Two duck hunters who were out on the waters of Lake Erie on Saturday were lucky to have been wearing their life jackets when their boat began to take on water, Norfolk OPP said.
The incident happened shortly after 3 p.m. when the pair’s boat was blown into Long Point Bay and began to take on water, police said in a statement on Tuesday. Both managed to leave the vessel and get back to shore where they were assessed by paramedics.
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Members of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton, Canadian Coast Guard, and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to the incident, along with the OPP and Norfolk County fire and paramedics.
“The Norfolk County OPP is encouraging everyone that may be venturing out onto the water for any reason to plan ahead,” police said in a statement.
Boaters are reminded to wear a life jacket at all times, to conduct pre-departure checks for all required safety equipment, to check the forecast before casting off, and to advise others of your planned destination and return time.
It’s also recommended to have a way to communicate with those back on land, such as a VHF radio or a cell phone with a charger, police said.
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