/ snowboarding. Almost ubiquitous and made to look cool.
Doubt surfing helmets will ever be wide spread unless the surfing community adopts a different perspective on risk - short terms risks from head injuries and longer term risks from skin cancer etc.
Professional surfers and other norm setter (for example, Torryn Martins) could be instrumental is changing attitudes. However, due to the cool cache surfing traffics in, change in this regard is unlikely.