cliff jumper injured near lions bay prompts safety warning
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lions bay search and rescue responded to a call for help after a 20-year-old cliff jumper dislocated his shoulder after a jump on june 15, 2026.
lions bay search and rescue
lions bay search and rescue is warning people about the risks of cliff jumping after a 20-year-old man dislocated his shoulder at a popular jumping spot on monday afternoon.
the rescue team was called at about 4:40 p.m. to a marine park south of lions bay.
“this poor guy was in a lot of pain. he was basically immobilized,” said search manager brent calkin.
the man had jumped from a cliff about 10 metres high — not the highest point at the site, but high enough to cause injury. calkin estimated he hit the water at about 50 to 60 km/h.
“in this guy’s case, he was windmilling his arms on the way down, and his arms were outspread when he hits the water,” calkin said. “at 60 km/hr when that happens, the water just rips your arm off your shoulder.”
the man was given pain medication before members of the search and rescue team, which included a paramedic and an emergency room doctor, was able to put his shoulder back in place.
he was then transported by a royal canadian marine search and rescue boat to horseshoe bay where paramedics took him to hospital.
calkin said lions bay search and rescue is called out for injured cliff jumpers once or twice a year, but suspects many more people suffer minor injuries and are able to leave the area on their own.
he urged people to think twice before jumping.
“even small jumps like 10- to 20-foot jumps can injure you,” he said. “it doesn’t take much height to create an injury.”
according to b.c. adventure smart, any jump from a height can be dangerous. a person jumping from three metres, or 10 feet, will be travelling about 27 km/h when they hit the water. from a height of six metres, or 20 feet, that speed increases to about 40 km/h.
even when jumpers enter the water feet first, the speed can cause spinal compression, bone fractures, concussion or a collapsed lung, it said.
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