Fisherman Dies In The Queen Charlottes

[Guest Sundancefisher]

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sto...17e&k=26840

 

This article was brought to my attention last week. Shows how careful you have to be on big water. From what I heard the lodge did not have any rules about closing water for bad weather and waves.

 

The guy turned his boat around when he realized it was dangerous water and flipped. He banged his head falling out of the boat. His daughter held on.

 

The lodge had no rescue boats so another lodge had to rescue them.

 

Very tragic. Apparently the lodge has had a couple deaths now. Would someone not force them to get a safety plan together?

 

Sincerely

 

Sun

[LynnF]

So...which lodge is at fault here - Langara or North Island? Or was the guy all on his own? It wasn't clear that he was a guest at a lodge (unless I'm missing something here as I read the article while on a conference call).

 

After being out in 25 foot swells the last day we were there, I can certainly see how someone could get into serious trouble as this poor guy did. Sad.

[Lundvike]

Edmonton Journal

 

Very sad for the family and I can't imagine how the daughter must be feeling. Here is a little more detail. Wear your lifejackets people.

[LynnF]

No kidding about those life jackets - even in calm water!

 

What surprises me here is that there was no fish master out there (or none was mentioned). At the lodge we went to, anyone going out unguided had to wait until the fish master went out and had to stay in radio contact with him (i.e. where he was fishing, when he was going in, coming out etc.). That way if there was any trouble or any word of storms, the fish master would be able to round everyone up.

 

Along the same lines, I'm not really sure how I feel about the fact that Mike and I (had we been unguided) would have been given free reign to take out our own boat despite our inexperience and despite the focus of the lodge on safety. Nothing would have been said other than "be in contact with the fish master and wear your life jackets". I would imagine this is pretty standard across all the lodges. I guess if you're an adult and you pay that kind of coin to go there, the lodge figures that there's really nothing they can do. And they can't, really, other than to give the safety talks and provide the life jackets and water conditions. Their hands must be tied when it comes to unguided customers - this is a tough area. This man was an experienced boater and still met an unfortunate fate. Imagine someone out there with no experience - I'm surprised these types of incidents don't happen more often to be honest.

 

Very sad all around, no matter what.

[duanec]

No kidding about those life jackets - even in calm water!

At the lodge we went to, anyone going out unguided had to wait until the fish master went out and had to stay in radio contact with him (i.e. where he was fishing, when he was going in, coming out etc.). That way if there was any trouble or any word of storms, the fish master would be able to round everyone up.

 

i stayed at a lodge up there several times, and even though we were all [thankfully] guided there, on a few trips the guides were restricted by the fish master as to what areas we could fish due to weather or high seas. we also were not allowed out without the full mustang suits on, at best we were allowed to open the zipper up, and they can get quite hot.

i have a buddy who stayed at another lodge [unguided] and related a story getting into some serious trouble very quickly one day near some rocks, and he is not a novice boater. i have never gone unguided...always am more comforatble letting an experienced guide pilot the boat...i can cut bait and fish like many others but i don't boat in 10'+ swells very much.

really a tragic story - condolences to friends & family.

[Guest Outcasts]

my family took its first ever fishing trip we had to pay for (winifred lake) and were unbelievably surprised at how little instruction we got. We arrived and got the lodging and easily within 15 minutes of finishing unloading were on the boats on our way to the fishing spots pointed out on the map by our early 20's boat handler. Now these boats were only 16 foot alums with a 20hp but my brother didnt even know how to till and i can still remember as were leaving the dock and hes blasting water 12ft into the air the kids yelling for him to lower the motor...and we figured it all out too late that there was 2 winifred/winnifreds in alberta and got no conditioning to the lakes regulations but after a full day of fishing were shown the regular computer paper print out on the side of the gut hut expressing the trophy lake regs. Pritty interesting day if we had shown with a bucket full of walleye cause the one winnefred is game for any walleye and the other for none. And meeting the operater of the show didnt impress me much either, no smiles and the only help we recieved was asked for. So im not surprised to hear of that poor fellow and i hope the company steps up to the plate.

[Guest Sundancefisher]

No kidding about those life jackets - even in calm water!

 

What surprises me here is that there was no fish master out there (or none was mentioned). At the lodge we went to, anyone going out unguided had to wait until the fish master went out and had to stay in radio contact with him (i.e. where he was fishing, when he was going in, coming out etc.). That way if there was any trouble or any word of storms, the fish master would be able to round everyone up.

 

I do not believe they have a fish master. I think they rely on the other lodges for back up. Needless to say one should always err on the side of caution. If you feel uncomfortable and unsafe stop and go back.

[Doubletap]

I worked for the other resort (Charlotte Princess), owned by the same company that works out of Henslung Cove on Langara Island, many years ago.

 

The MV Marabell (which is the vessel the unfortunate fella was fishing from) does have a fish master, does have a rescue boat (a small zodiac), and does close parts of the island waters to fishing if conditions dictate. And to the best of my knowledge, they have never had a water related fatality in their history (although there certainly have been some cardiac arrests on the Marabell itself, which happens at all fishing lodges).

 

I am, however, surprised that this hasn't happened before. I've worked Coast Guard SAR for the last 15 years and have certainly helped a number of boaters that have gotten over their heads, conditions versus experiance wise (and 4 or 5 - four day trips to a lodge does not indicate experiance with Pacific Ocean conditions) and am surprised it doesn't end badly more often.

 

It really is a shame, though, as by accounts the man may well have been saved had flotation been worn. Its not a given, though and the bottom line is that the ocean is a dangerous place, at times. It shouldn't be intimidating, as thousands upon thousands of folks enjoy their trips to the west coast to fish unguided every year and have no more serious a problem than sunburn and a sore reeling hand. However, it needs to be remembered that things can go wrong quickly out there - its no place to let down your guard and with a little planning and prevention (like wearing a life jacket) theres no reason everyone can't enjoy a safe trip out to the salmon grounds.

 

Play safe out there!

[Guest Sundancefisher]

... and prevention (like wearing a life jacket) theres no reason everyone can't enjoy a safe trip out to the salmon grounds.

 

Play safe out there!

 

How many people do not wear life jackets? I tend to have one in the boat in fresh water lakes but wear them religiously in the chuck.

[Doubletap]

I tend to have one in the boat in fresh water lakes but wear them religiously in the chuck.

 

The interesting thing is that you are in more danger on the freshwater, especially early in the season out your way, than you are off the west coast.

 

The ocean on our coast stays at about 50F (give or take a few of degrees over the year). If you fall in, it feels cold but not debilitating - if you can stay afloat, hypothermia will eventually claim you, but unless the air temp is very cold (or the wind and seas are up - which can make getting a breathe difficult) it will take an hour or so.

 

If you fall into one of Alberta's lakes in the early season, the water will feel debilitatingly cold. What transpires is called "cold water shock" and is typified by uncontrolled and ragged breathing with loss of muscle control. This makes it impossible to tread water or swim. Though the water is extremely cold, hypothermia is almost never the killer - its drowning brought about by the inability to stay afloat. If you aren't wearing flotation that will help you maintain buoyancy for those first few minutes you will most likely aspirate water and drown.

 

There are more than 500 drowning fatalities a year in Canada and I'd be willing to bet (though I've seen no numbers to back this up) that far more drown in freshwater in a year than salt.

 

Something to think about, anyway.