A pair of paddleboarders were rescued from Okanagan Lake near the William R. Bennett Bridge during a heavy windstorm Saturday, July 26, an incident that has prompted police to offer reminders about safety on the water.
Officers from Âé¶čAV RCMP and the West Coast Marine Services responded to a call from the two paddlers stranded near the bridge in the early afternoon. Upon arrival, police found them clinging to a yellow buoy on the north side of the bridge. They were safely rescued and brought to shore, police said in a press release Thursday, Aug. 7.
âWe were fortunate that one of the paddleboarders was able to call 911 and that neither sustained injury, despite not being equipped with any safety gear, including lifejackets," said Cpl. Michael Gauthier with the Community Safety Unit. âThe situation could have ended in tragedy.â
Âé¶čAV RCMP has upped its enforcement efforts on Okanagan Lake this summer and has put its West Coast Marine Services to good use, including the completion of a four-day operation at the end of July.
The police detachment highlighted the following Transport Canada safety requirements for paddleboarders, saying requirements for other human-powered watercraft may slightly vary:
âą One life jacket for each person on board,
âą One buoyant heaving line at least 15m (49â3â) long,
âą One sound-signalling device or appliance (whistle),
âą One watertight flashlight (if the vessel is used after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility),
âą *If everyone on board is wearing a life jacket or a PFD of appropriate size, you are only required to carry the sound signalling device and watertight flashlight (if the vessel is used after sunset or before sunrise or in periods of restricted visibility).
âOf the hundreds of paddleboarders weâve stopped this summer, only about 10 per cent are either wearing a life jacket or have them on board, and even less than that have a whistle in case of an emergency,â said Gauthier. âWeather conditions on the lake can shift rapidly, turning a peaceful paddle into a sudden scramble for safetyâor, in more serious cases, a rescue operation or subject to fines.â
More information regarding safety on the water can be found online at .
