Watch above: surviving eight days in the wilderness
SASKATOON – After a 62-year-old woman spent eight days in the wilderness, RCMP say her outdoor survival skills and experience saved her.
Paddle Canada, a national standards and accreditation organization for recreational paddle sports, said the story highlights the importance of being prepared.
Bryan Sarauer is one of the organization’s board members. He has been canoeing for 30 years, and he’s taking advantage of the final days of summer to go on a trip with friends; however, before he heads out on the water he runs through a checklist.
“An emergency blanket, string, fishing line, fishing hooks, flagging tape to make it easier for someone to find me,” he explained.
Sarauer is also bringing a device he hopes he won’t have to use.
“An emergency communicator that uses satellite, and that would allow me to send and receive messages in the wilderness,” he said.
Sarauer explained he brings a signal mirror, whistle, extra food and matches inside his life jacket, so if he gets separated from his boat, he’ll be ok.
He said the signal mirror can be purchased at a local outdoors store for a couple of dollars.
“{It’s about} making yourself large. Making yourself as visible as possible, so that if someone does come looking for you, that they can see you,” Sarauer said.
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The 62-year-old woman was rescued after spending eight days in northern Saskatchewan.
She was on a canoe trip with her husband when they capsized in rapids on Kinosaskaw Lake.
Tragically, her husband’s body was found near the canoe Tuesday morning.
A search plane found the woman on the shoreline, where she had a fire burning and was waving at the aircraft.
“At that point they were called to the scene and chartered an aircraft to the area that could land on the water, and the members hiked into the area where the woman was located and brought her out to the plane,” said RCMP spokesperson Mandy Maier.
The woman was taken to hospital in La Ronge and released in good health.
Friends of the couple have identified the pair as Enid and David Dice of Prince Albert.
Fellow outdoor enthusiasts and friends hope for more answers about what happened to the couple in the coming weeks.
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