Lucky Dude survives sinking

A 70 year old fella had "fuel problems" in a 26 foot boat last Thursday a few miles south of Coste Island in Douglas Channel on BC's north coast. He called the Coast Guard once (don't know if it was a Pan Pan or Mayday) in the late afternoon, then drifted downwind until the boat went awash in steep 6 foot seas. (Shorelines are steep, so rebounding waves from several directions close to shore would have made things heinous). He managed to jump into the water and get to Loretta Island, and spent the next 24 hours waiting for rescue. Temperature that night was -13C (9F) with winds up to 70km/hr, or about 40 knots. That's all the scuttlebutt I've heard so far.

Here's the Canadian Press story; Air Force, coast guard rescue stranded boater from remote B.C. channel - B.C. - Times Colonist

Love how they call Loretta Island remote, as it's only 30 km from Kitimat. Guess it is remote when the Coast Gaurd has to fly 550 km just to start their search. The local volunteer rescue squad reponded but got there after dark, and they didn't know if he drifted down Douglas Channel or down towards Devastation Channel.

Think I'll hug our 9.9hp kicker next time I go down to the boat, just for good luck / good Karma...

Lucky dude! Must have been in good shape too.

Ocean Breeze NL said:

Lucky dude! Must have been in good shape too.

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You bet. I don't know the fella, but I'll try and find out what he was wearing in the way of survival gear.

remote can be pretty much anyplace on the water when it comes to assistance.

I have seen where injured people could have had 911 ambulance assistance in 5 min or less...but because they were 50 feet away on a sandbar it took 45 min to an hour to get med attention to them or vice versa....and this was not an isolated case...it's all about jurisdiction, mode of dispatch, general confusion...etc...etc

In my classes ...I always teach you are in the wilderness once you leave your dock...be prepared!

psneeld said:

remote can be pretty much anyplace on the water when it comes to assistance.

In my classes ...I always teach you are in the wilderness once you leave your dock...be prepared!

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+1. It's surprising how that can be true on land sometimes as well. An elderly woman with dementia walked out of my apt complex (my work home away from home) a couple months ago. On one side of our buildings is Valley Forge National Park (fairly dense vegetation in places and moderate to easy terrain) and on the other is the world's largest shopping mall. Despite searches with dogs and rescue teams, they still haven't found her body.

Bit of a different story but maybe even hairier.
Off coast of Nigeria a commercial ship sank and the cook survived in air bubble in hull for nearly three days at 30M down. Crazy... Talk about getting the bejesus scare out of you underwater, the diver sure as heck handled it well when the guy grabs him.
check it out... its a recent story all over the news.
link to video (hope thats ok) if not google : cook trapped in sunken ship

'He's alive!' Viral Video: Nigerian Cook Survives Two Days Under Sea In Shipwreck Air Bubble - YouTube