Firefighters say it’s fortunate a woman whose canoe tipped over Sunday on the fast-flowing Seymour River had proper safety equipment and ample experience.
The woman was out with her husband and another man when her canoe overturned around 11 a.m. and sent her into the rushing waters, which are higher than usual due to recent rainfall.
A witness spotted her floating downriver shortly after and called for help.
“We weren’t sure if she was conscious or unconscious,” said Jim Bonneville, Assistant Chief of North Vancouver District Fire and Rescue.
Firefighters dispatched trucks to three bridges that cross over the Seymour and started searching. They eventually found the woman struggling toward the riverbank on her own.
Bonneville said she managed to make it out, tired and shaken, and crews met her to administer first aid. She was taken to hospital as a precaution but isn’t believed to be hurt.
Phil Bates, the woman’s husband, said she disappeared from sight and there were some tense moments before he could confirm she was OK.
“When you don’t see your wife for five minutes, yeah, it’s a little scary,” Bates said.
Bates said they’re familiar with the river and have plenty of canoeing experience, and that they were all wearing lifejackets at the time.
Things could have ended much worse if she were less prepared, Bonneville said, and anyone who uses the river is urged to be aware of the risks involved and to check current conditions.
