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Quick thinking | Saves duo from drownin

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A WEST Vancouver man is credited by the Canadian Coast
Guard (CCG) for saving the lives of two men whose boat
flipped after hitting a log Thursday.

George Cruickshank and his
room-maie Kathy Kelly witnessed
the boat capsize two miles off
Sunset Beach from their balcony at
7:20 p.m.

While Kelly called the CCG,
Cruickshank rushed to rescue the
men.

Officer Dennis Gee of the CCG
Rescue Coordination Centre said
Cruickshank was able to secure a
boat from Sunset Marina, and
with marina employee Barry
McEiheron, was the first to arrive

on the scene.

‘“*He was really on the ball,”’
said Gee, ‘‘That water is pretty
cold and can weaken a person to
the point where they can give up
after 10 to 15 minutes. Generally
you don’t have a lot of time in
these waters.”"

Gee said sport fishermen Anton
Nemec, 56, of Burnaby, and
Charles Sterling, 40, of North
Delta, were in the water approx-

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imately 20 minutes. Both men were
wearing small lifejackets.

Nemec said he and his friend
were not able to board
Cruickshank’s boat because they
feared it would also capsize. In-
stead he hung on to, the small boai,
while Sterling hung on to the log,
until a Jarger vessel arrived.

The commercial tow boat Sea
Tow / pulled the men aboard, with
assistance from North Shore crew
of the B.C. Lifeboat Society.

Tully Waisman, of the Lifeboat
Society, said the men were taken to
Sunset Beach, where a first aid at-
tendant from the lifeboat found
them to be in good condition.

He said by this time crew from
the CCG cutter had arrived and

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PAGE 17

confirmed the men did not have to
be taken to hospital.

Also responding to the Coast
Guard mayday relay call were two
B.C. Ferries and two pleasure
crafts in the area.

Bowen Island ferry Howe Sound
Queen and Langdale ferry Queen
of Cowichan helped search for the
capsized boat, along with a 20-foot
pleasure boat and 50-foot pleasure
boat.

“It was an excellent response
from all vessels involved,’’ said
Waisman. ‘Il was very impressed
with the B.C. Ferries. They stayed
on the scene until it was all resolv-
ed.”’

Nemec said his 12-foot,
aluminium boat capsized after hit-

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PAGE 43

ting a log, soon after changing
drivers. He said he and Sterling
had been fishing since 4 p.m., had
packed up and were on their way
back to shore.

“After we flipped over, my
friend tried to swim to shore but
the current kept bringing him back
to me,’’ said Nemec, who remain-
ed with his boat.

“We couldn't see anyone, but
before we knew, we had everyone
there. I felt kind of stupid to tell
you the truth, with all the ferry
passengers looking to see what was
going on.”

Nernec said because of the cur-
rent, some areas of the water were

warm while other areas were ‘‘ice