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COT
climber
Door Number 3
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 28, 2014 - 07:31pm PT
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Longtime NE climber Jim Ewing broke multiple bones while climbing at Cayman Brac. Apparently he was operated on and is now is cover ing in a Ft Lauderdale hospital.
No details in the article about the accident. I know Cayman Brac has had issue with bad bolts due to the salt water and such?
http://www.caymanreporter.com/2014/12/27/man-falls-bluff/
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 28, 2014 - 07:58pm PT
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hope Jim comes out of this fine... what a year!
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Han Solo
Mountain climber
Limerick, Maine
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Dec 28, 2014 - 08:38pm PT
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Hi to all of Jim's climbing friends. I'm his brother Pete. We don't know much about the accident yet. I spoke with Cathy a few hours ago. She said he is alert but in a lot of pain. They are in Fort Lauderdale and Jim is in the ICU and headed for more surgery tomorrow. I'll post an update when we know more.
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Edge
Trad climber
Betwixt and Between Nederland & Boulder, CO
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Dec 28, 2014 - 08:40pm PT
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Sending healing thoughts and well wishes. Stay strong, Jim!
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emac
climber
New Hampshire
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Dec 28, 2014 - 09:20pm PT
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Thanks for the update, Pete. I heard of this today and was stunned. Hoping for more info from Cathy soon. Hang in there buddy!
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Dec 28, 2014 - 11:01pm PT
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hey there, say... oh my... this is an awful to find, to see right now...
very sad to hear this...
all my prayers, going out, tonight for him...
in your corner, jim... hang in there, as good human tenacity does allow... and us all here, with our prayers will take up the slack...
dear cathi... never knew you name, yet, but always send you holiday wishes, and now, of course.. .many prayers for jim, and your family...
god bless...
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Dec 29, 2014 - 01:28am PT
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please all say a word out loud. the healing energy is within us all.
Sending the vibe is as easy as saying so so say
May Jim be okay and make a full recovery
say it out loud!
peace to us all and as the year ends and I raise a glass to toast to those we have to remember.
As has been said
to many were called home.
this has been a tough tuff year.
Tears flow and harts brake.
Be healed and soothed.
may your spirit be Brite.
peace
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perswig
climber
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Dec 29, 2014 - 04:39am PT
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Damn, I thought wootles bounced?
Heal well and rapidly, Sterling Jim.
Dale
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Dec 29, 2014 - 05:20am PT
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Sorry to hear this news.
Jim-heal up fast. We NE climbers are a tough bunch.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Dec 29, 2014 - 07:37am PT
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This is terrible news. Thinking of Jim and his family. Healing vibes to all.
Hans...I had no idea you were Jim's brother.
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crøtch
climber
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Dec 29, 2014 - 07:45am PT
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Hoping for a speedy recovery.
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Han Solo
Mountain climber
Limerick, Maine
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Dec 29, 2014 - 08:36am PT
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Crimpergirl, i'm sorry but I'm not sure I know you. did you see me on the peak bagging site Views From the Top? That was was my nickname there. I climbed once upon a time, but quit around the time Jim started climbing. I'm just a Peak Bagger these days. I just signed up here yesterday because when we found out Jim fell no one really new what happened so we decided to do a search for Cayman climbing accidents. one of us used google the other yahoo. the yahoo search found this thread. I probably have met several members of your climbing community over the years through Jim and thought I should chime in. He's pretty banged up and will likely be in Florida a while before he's ready to travel home. Thanks for the well wishes.
Just got a text after i posted previous reply from Cathy he is going into surgery shortly to have his pelvis and ankle fixed.
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Dec 29, 2014 - 08:50am PT
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Damn, Jim. Quit trying to impress us. Heal up fast.
Mal
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CathyKing
climber
Maine
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Dec 29, 2014 - 09:05am PT
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Hello all. Jim is stable enough for surgery today so we are waiting for him to go in to get his pelvis and left ankle fixed. It will be a long 6-8 hour surgery. He is currently very comfortabe, having been given Dilaudid for pain and Versed for pre- sedation.
From what we've pieced together, he was climbing with Maxine on the Dixon wall at Cayman Brac, fell while working a hard move, stopped momentarily, but then started falling again. Maxine was belaying him with the grigri, noticed it was not stopping him and grabbed the rope, which might very well have saved his life. She sustained minor rope burns on her hand, which have blistered. She is ok but it was traumatic, obviously. Katie Dott and John Haley were amazing. They were climbing nearby, got help, Katie stayed with Maxine in our rented condo overnight until I could fly Maxine to Grand Cayman. Jim was airlifted to Grand Cayman, had the first surgery that night to externally fixate his pelvis for stabiliZation until we could get him to the closest available Level 1 trauma center, which is where we are now, Broward in Fort Lauderdale.
We are not sure what happened that he fell. Yes the proper was threaded correctly. Yes the rope was a proper size for the Grigri. In any case, this is big the time for that discussion.
Thanks so much for all the well-wishes. It helps. Cathy, Jim's wife
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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Dec 29, 2014 - 09:13am PT
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Hope he mends well.
Was the GriGri threaded backwards? That's typically what happens with these types of accidents when that is the belay device.
There's a reason I always give those suckers a stiff tug on the climbers side before my partner leaves the ground.
Wishing him all the best.
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CathyKing
climber
Maine
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Dec 29, 2014 - 09:14am PT
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The fall has been estimated at about 50 feet. I'm so grateful he's alive.
Pain control has been difficult; this surgery should make him much more comfortable. And when he's not in intolerable paim, he's got his Jim Ewing sense of humor! Xoxo
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slabbo
Trad climber
colo south
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Dec 29, 2014 - 09:19am PT
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Damn..hang in there buddy.. f/a's are waiting for you !!
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CathyKing
climber
Maine
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Dec 29, 2014 - 09:28am PT
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Maxine says the GriGri was threaded correctly, and Katie had checked it , too
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Save your a_s, reach for the brass...
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Dec 29, 2014 - 09:43am PT
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Very sorry to hear of this accident - best wishes to Jim and his family for a solid and timely recovery.
The Petzl video posted earlier has some good information and is a helpful review.
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 29, 2014 - 09:59am PT
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What diameter rope was used?
What grigri was used? (1st gen or 2 gen)
I know from experience some of the small diameter sterling ropes were remarkably slippery when combined in the first generation grigri.
You had to be very diligent with your belaying methods as to not have the rope slip thru when locked.
I've seen very worn grigri's which became dangerous to belay with.
The stainless steel on the main body can get grooved from dirty ropes and static lines.
I've grooved out two of them from dirty static lines over times.
Not saying any of these are factors in Jim's accident but check your devices.
Best wishes to your recovery Jim.
50 feet is a long ways to go to hit the ground, ugh!!
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