OPEONGO LAKE RESCUE OCTOBER 10TH, 2020

13/10/2020

My husband Glenn Wallace and I were involved in a canoe rescue on Opeongo Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park on October 10th, 2020.

The press release to the media can be found here.

The media release has some inaccurate facts that my husband and I would like to correct. As he was the main rescuer in the situation, I have (with his permission) posted his account of the incident below.

My husband's account:

On Saturday I was involved in an incident that I believe should be shared as a learning experience for all. Krista Petrie-Wallace and I were planning to spend a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend camping in Algonquin Park with Rodney Wilson and family. We were to sea kayak into the East Arm of Opeongo Lake and enjoy a three day excursion into the Park.

We launched at the Opeongo Lake access point/Algonquin Outfitters location in early afternoon and had paddled uneventfully to the head of the South Arm. We then began to work our way across the most exposed section of the lake, where all three “arms” converge.

Opeongo Lake is the largest in the Park and has a reputation for rough waters in windy conditions. The wind (from the W/NW) was a steady 25 km/h with gusts that were significantly higher. Once in the exposed area of the lake our group broke into two groups. Krista and I were with the youngest member of our group and trailed the first three members of our group by a few hundred meters.
About 2:20 PM Krista commented that she thought she saw an overturned canoe and two upright canoes in the distance to our east. It was difficult to tell with the distance and 2 foot wind swell. After a quick conversation it was agreed she would continue on with the young paddler and I would break off to investigate. Little did I realize this would be the start of a 2.5 hour stretch of nearly constant maximal paddling effort for me.

The three canoes were about 1 km from our location, near the entrance to Jones Bay. Paddling hard I covered the distance in minutes and approached the scene. As I closed the distance I could see 6 people in two upright canoes and 3 people swimming alongside the third canoe.

Upon arriving to the group I immediately could see a catastrophe was unfolding. My instant assessment revealed:
a) none of the three people in the water could swim with any competence, although they (and all in the group) were wearing PFDs.
b) none of the three people in the water were dressed for cold water immersion
c) none of the 9 people involved had the skills to affect a rescue
d) language barrier was a very real issue
e) there were no other people, boats, etc. anywhere near to help me
I knew that if the three people were not pulled from the water in a timely fashion they would all die. At this point the shore was about 200 meters away, but the strong wind was pushing the swimmers out into the middle of Jones Bay.

I ordered the six people in two canoes to paddle to the northern point of Jones Bay, start a fire, and prepare dry clothes for the three people in the water. I also asked if the two strongest paddlers in the group could return to help me in one of the canoes. Having a second craft would open up additional rescue possibilities.

I got the weakest swimmer of the group (she could not swim at all nor kick her legs to assist) hanging onto the stern handle of my boat and headed for shore. After 20 minutes of maximum effort paddling I had battled through the wind and towed her to shore. I told those waiting on shore to get her into dry clothes immediately.

As I started out for the second swimmer, the canoe I had asked to assist me suddenly blew by. The two paddlers were completely unable to control the boat in the conditions and immediately blew eastward into the bay, removing the possibility of any help for me. Those two paddlers were eventually blown by the wind onto the eastern shore of the bay and remained on shore until rescued.

The second swimmer had been able to kick his legs aggressively, allowing him to hold his position against the wind. I returned for him, got him holding my kayak, and paddled the 200 meters back to shore as quickly as possible. This person was able to help significantly by kicking his legs aggressively as I towed him.

At this point 6 people (including 2 swimmers) are on the northern point that marks the beginning of Jones Bay and another 2 people are in the boat that has blown onto the eastern shore of Jones Bay. The third swimmer is still in the water and has been immersed for about an hour at this point.
The third swimmer had been unable to hold his position and is now 500 – 600 meters from shore. I race out to get him, locate him, and get him on the back of my kayak. By this point we are in the middle of Jones Bay, the wind has picked up even more, and the waves are 2-4 feet high. For 20 minutes I paddle as hard as I can toward the northern shore of Jones Bay where I have taken the others. After 20 minutes I realized that it was physically impossible to pull him directly into the wind. I shifted to Plan B, which was to try to run with the wind and hopefully make the eastern shore. It was further in distance (over 1 km likely), but I was hoping the strong wind/waves would help drive me. After another 20 minutes of maximal paddling it was clear I was not making progress. The inactive swimmer hanging from the back of the boat was making any meaningful forward progress nearly impossible in the water conditions present. I realized the only way to potentially save the third swimmer was to get a motor boat.

I told him I’d be back and he bailed off my boat. I figured I could paddle the 7 km back to the launch in about 40 minutes, where help could be raised and motor boats activated. I was also holding out hope that I might see one of the Algonquin Outfitters water taxi boats in the interim and wave it down.

I’d traveled about ¼ of the way south toward the put in when I saw an occupied campsite on an island. A couple was standing on the beach looking out into Jones Bay. I quickly told them of the dire situation unfolding and asked if they had any emergency communication device. They did – a Garmin In Reach. They were not that familiar with its use, but I told them told press SOS immediately. I didn’t stop long enough to see if they were successful, but rather kept paddling south as hard as possible. I would find out later the SOS worked at 4:20 PM and emergency services began to converge on Opeongo Lake.

Just a few minutes later (around 4:25 PM) I saw the water taxi boat and was able to wave him over. After I briefed him on the situation he was able to contact a second water taxi nearby and within a few minutes both boats were roaring off into Jones Bay to locate the third swimmer.

I turned my kayak around and headed back out into Jones Bay to assist. Jones Bay is literally 4 square kilometers of water – 2 km wide at its mouth, 2 km deep. By the time I arrived 15 – 20 minutes later they were still searching. Within a few minutes of reaching the middle of Jones Bay I located the third swimmer. It was immediately obvious the situation was now exceptionally critical. With the boats nearly a kilometer away searching the eastern reaches of the Bay, I paddled toward them as fast as could. I had closed about half the distance when the boats spotted me, realized why I was probably paddling toward them, and came to me. I immediately boarded the larger of the two boats, pulled my sea kayak on board, and jumped to the front of the boat to act as primary spotter. Both boats began a high speed grid search of the area I had last seen the third swimmer.

At this point I vaguely remember seeing the red sea kayak of my wife Krista enter the scene. She had reached our campsite and returned as quickly as possible knowing my extended absence meant real trouble.

Around 4:45 PM I spotted the third swimmer (unresponsive) and pulled him into the boat. The boat operators had told me previously that the emergency SOS had the ambulance on its way. Given the condition of the third swimmer I felt his only chance of survival was to get to the launch as quickly as possible and into the care of medical professionals. The water taxi was a very large metal boat with a 225 horsepower engine – both meant for high speed work in rough water. We ran the 10 minutes back to the launch under full power. I was unable to administer any first aid during this journey as the ride was extremely rough.

Upon landing at the docks someone (I’m not certain who) jumped into the boat and began to administer CPR on the third swimmer.

There were probably 50 – 100 people scattered throughout the grounds of Opeongo Outfitters. I canvased them to see if any were doctors, nurses, or medical professionals – none were. Shortly after this the ambulance arrived.

The next phase was to ensure the safe rescue of the other 8 people. When Krista had returned she had distributed emergency blankets, etc. to both the 6 people on the northern shore and the 2 people on the eastern shore. With a flotilla of boats now in action all 8 people were safely returned to the launch.

I’m certain this event will spark much conversation around safe backcountry travel.
In the interim, everyone would be well advised to consider these two points.
1) Cold water kills. Even in southern latitudes most of the Canadian boating season corresponds with water temperatures that can kill you if unprepared.
2) Wear high visibility clothing when partaking in outdoor activities. The victim was wearing a black jacket and dark blue PFD. This made it very difficult to spot him from both my kayak and the boat.
In conclusion, both water taxi operators were fantastic. We immediately formed an effective team once I had flagged them down. I didn’t get the name of either young man driving, but they deserve kudos for their efforts. Thanks to Brandon (also of Algonquin Outfitters) who later joined the effort to help rescue the stranded survivors as well.
Thanks to OPP Constable Jason MacDougall for his professionalism while processing the aftermath of this incident.

~Glenn~

We both feel terribly for this group and the tragic loss they have had to endure. Our condolences to the family members of the deceased.

The sad part was that this tragedy was entirely preventable. As an outdoor education teacher, I reflected on this incident and have some important recommendations that could help others in the future.
Krista's takeaways:
1. Learn how to swim. Being able to swim 200m with a PFD on could have saved a life.
2. If you travel in the backcountry or anywhere out of cell range, buy a satellite enabled beacon like the Garmin inReach. Activation enabled emergency services quite quickly in this situation. (I had one with me in my kayak, but it was not at the scene when it was needed).
3. If you own a Garmin inReach know how to use it, especially how to send an SOS message.
4. Wear high-visibility clothing when paddling and wear a PFD. You are easier to spot from a distance.
5. Learn canoeing and canoe rescue skills before backcountry travelling. Take a course through Paddle Canada or ORCKA. Know strategies and tactics for paddling in windy conditions.
6. Outfitters should screen or have a mandatory orientation in cold water conditions in the fall/spring for all canoe renters and possibly should deny rentals based on ability levels.
7. Paddle Canada/ORCKA/Canadian Drowning Coalition need to develop canoe courses and/or educational safety materials that new Canadians can understand (ie different languages).

If anything good can come from this tragedy is that the outdoor community needs to start a conversation about how the users of our parks and backcountry spaces are changing and many of these users don't have the swimming skills, canoeing skills, and water safety knowledge to be in the backcountry. The outdoor community needs to address how we can encourage these citizens to continue to explore our wilderness areas but also in a safe manner. We need to do better. Let's start this ball rolling. Share your ideas below in the comments

Wear your PFD!
Krista and Glenn

116 Comments

Barb Miller

13/10/2020 10:00:15 pm

Glenn and Krista - thank you for your perseverance to help this group of people and prevent further tragedy. Thank you for clearly sharing this story so that regular backcountry users are aware of this issue and so we can work to educate the public. Please take care.

Wade

13/10/2020 10:09:07 pm

You did amazing under such adverse conditions!!! I couldn't agree more with the need for outdoor skills before heading out on such adventures. Thank you for sharing!!!

Maurice Poulin

13/10/2020 10:15:24 pm

Thank you for jumping in without hesitation to help a group of beginner paddlers in serious distress. Your article, comments and recommend are well received and well written.

Thank you for taking the time to update the paddling community.

My heart goes out to the deceased family and friends. You saved two lives, took control of the scene, directed a group of paddlers in shock and brought them all to safety. This is remarkable and you are to be commended for your valiant actions and service.

Eric Cartlidge

13/10/2020 10:37:54 pm

Great Job Glenn and Krista. A tragic loss of one life but without your help the loss would have been much greater. Your quick actions and ability to stick with the situation allowed families to see their loved ones. I was in the park paddling at the time of those strong winds, but on a smaller lake and I can’t agree more about making sure people learn the skills necessary before they are needed.
Thanks for sharing and thank you for your actions.

Dan Bezaire link

13/10/2020 10:40:57 pm

Amazing job, and your quick thinking and actions likely saved that group from more tragedy.

Your points you bring up are spot on with the issues seen this summer at many areas with inexperienced people. Much of the inexperience comes from lack of information and understanding.

As for resources to help people, besides taking a course. Is the Adventuresmart program. Here is link to the paddling section - yes it is only french and english at this time but hopefully expanded language options will come.

https://www.adventuresmart.ca/water/paddlesmart.htm

Krista

14/10/2020 08:19:11 am

Hi Dan-
I use the Paddlesmart and Survive Outside programs of Adventuresmart in my Outdoor Education classes. I teach 2 high school level Outdoor Ed programs and the Adventuresmart materials are fantastics. My issue is how they can be used to educate new Canadians and those who don't speak English well. I wonder if they can be translated?

Thanks, Krista

Chris

14/10/2020 12:47:13 pm

It would be helpful for many people if the website had the ability to incorporate Google Translate into it with a dropdown menu. Here's what it would look like in Mandarin; however, I'm not sure how effective the translation technology would be using this method.

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=zh-CN&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adventuresmart.ca%2Fwater%2Fpaddlesmart.htm

Sky Li

14/10/2020 01:58:06 pm

I am a freelance translator and have quite a few other translator friends of various languages. Please let me know what I can do to help. I am friends with the group that you and your amazing husband helped on Saturday. Please feel free to contact me regarding the translation of those educational materials.

Lyle Garrett

13/10/2020 11:23:45 pm

kudos to you all - sounds like you did a tremendous job in adverse circumstances. We've canoed some pretty rough wind/water conditions and my shoulders were aching just reading your account. My wife and I have said for years that the outfitters should be more pro-active about screening the people they are renting to - seeing that 3rd person riding the thwart has always set off alarms, with the high centre of gravity and wind-catch.

Sue Nielsen

13/10/2020 11:39:46 pm

Thank goodness you had the skills and knowledge to help those involved in this senseless tragedy. When I heard about it I was sickened. Your takeaways are bang on. As an avid canoeist and member of the media, i shall use my column platform to educate and inform. My heartfelt condolences to the deceased individual's family and friends. You are a hero for what you did to help those people. Thank you.

Greg Derbyshire

14/10/2020 12:16:57 am

Thanks for the detailed account of a very challenging situation. Debriefing is essential to personally process incidents as well as learn from the experience. Sharing that learning helps the outdoor community grow.

It is likely, (dare I say obvious), that the canoeists were paddling beyond their skill level. In conoes, even experienced paddlers should avoid 2-4' swells. Add cold water to the mix and the risks skyrocket.

Few paddlers, experienced or not, know the true risks of shoulder season paddling with cold water and stormy weather - until disaster strikes. As an instructor, I stress the importance of risk management when paddling. Knowledge and preparation mitigates much of the real risk; Having an emergency GPS device is essential in the backcountry. Skills reduce risk. Still, good judgement is vital, and too often, our good judgement grows from previous poor judgment. Err on the side of safety. Adventure still awaits.

Sincere condolences to the paddlers, families and friends. And I hope that the rescuers can process this tragedy successfully.

John

14/10/2020 01:45:46 am

We ran across a large group of rental canoeist in lower arm of Opeongo a few years ago, rescued three people and one overturned canoe. They reported that they had been swamped by the water taxi.
They were totaly unprepared for a tip event and did not know what to do.
We came from a long way away to rescue them, they were in the water quite some time, and starting to panic.
Only difference is that our story occured in August, so no one died, but in Sept, or Oct.......
Yep not sure how you can rent a canoe to people that have no idea what they are doing, and on a large windy lake.
When canoeing, you must expect to tip, and have a well rehearsed plan to recover. Especially in cold water. If your skill level is such that the plan is "Swim to shore" you need to be carefull to hug said shore.

Ryan

4/8/2021 06:17:38 pm

This cold have been avoided easily with more knowledge from all involved.

If the Kayak rescuer was savvy enough to draft the non-swimmers to an end of the canoe, raft besides it for stability, and have the occupants pull their friends in from the other side. [Yes this could be accomplished regardless of the language barrier].

Then you have everyone out of the water and can get them to shore.
The key was identifying that the situation was serious enough to just abandon the 3rd rental boat for the time being and get everyone out of the water.

The rental, could have then been recovered for the group if the rescuer was feeling in the mood after saving their lives.

Alternatively the Kayak user could have done his best to get both canoes to raft up together and face into the waves. Then help the non-swimmers with a tow for recovery.

Another big take away from this should be: Pulling submerged adults in a Kayak is not a viable rescue option.

This is not to fault the effort or actions of Glen. Clearly he was not trained to deal with this situation and stepped in when there was no one else, that should be applauded.

Used to be an ORCA qualified trip leader. Tons nasty of Opeongo experiences. Not speaking from a judgemental standpoint but from one of after action review to prevent future loss. Perhaps someone will take something away from my thoughts on the incident.

Dave

7/10/2024 12:30:39 pm

Easy to say. In practice, with weather, shock and adrenaline and panic this approach could very well have resulted in more lives lost. Actual EMS is always influenced by on site factors. That’s why it is so easy to second guess first responders that are not operating with professional resources in teams with relatively controlled conditions. From my experience it is not fair to the responders, you can drive yourself crazy.

Dragon 1

13/10/2024 01:16:40 pm

Actually, kayak tows are a recognized water rescue technique and even a SURF SKI (narrow, tippy) has been utilized by an experienced paddler to save a life at another large lake (in BC).

This kayaker is obviously experienced and skilled. Whereas the novices in the other two canoes with language barriers might well have capsized in attempting to board a panicking, water soaked person from the water in rough conditions despite the boats being rafted. Given the reported surface chop and wind-driven waves, a canoe/canoe rescue by experienced paddlers would have been very challenging. I say this as a paddler since the late 60s incldg Opeongo, an instructor since the 70s, a lifesaver (BRNZ MED / CRS / AWRD MRT) and NLS lifeguard, coast guard SAR officer and sea kayaking instructor since the 80s (owned first surf ski in Canada in 1986 which was invented by Australian surf zone lifeguards; a cold water survival specialist since the 90s, who learned a bit of Chinese (Mandarin & Cantinese); and who in 2019 trained in rescuing boat refugees fleeing across the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The rescuers should be awarded life saving medals by the Lifesaving Society Ontario Branch. They resolved the situation as best they could admirably and at actual risk to themselves.

jerry cunningham

14/10/2020 04:44:22 am

Great job, well beyond what most could have done in similar situation and conditions. An absolute tragedy that this has happened. My only comment is drawn on an assumption. The assumption is that the canoes in use were rentals. Why are the outfitters still renting canoes out this late in the season? They do not all have a start up time in the spring and a shut down time in the fall but I would suggest it might be a good idea. High winds, cold water and rough, wavy conditions are not always foreseeable but at some point common sense has sto over rule the almighty dollar.

Lisa

14/10/2020 05:47:58 am

Glenn and all other rescuers involved- excellent. Thank you for being wonderful humans. 👏

Donna Lacrooy

14/10/2020 06:32:06 am

Thank you for all your efforts. Your summary of the events is a valuable lesson. My husband and I have often thought that renting out canoes in the spring and fall without screening people or education is a dangerous thing to do.

Megan O’Connor

14/10/2020 08:04:01 am

Thank you so much for your rescue skills, your super strength at paddling, your caring!
My Grandad taught me to respect the water (Lake Simcoe) & know that conditions change & surprise quickly. I have never forgotten & taught my son same.
I now kayak on Lake Huron, always with all bells & whistles. Those ppl would all be gone without You.

Stephanie Rankine link

14/10/2020 08:11:39 am

Thank you so much for your quick response and help in this situation. It could have been a lot worse. Education is key I believe and having access to courses and information can play a vital role in situations like this. If you feel
Like sharing the following please do ... the Canadian Safe Boating Council has developed an educational program for new boaters and new Canadians who are taking to Canadian waters. Start Boating focuses on four of the largest growing water categories in Canada; kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding and small open motor boats. This program has been produced in French and English as well as Tagalog, Mandarin, Cantonese and Hindi. Although not in person instruction, which the program highly recommends taking actual courses when it comes to these boating activities, Start Boating gives basic information when it comes to being prepared for an outing, the safety equipment needed, what to wear, how to navigate busy waterways, how to check and continue to monitor changing weather conditions, etc. This program is a great start for those looking to get on the water with boats they may have purchased from “the big box stores” where little to instruction on safety is given. Please send along and share if you feel called to do so!! Happy (and safe) paddling and adventuring this fall ✌️

Greg Derbyshire link

14/10/2020 11:21:06 am

This is fabulous! May I post a link on my website?
Greg

Greg Derbyshire

14/10/2020 11:46:29 am

Sorry about my comment above which was intended to support the fabulous Canadian Safe Boating Council and their Start Boating program.

Gill Thompson

14/10/2020 02:33:20 pm

Thank you Stephanie for sharing this valuable information. I've checked the CSBC website for info on the 'Start Boating' course but am unable to find it. Would it be possible to share a link please?

Adam Zita link

14/10/2020 02:45:06 pm

https://startboating.ca/

Gillian Thompson

15/10/2020 12:26:42 am

Thank you for the link.

Krista

14/10/2020 03:38:08 pm

Hi Stephanie - Would you be able to send a link to those materials for me through my contact page? I would like to pass them along to the survivors of this situation.

Tania Liu

15/10/2020 12:03:47 am

Hi Stephanie,

I'm really interested in the multilingual material. However I couldn't find it on your website. Could you provide a link?

Thank you!

David Breth

14/10/2020 08:29:18 am

Glenn and Krista - if I'm ever in a dire emergency situation, I hope you two are nearby. There are people are good in an emergency, who can jump in, thoughts organized, focused, equal to the task, and there are people who contribute little more than panic and chaos. One of the lessons here, at least to me, is to pay close attention to your combined responses. Your awareness, your sense of the situation, your preparedness physically and mentally - these intangible elements should not be overlooked as the incident is reviewed. Well done. There may be a part of you that wonders if you could have done something differently that might have saved a third life, but I'm sure there was nothing more to be done. I'm confident that any analysis done on this situation will reach the same conclusion: everything that could possibly have been done to save lives was done and more. Again, well done.

Donna Hart

14/10/2020 05:41:00 pm

They went over and above and because of that lives were saved

Colette

14/10/2020 08:30:49 am

Thank you Glenn and Krista for your courage, determination, quick-thinking and incredible efforts in performing this rescue. Without your help, this tragedy would have been much much worse. Your takeaways and advice are invaluable. Do ensure that you give yourselves the proper self-care in the days to come, as such critical incidents sometimes require professional debriefing to avert the effects of potential ptsd. My heart goes out to both of you for your incredible bravery, to the the friends and family of the young man who perished, and to all the others involved in the rescue efforts. With immense gratitude, Colette

Donna Hart

14/10/2020 05:39:01 pm

Well put. I too immediately thought a) more lives would have been lost. b) they should seek counseling to deal with their own PTSD after this event.

Mark B

14/10/2020 08:35:12 am

Wow. What a heroic but devastating story with so many lessons learned. Early Fall weekend get-away turned into a tragedy so quickly. Just wanted to note that another Takeaway for all is to check & double check the current & future weather (Wind, Water temps) conditions. Those 25-40 mph winds & gusts were probably in the forecast. Second, I’m surprised that no one on the water had a VHF marine radio. We (Sea) kayak down here in Maryland all year-round and most of us carry radios - to keep in touch with front & back, but obviously to also make an SOS call to Coast Guard. In a group of 20 or kayakers, id guess more than half carry and use a marine radio. Good safety gear for $150.00 or less. Thanks for recounting this (tragic) story.

Peter Quinlan

14/10/2020 09:03:02 am

Algonquin Park is a beautiful place and I cannot fault others for wanting and trying to enjoy it. The outfitters provide the opportunity for all of us to experience it. I hesitate to fault them for being ill equipped to require renters to display sufficient skill before renting. Each of us should be wise enough to recognize our limitations but many consider themselves immortal, immune and, well, infertile. Reckless behaviour is a constant in adventurous people, young or not so young. I thank Glenn for his willingness to investigate and save those that he was able to save. The story did and does need to be told. Perhaps the outfitters could have an experienced paddler give some advice or even offer a course on safety but it will always be up to each of us to decide whether to go or not. A tragedy can be a catalyst for change and perhaps this one will be that catalyst.

Elizabeth Brown

14/10/2020 09:11:40 am

After reading your story I'm struck by the contrast but also the similarities here: a boat overturned in physic trouble from hyperthermia, but no help available when outfitters and park ranger were apparently contacted. The group was left to fend overnight and get themselves out the next day. OPP were on site taking notes. Nobody helped.
My daughter, son and their partners were on a canoe trip with their two canoes and gear on North Tea lake on the Labour day weekend. Not as cold but still potentially deadly. Monday trip out was very windy and cold. They were weighing options for being windbound but decided to travel later in the morning. They came upon an overturned canoe with two men and gear drifting. They wind was so intense and they were already drained. Only one loaded canoe could reach the people in trouble. The rescuers had fox 40 whistles and sounded loud sos blows alerting many nearby. One boat arrived to assist. The other boat emptied gear at shore subbed out for fresh paddlers and returned to help. One of the overturned paddlers was turning blue and couldn't speak or think or respond very well. They were in real trouble. Eventually they rescued and made their way to a campsite with people who started a fire and left gear behind for them but they left to go home as planned. Our family was struggling to care for selves and victims and were forced to stay an extra night in the interior. The one swimmer was stripped and put in dry clothes (lucky him!) and warmed in a sleeping bag with his buddy to oversee progress from hyperthermia. Another canoe later arrived at the site. They were part of the overturned group. They had left the swamped boat to paddle out to get help. They spoke with the outfitter who contacted the ranger but were told no help was possible. They returned (two portages and hours of paddling out then back in) and arrived at the site also exhausted and hungry. The group paddled out the next day and discovered OPP at the access point with a list of some 16 missing persons. They were simply interviewing everyone as they left to resolve the list.
I am so proud of our family for stepping up to rescue these people. I have no doubt that the one paddler could have died from their situation had help not arrived. They all missed a days work and were outside of cell signal unable to make contact until the next day on the road. There was great physical expenditure and now ongoing physio treatment ($) to manage the after effects for the rescuers. Not to mention the drain of replaying the whole episode again and again. They could have paddled by as many others did but chose instead to respond, understanding the severity and impossibleness of getting an overturned boat to shore in that cold massive lake.
I agree more could be done to help people understand how bad things can get on big windy lake and how to best be prepared. There are many inexperienced paddlers out there this year. I'm thankful and proud that our family was knowledgeable, capable and willing to sacrifice.

Selda Panchishin

14/10/2020 09:14:58 am

I hope you don't mind, I shared your recount of the events to an Algonquin park FB group

Kate

14/10/2020 09:20:54 am

Incredible efforts and thank you for your framing of this tragic situation. Please also know that there are local victim services groups to support you and your wife in your local area after dealing with such a tragic event.

Cathie

14/10/2020 09:24:55 am

Your actions were exemplary and your grief must have been heartfelt. Very sad day for all involved 🙏.

Lesley Cassidy

14/10/2020 09:29:23 am

Thank you for sharing this detailed information on what happened. I think it's important that the facts are known and shared so that people better understand the risks of cold water paddling (and can plan for them) and how things can go sideways so fast on a windy day in October. But most importantly thank you for your quick thinking, your caring and action on Saturday. You saved lives.

Nina

14/10/2020 09:34:05 am

Glenn and Krista: you guys are amazing and the credit to your rescue (and not the police) should be corrected. The amount of effort you put into this rescue can not be disregarded and is difficult to even imagine. You are right, there are too many new people using the back country with no experience. I don’t have that experience, but have been coming to the park for over 30 years, and would never venture out there without a professional guide. Thanks to people like you, more lives weren’t lost!

Virgil Cheung

14/10/2020 09:36:55 am

Thank you Krista and Glen for your rescue efforts, the paddling community is grateful for your account. Hopefully this will bring more awareness about paddling in shoulder seasons. There isn't much more for me to say that hasn't been said in the comments already. What I would add is permanently affixing a strobe LED to the PFD would have been a key factor in reducing the time searching for a swimmer in the water. From this account, tens of minutes would have been saved, possibly saving the man's life. This cheap lifesaving device should be mandatory equipment for outfitters.

Elizabeth Brown

14/10/2020 09:40:04 am

Thank you. What an outstanding effort and recount of the events. Such a difficult time for all. Fantastic that you were able to do so much to help, but such a tragic loss. I hope you recover and your heart is at peace.

I remember seeing a sign on the south shores of Lake superior (in the USS) warning of the deadly consequences of not being prepared. They gave details of deaths over the years from that particular dock, and recommendations on how best to be prepared for the lake. It was very sobering to know that people left the shores at the docks at the site of the sign and then tragically died out there on the lake. Maybe a historical sign at Opeongo to warn and recount would help some people consider their choices and paddle closer to shore or be better prepared for an overturned boat.

james elliott

14/10/2020 10:00:51 am

Thanks for stepping up and doing all that you could. Without your intervention there is no doubt that more tragedy would have occurred.

Shiro

14/10/2020 10:07:02 am

I'm part of the camping group on Saturday, me and the rest of 7 of us just want to express how grateful we are for you and Glendon's help! This is a hard lesson for all of us, we all promised to better prepare and equip ourselves with more knowledge about backcountry camping and rescue skills when it comes to possible extreme situations. We also hope this could be a lesson to the other campers. Again, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING GLENDON AND KRISTA!

Krista

14/10/2020 03:45:59 pm

We are so very very sorry for your loss. We both send along our condolences to your entire group and for Simon's family. It is hard time for all involved. Take care.

14/10/2020 10:25:01 am

Thank you Glenn and Krista for your heroic action and for sharing the experience and lessons learned. And I completely agree with you that new Canadians should have ways to access water safety educations to prevent future disasters.Contact me if I could help with translating the material into language I know.

Sky Li

14/10/2020 01:51:46 pm

I am also a freelance translator, and have a network of translators of various languages, please feel free to contact me if you need any educational materials to be translated.

Andrew Scott

14/10/2020 10:29:45 am

I'm a member of a meetup group. A couple years back a guy posted that he wanted to take people out in April to Minesing Wetlands. A clearly new canoeist who can't swim asked if it'd be okay for them to come... and he said yes.
I was shocked. After I recovered, I posted a long reply about the various risk factors - like not knowing how to swim, cold weather effects, the difficulty of participating in a canoe over canoe rescue, etc.
I included links with videos on how to do canoe over canoe, I included links to ORCKA training.
And then the man, Bill Holland, said it was too much to worry about, that they should just yell "get me out of here" and he'd come fix everything for them.
If you administer a Toronto-area canoeing meetup group, and you have a member telling them that they can cut that many corners...
Let's have a conversation about that, too.

Vickie

22/10/2020 11:03:22 am

I heard about this man Bill Holland. I would be more careful if I saw his trip posted.

Donna

14/10/2020 10:46:28 am

Thank you so much for your valiant efforts and the following account. The situation would have likely been far worse without your efforts.
Secondly your extremely well written account gives a very clear insight into the possible perils, as well as offering very clear measures to avoid something like this happening.
Knowledge is everything. Thanks to both of you again for being the people you are!

Johne Liu

14/10/2020 11:04:58 am

Glen and Krista, Your heroic action has saved many lives, Your public sharing of this story will save many more!

Alan Black

14/10/2020 11:26:00 am

I'm 70 years old and have been canoeing all my life thanks to my father who was a hunter/outdoorsman. I've seen some sketchy stuff out there lately. Lots of new Canadians hoping to enjoy our beautiful wilderness. You did an amazing job. Things could have been a lot worse for those folks. I agree there should be some sort of course required or at least highly recommended. This tragedy should not have happened. Thanks for being there.

Gina

14/10/2020 11:53:07 am

Dear Krista and Glenn, My name is Gina. Thank you very much for trying your very best to save our friends. The person
who passed away in this accident, Simon, is also our best friend. His family now is still very confused about the details of his death. Could you please contact us directly? Please kindly email me at [email protected].
Great thanks.

Krista

14/10/2020 04:02:29 pm

Gina-

I will send you an email.

Krista

William link

14/10/2020 11:55:29 am

Glenn and Krista: I have read your paragraph bearing with my tears. With all the heartfelt words have been said in previous comments. I don't think I can do more or better in expression of my deep thankfulness to you two and to all who had jumpped in for the rescue. Without your help, tragedy could be much bigger. Your actions on saving strangers, once again, enhanced the sound that has been singing in my mind since the day I and my family became Canadians - "We are Canadians! I am CANADIAN!". Although my limited language skill can't tell too much what I am reflecting on after reading all I could read about the event this morning, one thing that can be sure is I am not only proud of being Canadian, but refirmed to be a great Canadian. You, like many other Canadian hero's, have touched my heart! Glenn and Krista, my sincere thankfulness to you at this post-Thanks Giving Day of 2020!

Leon

14/10/2020 12:02:15 pm

Thank you for your kindly helps. Without you, we cannot see our friend last moments. Best resuce and actions. Would you give me your email, we would like to send your thank-you form, please.

NATASHA TREMBLAY

14/10/2020 12:11:43 pm

Discourage posting in Facebook Groups of unsafe practices like influencers posting pictures of themselves in canoes without life jackets.

Norman Hooper

14/10/2020 12:31:48 pm

I have wilderness canoed for 61 years and safety and common sense have always been my primary.

I have read this article three times and must commend Glenn and Krista and everyone else for their immediate course of action to save and rescue these canoeists, while putting themselves at risk at the same.

I am only going to address the last paragraph: "If anything good can come from this tragedy is that the outdoor community needs to start a conversation about how the users of our parks and backcountry spaces are changing and many of these users don't have the swimming skills, canoeing skills, and water safety knowledge to be in the backcountry. The outdoor community needs to address how we can encourage these citizens to continue to explore our wilderness areas but also in a safe manner."

A number of years ago, my wife and I were overlooking this same lake and watched several Asian tourists trying to paddle canoes every which way. It was apparent that this was the first time canoeing. Immediately I stated that they should NOT have been rented canoes and that a serious accident was going to happen should they get out into the middle of the lake with westerly winds in the early afternoon, as usual. Fortunately, they grounded to shore and gave up their venture.

However, it was during the following year that I read about an Asian tourist who had drown while canoeing on Opeongo Lake and I had to shake my head....... After writing to a park official, I learnt that the boat rental places in the provincial parks are privately run. I guess profit comes ahead to safety and lives.

Again, thank you for your course of action(s).......you and others were instrumental in saving some lives.

Your article has been posted on my FB site with a request for others to post it as well.

Norm

Sky Li

14/10/2020 12:35:25 pm

Thank you both so much for the efforts, I am friends with the group, and we were worried sick when we found out one of the guys were rushed to emergency, our entire larger group learned our lesson from this tragedy. Thank you once again for helping our friends.

Krista

14/10/2020 04:01:39 pm

Hi Sky-

I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. We were hopeful that they could save him at the hospital and hoped he could pull through. We were happy to help your friends that day. Take care.

Sky Li

14/10/2020 05:18:06 pm

Hi Krista,

I just realized I left a couple of comments indicating I can help with the translation of the educational materials without leaving my contact information, here's my email: [email protected]
I am a freelance translator with native fluency in two of the most popular Chinese languages, I also know of quite a few translators of other languages, while I am willing to do this voluntarily, I would have to check with my peers of other languages, but please contact me so we can work something out in hopes to save the lives of many more in the future.

Saffi Zhang

15/10/2020 11:02:41 am

Hi Sky,
Did you start to translate this article already? I plan to do the translation as well. If you already start, I will not do it. My Dragon Boat coach is from Hongkong and graduated from Queen University as an professional engineer and experienced OC and dragon boat coach and members of Canada National team. He can review your translation draft and give some professional correction. Could you contact me? My email is [email protected]

Ken marchant

14/10/2020 12:37:13 pm

Thank you. Your prompt actions saved several lives. This could have been much worse.thank you also for documenting this it will save more lives. You deserve the Governor General’s award for your heroic actions. Several times you put your life at risk. I know there is no such thing as a stranger in need once you leave the dock but your actions went well beyond any call to duty. Thanks again.

Livia

14/10/2020 12:42:36 pm

Hi Krista,

Thank you so much for you and your husband for sharing and doing rescue the group of paddlers, which I heard that they are Chinese. I am a Canadian. I am in the process of achieving Ontario Boating License. I know a lot of water sports lovers who can speak Chinese. If you need to translate education material, we can volunteer to help.

— Livia

Jasmine

14/10/2020 12:54:23 pm

Glen Wallace needs to be applauded for his heroic action in doing everything humanly possible to bring these individuals to safety!
His extensive knowledge on rescue safety may have helped to prevent further disaster with this group. Our two boys along with a friend returned from the same waters just a week ago. I shuddered as I read about your courageous rescue!

14/10/2020 01:09:25 pm

Glenn, thank you so much for your heroic action. You did everything you could, made the best judgement calls, and saved two people's lives. And Glenn and Krista, thanks for sharing your experience. It is so important to raise awareness and have important lessons learned from this tragic.

Adam Zita link

14/10/2020 01:27:46 pm

I echo everyone's heart felt thanks to those involved with the rescue. As someone who has been in the same position as Glenn, I understand how there are no second thoughts when you see people in danger on the water and are able to help.

I also echo some people comments about the responsibility of the rental business and strongly recommend all rental business to refer to this on line course https://rentalboatsafety.ca/ This is a Transport Canada course recommend for all rental businesses no matter what mode of transportation you are renting. It is not a replacement for a Paddle Canada course, but something to take in conjunction.

Tragedy is never easy to bare. My condolences to all friends and family affected by this unfortunate event.

Jeremy B

14/10/2020 03:27:04 pm

Your efforts are nothing short of absolutely heroic. I believe you were there that day for a reason. I completed my first solo camping trip in Algonquin 3 years ago. It was the weekend where there was a tornado warning outside Ottawa and when I got my permit the staff said they were actively trying to discourage campers from heading out. I insisted and when I started out from Smoke Lake I was heading right up the middle of the lake, into very strong winds in a brand new canoe I had never captained before. From shore a man was yelling at me and waving his arms, I strained to make out what he said, so I paddled his way. He yelled "stay as close to shore as possible, even if it means doubling your distance!" I thanked him earnestly and continued on. If he had not told me that, I would have been in trouble. The park staff should have special pamphlets to hand out to people depending on circumstance. A handy "what to do in high winds" sheet would have been a great help. I hope these tragedies cease. Thanks again for your efforts and account.

Sui

14/10/2020 03:39:35 pm

Glenn, thank you very much for taking the leadership role in an extremely difficult circumstance. Your knowledge, courage and judgement prevented further tragedies to happen.
Krista, thanks for sharing the story. Everyone reading this has benefited from it. All of us, specifically those new to outdoor adventures should reflect on how to be better prepared before any trip.

Darren Davidson

14/10/2020 04:10:29 pm

Good job jumping into action and helping save those people. This situation is the reason I bought an InReach and yes I know how to use it cause most of the time it's just me and my dog and realize I am the rescue party if an accident happens. I use the InReach to contact a family member every night to let them know I'm ok, and have the emergency contacts all set up with InReach incase I ever have an emergency and hit the SOS so they know who to contact with rescue info. Well worth the money in my opinion.

Howard

14/10/2020 04:15:08 pm

Clearly this is a case of people in over their heads in terms of skill level. the article identifies the lack of skill in terms of signaling for help, paddling the canoe, swimming, and more. This is clearly not a case of people not wearing pfds although I am sure that had they not been wearing pfds all three would have drowned. With two upright canoes at the scene the rescue should have been quick and simple if the participants had the skills. All of this was identified in the article. What was not identified is the root cause of the problem. I have been to the Algonquin canoe lake Portage store many times and seen people renting equipment and leaving the dock with virtually no paddling skills and I would assume from that that the other required skills were limited. I'm sure the same situation occurs at the opiango location. I recognize that these people want an outdoor experience and potentially a Canadian experience. And I also recognize that the service providers, Algonquin outfitters, are in a profit-making business and do not want to turn away customers. not only would they lose that business but the word would get out that facilities were not available. I also understand that the time it would take to train everybody in the appropriate skills would make it totally unreasonable. I don't know what the solution is but I know the problem starts at the Outfitters dock. What concerns me personally is that an incident such as this is not trigger an outcry for more restrictive safety measures that would affect the enjoyment of skilled participants. Obviously The rescuers did an outstanding job and I'm sure they wish they could have saved everybody.

Tracy Armstrong

14/10/2020 06:52:27 pm

Thanks for sharing this story...both inspirational in terms of how you quickly assessed the situation, took charge and ultimately saved lives...and, of course, tragic for everyone involved. My family/friends were involved in a rescue situation at our cottage a few years ago (renters at neighbouring cottage) and it too ended with one death. Be sure to take the needed time to process this traumatic event yourself and know that you did everything within your power to help everyone survive. I fear that if you had not come along, there would have been more fatalities. Your suggestions are excellent. We are backcountry campers and have never carried a SOS device but are no considering one. Prayers to the family and friends who lost a loved one.

Jeff link

14/10/2020 06:52:28 pm

The rescuer did a fantastic job. First, he made sure his group was safe. Then, he helped those he could. He also enlisted others. When he reached his limit, he sought outside help.

Change any factor in his approach and more might have died.

Glenn (and Krista's) efforts were heroic and timely and saved lives.

I highly recommend seeking counseling support, even if you think you don't need it. This goes for those who were rescued and everybody who helped or observed. If you had young kids with you, please monitor them for any behavioural changes that might result from being near a fatal incident.

Steve Hailstone

14/10/2020 10:01:02 pm

My best to Glen having been in a similar situation I feel he likely is second guessing some decisions. Its impossible not to I believe you just need to believe you did your best.
Very tragic for all thanks for sharing there is lots of learning here

SCOTT CAMPBELL

14/10/2020 10:03:41 pm

Bravo Glenn and Krista! I too have seen people rent a boat on Opeongo with no idea how to paddle: facing each other! Fortunately, in that case, conditions were favourable and no harm was done. Still, I would hold the outfitters responsible, not these paddlers: in this case, someone decided to rent three boats to nine novice paddlers in unfavourable conditions. No doubt they signed waivers, but they didn't know what they didn't know -- the outfitter did. The outfitter will probably say they can't do a proficiency exam on every paddler, but that's cold comfort, and they certainly could have made a better decision this time. I do know of at least one other outfitter who would not let a group rent boats under unfavourable conditions until they were satisfied with the precautions.

John Doe

14/10/2020 10:19:30 pm

I'm really glad to get some insight on this situation as the media article released was very vague. Too often these articles are released, forgotten about and a good learning opportunity slips away. Kudos to you for stepping up and preventing any further loss of life. It's a terribly tragic situation and people do not respect the power of mother nature as they should. Let this be a learning curve for all of us. RIP

Jenet

14/10/2020 10:40:11 pm

It's not easy to get through in this condition. I happended to hear someone talking about the guy who passed away in this accident. He seems to be a healthy man from China and I guess maybe it gave him a misunderstanding as easy to manage in this situation, even though his was unware of it.

Ash

14/10/2020 11:55:41 pm

Thank you. I people in the group are in our friend circle. We are deeply indebted to you.

Krista

15/10/2020 11:02:40 am

I am so very sorry for your loss. My heartfelt condolences go out to all his friends and family.

Krista

15/10/2020 12:09:59 am

Glenn and Krista, I’m a friend of his. I just want to say THANK YOU for ALL the efforts you’ve made to save him. Also thank you for sharing all the details here to give people a heads up on this. I believe this would stop many tragedies from happening. Words couldn’t express how much we appreciate your help, we wish you and your family health and happiness.

Krista

15/10/2020 11:01:05 am

My deepest sympathies to you and all of his friends.

Krista

Jane Michaud

15/10/2020 07:25:25 am

Glenn and Krista. Thank you so much for your efforts during this rescue. My husband and I were backcountry camping (in another area of Algonquin) and we were both relieved to have reached our campsite before the wind picked up. There are times when you just need to stay put instead of attempting to paddle. Thank you very much for your recount and recommendations of this incident. Although we are competent paddlers we have already rethought some of our equipment and will be adding a SOS beacon to our equipment. My heart goes out to the family.

Saffi

15/10/2020 09:59:30 am

Hi Krista,
Could I translate your post to Chinese and spread in the Chinese community? People should learn from it.

Krista

15/10/2020 08:00:11 pm

Sure!

Dave Woodrow

15/10/2020 09:59:30 am

I was amazed after reading the account of this tragedy that happened while canoeing and the rescue effort by all the people involved. I now understand much better why my daughter Sue who loves to canoe the Lakes in Algonquin Park is so serious about safety.

Li Meynen

15/10/2020 11:42:43 am

Hi Krista and Glenn, Thank you sooooo much for everything you have done to save them. You are a true hero and words can’t describe my gratitude! Your advices are absolutely very valuable ! Wish you and your family happy and healthy !

Outdoors Dad

15/10/2020 12:05:18 pm

Thank you for sharing Glenn's insight into this tragic incident. The lure of our great outdoors is so tempting for all of us during this pandemic. This past summer saw masses of newbies to the lakes and rivers. Days leading to long weekend in Brent I witnessed many newbies that were just so unprepared for challenges of open water; and yes, I did see canoeists each facing one another while paddling. Although I did not read all of the comments (and hope I do not repeat), I agree with outreach for training to reflect the diversity in our country. However, we need to reach all newbies in own cities and not when facing the outfitters. Outfitters and lifestyle merchandisers (such as MEC) are doing well to promote the outdoors and its numerous activities to a new generation of enthusiasts and new-comers. I hope though that this incident highlights safety first in our collective use of our outdoors and that more experienced users feel proud to spot the newbies and share safety advice while on-shore .
Stay safe!

Maria R

15/10/2020 04:12:38 pm

You are 100% right, we rescued a few people at different white water rivers where Outfitters rented canoes to people without ANY knowledge of paddling sending them for nightmare trip associated with high probability of injury or death.

Jack link

15/10/2020 06:17:47 pm

My heart goes out to his family.

Krista and Glenn-you deserve the utmost gratitude for your heroic actions which certainly prevented an even greater tragedy. Thank you.

And thank you for posting the detailed description of this story. It should be a mandatory reading for all current and potential canoeists.

Mark

15/10/2020 08:23:49 pm

Glenn and Krista - amazing, you saved 2 important lives :). I’m so sorry one was lost and I feel for his family.

I have often wondered what responsibility the Outfitters (and Ontario Parks reservations) have?

Were there no warnings given to these individuals, that they would be embarking on a very, very dangerous trip? (Water temperature, beginner level, can’t swim, October, big big lake, high wind)?

Richard Mei

16/10/2020 01:36:20 am

I am wondering whether a marine radio would work. Anyone is monitoring channel 16 for mayday at Algonquin Park or Muskoka?

16/10/2020 04:19:57 pm

Glenn and Krista, thanks so much!!! You are great!!!

Arthur

16/10/2020 06:46:28 pm

Glenn & Krista - Thank you for your great rescue and the sharing of the story. Lesson learned.

Na Liu

16/10/2020 08:33:49 pm

Glenn and Krista,

You are true heroes. This world is a great place because it has great people like you. Thanks so much!!!

John Xu link

17/10/2020 11:15:56 am

Whoever can explain the third swimmer was putting on the back of kayak or just hanging at back of kayak?

"The third swimmer .....I race out to get him, locate him, and get him ON THE BACK of my kayak...

I realized the only way to potentially save the third swimmer was to get a motor boat.

I told him I’d be back and he BAILED OFF my boat."

Stephen Kwok

17/10/2020 02:33:29 pm

Judging from the entire account of the accident and the timing of Glenn's heroic actions, it is felt that it was physically impossible to haul the 3rd person onto the back of the kayak at that stage. So the only plausible way was to hang on to the back of the kayak. But since he was not a good swimmer, he could not kick aggressively to help move the kayak. As a result, Glenn was losing grounds to the strong wind which was blowing him and his kayak to the middle of the lake. When the 3rd person let go of his hold on the kayak, he would have been in the water for well over an hour and was no doubt suffering from the effects of hypothermia, and probably was in a state of confusion. Of course, no one can tell now. Glen was correct in his decision to seek the help of a motorized boat with the strong off shore wind and his fatigue. I have posted the entire account by Krista on all of my dragon boat chat group. It has now also been translated into Chinese and distributed to as many groups as possble. Glen, you are a true hero!

Weining

18/10/2020 11:14:21 am

As a Chinese immigrant, I'm truly touched by Glen's heroic action. Glen exemplified Canadian courage and his post here is also a great education material.
I'm not experienced with canoe by any account, but would it be possible to pull the three people into their canoe, instead of pulling them to shore one by one? What are the alternatives if you have one Kayak and try to rescue 3 people?

18/10/2020 12:19:10 am

thanks for the detail account.
is there any reason why the two upright canoes cannot tow the swimmers back to shore?

Sky Li

19/10/2020 08:22:44 am

I think Glen made it clear that he did ask two stronger paddlers return to the scene to help after they had taken the rest back to shore and start a fire, but he also mentioned that those two who returned were not able to control the canoe very well and ended up drifted away by the rough water... so ya, of the rest had stayed to help, chances are, there would be 6 more in the water waiting to be rescued... I think everyone gave their best efforts to minimize the loss... what had happened was tragic and no one would've wanted for fatality to happen what can be done now is to try our best to minimize the chance of similar tragedy from happening again.

18/10/2020 12:43:46 pm

Weining

i am wondering the same.
Why the two canoes were ordered to go back to the shore, but not assisted the rescue, either by pull ppl into the canoe (this might be more difficult) or tow the swimmers?

Stephen Kwok

18/10/2020 05:38:28 pm

It is a reasonable question: why the two upright canoes were sent to shore instead of helping to rescue the three people in the water. I guess Glenn would be in a position to answer this question. From my perspective as an enthusiast in paddling, I ASSUME that these other two canoes were being paddled by novice paddlers who probably did not appear to be in control of their boats. If they were asked to help doing the rescue, the biggest fear is that there may be 6 additional people in the water! Also, don't forget, there is a language barrier. These people speak Mandarin and Glenn has problems trying to communicate with them. I thought he did the right thing in directing them to the shore and start a fire to provide warmth to the people who were in the water.

Weining, it would be very difficult to first of all put the capsized canoe upright as it will be full of water and needed to be bailed. Secondly, it is very hard for the people in the water, who are not good swimmers to try to get on to the canoe. You have to really kick hard to propel yourself up and onto the canoe. It can be done with good swimmers and with some difficulty. With non swimmers, it is almost impossible especially with the off-shore wind taking the boats to the centre of the lake..

Vickie

22/10/2020 11:46:09 am

Agree with Stephen. The author said that he noticed people on the other two upright canoes were totally beginner paddler. One canoe originally was going to help out the rescue but was blew away by the wind (due to their skill levels, they can't really do much help).

Stephen Kwok

19/10/2020 05:41:16 pm

Towing a non swimmer in the water with a kayak or outrigger canoe is impossible, especially with a strong off shore wind. Even in calm water, it is extremely difficult to tow a person in the water, unless the person can kick aggressively to help out the boat to move forward.

Laker1

18/10/2020 04:05:58 pm

My family are leaseholders in Algonquin Park on Smoke Lake, at an area where four major bays converge. It will be well known to regular trippers through that area. One day it can be a beautiful paddle - the next day it will try to kill you.

Over the last 70 years we have rescued - without exaggeration - hundreds of parties from the water as this is an area where wind and waves converge to create a challenging paddling situation. Smoke Lake is one of the more popular access points for novice canoeists. Our location (and we) have provided shelter to thousands more. It is not unusual to have 20-30 people a day stop at our place.

Thankfully we have never had to deal with a fatality, but we feel it's only a matter of time. I don't blame the outfitters or 'new Canadians' - anyone can buy a canoe and gear without renting from AO or the Portage Store, and no doubt we (as tourists) tackle activities in other countries without due care.

That said - there should be warnings. All lakes and routes are not created equal in AP. There are very clearly some areas where wind and waves are common and potentially life threatening. A rating system like that in place at ski hills would work, colour-coding the routes on the map. Or simply a warning printed right on the map for Smoke, Big Trout, Opeongo, Lavielle, Cedar, and a few others, might keep the most vulnerable people off the lake, especially in the shoulder seasons when the water is colder.

On predictably windy days, Park resources should also be deployed to patrol these lakes by boat instead of other low-value activities.

And clearly - again, like ski rentals - if equipment is being rented for use on Opeongo and individuals self-declare that they are novice trippers and/or swimmers, they should be required to use the water taxi to get safely to and from their destination. Arguably, Smoke Lake should have a water taxi also.

As a last item and as a coda to this event - a Hercules aircraft and a helicopter from CFB Trenton were called in during the early hours of the morning only a few days later than this to perform a rescue on Little Joe. That's an incredible use of resources for something that surely could have been avoided, as most accidents can. If the funds that were spent on these two incidents alone were funneled to Park safety programs instead, our culture would be enriched and people would be safe.

Axia Wang

18/10/2020 08:02:24 pm

Glenn and Krista are real heroes! I am really touched by this story. Thanks so much for spent the great effort in such tough situations to help the people you don’t know at all. People like you guys make the world better!

Rosemary

19/10/2020 10:14:51 am

It is extraordinarily fortunate that you and Glenn were nearby and had the experience and fortitude to deal with this catastrophe - in the moment, a life and death situation, the only rescuer, terrible weather conditions, cold water, trying not to capsize yourself, and making the best split second decisions to save lives. You averted a much greater disaster.
I have been on Opeongo Lake on a beautiful August day on the way to Happy Isle and Red Rock, and the waves and wind gusts were significant even then, and no hypothermia to deal with.
Hindsight after the fact ignores the in-the-moment reality of what you were facing. You saved lives in a heroic rescue. Few people, even experienced paddlers, could have managed that.
Be kind to yourself.

Patrick Li

19/10/2020 06:26:47 pm

Glenn, I've heard of the story from some other sources and I felt really bad about the lost of the family. Combined with the dangerous experience I and my girlfriend recently had in Gatineau Park, I strongly oppose any ideas for novices to paddle Canon during a windy weather. It's not kidding at all.

Sean

19/10/2020 10:47:40 pm

I was going to say this story is 'unbelievable' but after my experience at Opeongo this past August, it is sadly believable. Glenn you obviously did am amazing job and saved lives and it is very good of you to raise the issues that you have in the article. I want to share my thoughts on the important conversation you have started.

I have camped and canoe tripped for most of my life. In university I was a canoe tripper at a summer camp in the muskokas and I also was a lifeguard and swimming teacher in high school. I completed an intensive 4 day ORCA canoeing course. I am now married and have 3 kids and every year we go on a few short canoe and kayak trips.

This past summer was very different. Covid prevented people from doing anything. Many people we going stir crazy and camping became one of the few things people could do. Penalty free online bookings for campsites were off the charts. I think that all of this lead people, who have no business in the backcountry, booking trips into the backcountry, particularly at Lake Opeongo and surrounding lakes where the option of a motor boat ride was there. Front country 'car camping' was booked solid and so people thought, well we can paddle into a site, or get a water taxi. And we can instagram our photos.

We did a 3 day trip in mid august into Redrock, Happy Isle and Opeongo and I saw many people who were clueless in the backcountry. A good indication was the group packing up a costco 6 pack of paper towels at the opeongo dock. MEC was also sold out of backpacker meals. The 2km portage from Happy Isle to Opeongo was a gong show. A group, with English as a second language, had set up camp at the end of the portage. There were plastic Coleman canoes and kayaks all over the portage, seemingly abandoned. There were random kids all alone on the portage - one carrying a tent by the strings dragging on the ground while a sibling carried a water jug with about 1L of water in front. When we reached the dock at Opeongo North Arm, people who had booked a water taxi were asking the operator to help them portage their boats for them.

We paddled all the way from Opeongo North Arm to the south and every site was taken. We abandoned our south arm reservation after the 2km portage and 25km paddle over 6 hours of paddling (with young kids) and not a single site available. When we reached the main dock at opeongo at sunset, a group was packing up a motorized dingy loaded to the max while the other half of their gear sat on the dock. When we told them there was not a single site available on the south arm, they still headed out.

I am not one of these 'camping snobs' who thinks that 'gear' is important. But my point in saying all of the above is that I think what happened this summer is that people who have no business in the backcountry were heading into the backcountry.

Anyone who has tripped in Algonquin knows that Opeongo can be wicked in bad weather. But to a rookie who can't get one of the 200 sites at Mew lake campground or other car camping campgrounds, and see a few instagram photos or YouTube videos of people enjoying the beauty of the backcountry, and think, how hard can this be?

So that is a bit of a ramble and what about solutions?

Education is clearly in need. Perhaps algonquin should offer a canoe tripping 101 course. But it can't be mandatory.

Something needs to happen at the point of booking. Warnings at a minimum. Expectations of packing out what you take in. Expectations that you can lift a boat, or swim, etc. Maybe some videos on canoe rescue, cold water conditions, etc. Certainly for a booking in October.

Part of me thinks that the opeongo outfitter motor boats are facilitating rookies in the backcountry. I wonder if that is part of the problem, although not in this case it seems.

I do NOT think there should be some kind of licence or beauraucracy around backcountry camping.

Glenn you are right that there needs to be a bigger conversation happening around the backcountry. You should be commended for your bravery and for turning this tragedy into an important conversation.

Mike Thomas

20/10/2020 12:00:55 pm

Its concerning that outfitters allow people out in canoes and kayaks on Lakes like Opeongo with absolutely no training or knowledge whats so ever of how to react to changing conditions. The guy at least was wearing a PFD, but none of them could swim and had little or no experience at all. Opeongo is a dangerous lake and should be respected. All respect to the kayakers who helped in rescue, they did an amazing job. There is a strong need for better education of outdoors and backcountry skills. Warnings need to be posted at lakes that can be particularly dangerous. I think outfitters need to be more accountable, though there are many excellent ones many just want to rent as much as they can to anyone no matter what their experience.

Jose Martucci link

20/10/2020 01:09:37 pm

I am so impressed by your efforts GLEN to keep calm in such a chaotic moment of life.

I remember when my children were very young, Christi was 11 and my son Nick was 13 and we decided to go paddling and investigate the park. It became our Play ground! I remember the very first thing I ever said to those two young individuals that came with me, you need to be prepared and ready for an adventure. And I want you to know that your safety is really important to me, and we need to understand that your life is more valuable than any holiday. And this is why even though you know how to swim, there are things you need to learn about water that can hurt you. These are words that I hold dearly to my heart and creating memorable moments for people today. Going into any situation no matter where you are overwater you need to be prepared for the worst possible situation. And if you are I assure you your journey will be one of fun and creativity.

These people were not prepared and had no idea of what to do. It is a tragedy but a learning experience for everyone to read and understand that everything good comes with a price. Being prepared allows you to have fun.

I admire your courage and the courage of those people that risk their lives to keep people off of harms way.

Great story.
Jose

Jesse Corbeil link

22/10/2020 02:30:10 pm

Hi there. I’m planning to do a livestream panel about this event on my channel this Tuesday night. Would one or both of you be interested in discussing it?

Gary Ataman

23/10/2020 12:43:47 pm

Question;
Why did you not consider grouping the canoes and creating a stable canoe raft unit around the over turned canoe. Then recover over turned canoe (ie canoe over canoe rescue) . Then raft all canoes and pull people into canoe raft unit. Then paddle as a raft to shore.

23/10/2020 05:34:50 pm

Gary... thanks for your undue input.

I’m hoping you just don’t know any better than to ask a question like that as opposed to questioning the decisions that help avert a total catastrophe and save lives. There are a lot of questions to be asked but “why didn’t you do this...or that” certainty isn’t one of them.
It’s so unfortunate you weren’t there, at that moment, dealing with all of the complexities of the situation. You would understand then why you shouldn’t ask such a question.

I saw this story in the news when it first broke and thought “something’s not right here, this doesn’t tell the whole story”. I thank Glenn (and Krista) for sharing his version of the events, hopefully someone, somewhere learns something. That alone will also save lives. I’ll confess...the thought did cross my mind of how inexperienced these paddlers may or may not have been as I’ve seen something like this coming for years.

I’ve paddled the outback annually in Algonquin Park for 25 years. I am not an expert. Nor do I claim to be one. I’m a guy who was lucky enough to be exposed to “the great outdoors” early on in life, and never let go. I’ve sat at Canoe Lake restaurant many a time and watched the newbies take canoes out for a spin. They seldom look as if they are going anywhere but out for a paddle in Algonquin Park so they could say they did. Sometime they face each other, sometimes they hold the paddle like a hockey stick.... But every once in a while I’d see newbies “going camping”. And there’s nothing wrong with that because everyone starts out a newbie at one time. It’s just that not everyone has the inherent respect required to venture out into the “wilderness“ where yes, you may actually die if you’re unprepared. My first trip was with 3 other guys and none of us had ever tripped before. We kept our loop very small as we had no idea what we could/would be able to accomplish in 3 days. We actually got together beforehand at a conservation area with a lake to tip the canoes and try a canoe over canoe rescue. To say we were surprised with the difficulties we had is an understatement.

It’s my opinion that given all the facts as I know them... and let me clarify here... I‘ve only read the shared events in this great blog, I wasn’t present...

It’s very obvious to me that Glen did amazing things that day. He wasn’t asked to by anyone. He just felt he had to and he did. All stop. For this he should be commended and given a Victoria Cross. His heroics were tremendous.

I am in no way personally effect by the events or losses of that day but I am thankful for you Glenn.

Gary Ataman

23/10/2020 06:45:27 pm

It's a valid question. Interested in reasoning why this solution was not taken.

Jeff link

23/10/2020 07:01:21 pm

Someone asked why Glenn didn't have the two upright canoes raft up to help the people in the water.

Respectfully, if you've never been in a rescue situation, you need to know that it's chaotic. It's one thing if you're on land and the victims are just laying there. In this case, there were three victims in the water, struggling. And the wind was blowing. And the 6 people in the 2 upright canoes were beginners. And there were some language/communication issues.

As the first responder, Glenn's assessment was correct: Get the survivors to a safe place and out of harm's way. They could not help and trying to get them to help in any way would have been like herding cats.

I hope this answers the question. Glenn does not need people to second guess his decisions. If you'd like to know more about rescues, take a wilderness first aid course and a canoe rescue course. Then, you'll understand more.

Jason M

28/10/2020 12:41:52 pm

Thank God for you quick actions, without you it would have been a lot worse. My family and I happened to be there on the lake that weekend and it was already much later when the chopper was arriving on the scene. We had no idea any of this happened. AO nor anyone made any mention of the incident that morning, nor did they issue any extra precautions, should we be deemed to be beginner paddlers. The gentleman launching our canoe also claimed there were "no waves".

As every typical TG weekend, there were multitudes of people. Perhaps more than before, as people itch their way out of the confines of their home isolation to enjoy Canada's beauty. I saw many families that think they are invincible with a paddle and a canoe, but have simply not been properly briefed on what risks they are undertaking while going out in the water. I would be in favour of some training or certification on motorized vehicles, especially when taking on "passengers". Personally I wouldn't go out without having the confidence of being able to return solo, particularly in difficult areas.

There are many precautions you can take as a novice, but most are related to your abilities. Can / would you be able swim to shore on the entire route? Can you and your party reenter a capsized canoe? Do you have a way to call for help? Is it in a waterproof bag? Just because no one is stopping you from being careless, doesn't mean you should.

Dragon1

31/12/2022 04:50:15 am

One solution is to establish a volunteer boat rescue service in the Park. Possibly a coast guard auxiliary unit can be created. It not only responds to incidents, it can provide safety education and prevention tips. For further information, put in a comment.

OPEONGO LAKE RESCUE OCTOBER 10TH, 2020

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