Visitor dies after snorkel trip in George Town
(CNS) UPDATED: The 64-year-old woman who died Thursday following a snorkelling trip off the coast of George Town has been identified by the police as Doris Ann Sarauer, who was visiting the Cayman Islands from Minnesota in the United States. Emergency services responded to a report made about 11:30am that she was in distress in the water at a location off South Church Street. The woman had been snorkelling when she encountered difficulties in the sea and was brought to shore by the leader of the snorkel tour.
Despite his efforts and those of the medical emergency personnel to administer CPR, she was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. She is the fifth person to die in Cayman waters so far this year.
Category: Local News
I am the daughter of Doris Sarauer and was with her when this fabulous woman was wrenched from my life. She had a major heart attack 2 years ago, and since then, we have been celebrating life and helping her live her life to the fullest, knowing that her time on this earth was limited. It was a birthday cruise and a mother-daughter trip. She had a heart attack while snorkeling, and as traumatic as that was to witness, she (and I) wouldn’t have had it any other way. She knew the risks and while I am an avid snorkeler, she was not. There wasn’t any type of advertisement or propaganda that was incorrect on the difficulty. She wanted to do something her kids loved to do and do before she died (or during).
How dare you, 7:51. You have no idea how amazing your emergency medical personnel were and how lovely everyone was to me during the time I was stuck on your island after watching my mother die, as I was alone on your island after she died. Something could be done to speed up the process since I was there for 10 days, but that’s not what I’m addressing here. How dare you taint the wonderful island of Grand Cayman with this agenda of not wanting tourists or that there is something in your advertising that doesn’t state the risks. My mother was the most wonderful, caring individual many people had ever met. All of my brother and I’s friends called her mom, because she would give the shirt off her back for anyone. She would have loved everyone on Grand Cayman, except for you. You, she would have said were a bad egg and deserve to be miserable. It’s comments like yours that make the internet an awful thing. Why would anyone post something after such a tragedy that could make her loved ones so upset and that benefits nobody? (And for anyone reading this who has an opinion, feel free to email me directly, and I will give you my phone number so you can actually speak your mind instead of using the internet’s skirt to hide behind – meeshms02@yahoo.com) All I see here is someone latching onto a tragic event to vent about how intolerable their life is, and offering no condolences, solutions, or anything to make you seen less like an ass. Reflect inside about how you feel as a person……maybe you need to find a new island if you don’t like the loving people the cruise ships and tourism bring to you. Find another island where the mosquitos haven’t been tamed, so you can be slowly tortured by them.
Directed to West Bay’s response; because of the wonderful Caymanians I met before and after my mother’s death, my family and I are planning on coming back next year. A whole bunch of us Wyomingites and Minnesotans, fresh from the winter and looking to make memories that aren’t as horrific as this one. Hopefully, you won’t judge us like 7:51 did without meeting us.
My name is Marcelo. I m from Argentina. I was snorkeling with you that sad day. When I came back and they were trying to revive your mother, I stayed with one of the guides in the group, an English boy from Manchester who was very shocked like all of us. Greetings and luck
I am surprised there are not more instances of this.
Many of these poor people have come from horrendous winters, spent months indoors and then they get out on a cruise or a vacation in Paradise.
They are not fit and then they get into difficulties, especially at 60+.
I mean, just to get into the water that we take for granted every day is a huge stress factor for some of these folk.
Our advertising does not help.
Water is bloody well dangerous to the inexperienced and sometimes people are afraid to admit that they are uncomfortable.
We need to be a little less money-driven and a lot more people-driven.
I feel so sorry for the people that visit here and all they feel like is a walking wallet to be gouged at will.
This was not the Caymanian experience that I grew up with.
I helped out on the boats, got to meet people and got some great tips just by being considerate and conscientious. Each tourist was treated as special.
Now, it is all about the money. Kinda sad really.
The CNS story is about an unfortunate water related accident suffered by one of our visitors. Somewhat odd that would illicit a comment that tourists are price gouging fodder that were lured here by false advertising & that tourism is only money centric, very strange.
Your whole comment is very strage and disjointed .
@7:51 pm is smack on. Have signs been installed warning visitors after Snorkeling tragedy for newlyweds in May 2016?
Money first, than people?
I completely agree with 7:51 pm , and 7:45 pm is ever so right “so very sad”.
I can relate to everything 7:51 said to be true .
That god almighty dollar is the cause for alot of what is happening today not only in Cayman but the whole world .
From my early days of my over 25 years of working in CI Tourism , was treat the tourist and give them a special experience and make them a friend. It really paid off later in much bigger ways than overcharging at present . I did many good and fun vacations to visit some of those said people who I treated so good in Cayman, and they returned that same Royal treatment back to me in their County .
So very sad
My regards to the family and friends of the victim . The article didn’t say if she was on a boat , or if the leader of the snorkeling tour was leading them from the shore .
I feel sad for writing a comment sometime ago , saying that one could make good money from being snorkel tour guide from shore . But this person that did this snorkeling tour didn’t call me or consult with me on how to do it safely and successfully , so I am taking no responsibility or involvement in the tragedy . I had given my phone # , but didn’t give my consultant fee amount .
RIP
Condolences to her family and friends.