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Fellow kayakers help flipped friend ashore in Oak Bay

Fire chief credits boater for wearing his lifejacket
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A lifejacket and travelling in a group are credited with preventing a flipped kayaker from becoming a bad situation. (Pixabay photo)

Paddling in a group was a safety success for one man in McNeill Bay Tuesday morning.

A man paddling along Beach Drive on Aug. 10 around 10:50 a.m. was in some distress after his kayak took on water, according to Oak Bay police.

Firefighters called to the scene used binoculars to see the person in the water being helped to shore by another kayaker from the group. There were no injuries reported.

“The most important factor in this turning out to be a good news story, is that the person that flipped over was wearing a personal flotation device, or PFD. The water is cold and the currents can be very strong off our shores, without a PFD or lifejacket these types of incidents can easily take a tragic turn,” said Oak Bay Fire Chief Darren Hughes.

READ ALSO: Oak Bay Sea Rescue members haul dead elk off McNeill Bay

c.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca


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Christine van Reeuwyk

About the Author: Christine van Reeuwyk

I'm dedicated to serving the community of Oak Bay as a senior journalist with the Greater Victoria news team.
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