17 Paddleboarders 'Greatly Underestimated' The Waves In Vancouver & Needed To Be Rescued
Four different agencies all got involved.
A recent trip gone awry by a group of 30 paddleboarders in Vancouver is a great reminder to always double-check the weather before leaving land.
Seventeen of the paddleboarders needed rescuing after strong winds and surf pushed them astray near Lions Gate Bridge on Monday, September 6, according to a news release from the Vancouver Police Department.
#VPDNews: Vancouver Police are reminding paddleboarders and kayakers to use caution on the water after 17 wayward paddleboarders had to be rescued from heavy wind and waves near the Lions Gate Bridge Monday. https://vpd.ca/news/2021/09/07/vpd-helps-rescue-paddleboarders-stranded-in-first-narrows/\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/wyfXwckVRk— Vancouver Police (@Vancouver Police) 1631047565
"This mishap is a good reminder for anyone venturing out on the water to stay close to shore if you don't have the skills and experience to safely navigate in open water," said Sergeant Steve Addison of the VPD. "Unfortunately, this group thought there was safety in numbers, and they greatly underestimated the conditions."
Not only were VPD on scene after being called to assist a Vancouver-Fraser Port Authority tugboat operator who first spotted the paddleboarders, but the Coast Guard and the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue teams also came to help get everyone safely back to shore.
"Their lack of experience, combined with wind, tides, and waves created by heavy marine traffic, pushed the paddleboarders into a treacherous situation," said Sergeant Addison.