Man rescued from cliff had been boating alone to avoid BC Ferries crowds

A man was rescued by members of from a cliff Gambier Island after his boat sank. Photo submitted by Neil Ripley.

A man whose boat sank while he was travelling from the Sunshine Coast to Squamish told rescue crews who found him freezing-cold and soaked on a cliff that he was trying to avoid BC Ferries.

Neil Ripley, a volunteer with Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue in Gibsons (RCMSAR14), says he and his team were called when someone spotted a "signal fire" on the west side of Gambier Island Sunday afternoon.

While on their way, Riley says they saw smoke rising in the distance. More information came in from an RCMP officer who told them she could see someone waving their arms, and thought she could hear cries for help from across the water.

When the rescue team got closer, they saw pretty much that exact scene.

"We established contact with him, he shouted down that he needed help, needed a rescue," Ripley explains.

"He worked his way down to the boats and we brought him on board. That's when we learned that he'd been out there for a couple of hours signaling for help. He was drying off but he had been completely soaking wet because he had to swim to shore when his boat had been sunk."

While warming the man up, Riley learned more about his ordeal.

"A wave just came over the boat and it sank pretty much instantly. So he was extremely fortunate that he was close enough to shore that, in this relatively cold water, he managed to swim to shore," Ripley says.

"All he had on was a woolen, heavy sweater, and nothing else. In his pockets, he had his keys and a lighter. He scrambled up the cliff and use lighter to start a signal fire."

Ripley says it wasn't the first time the man had made the trip on his personal boat, often doing so to visit his girlfriend for the weekend.

"He also mentioned, just in passing, that the ferries are usually clogged, so this just allows (him) to bypass all that and make his own way over and back," he says.

While crews managed to fish a drenched motorcycle jacket and boots out of the water, the man was upset to learn that his bike was not going to be recovered.

"Unfortunately, it sunk with the boat," Ripley said.

The rescue underscores the importance of measures people can take to increase their safety while out on the water. Ripley recommends packing a waterproof "go bag" with food, water, safety blankets, and a communication device that can be stored onboard and grabbed "at the first sign of trouble."

Ripley also says the man wasn't wearing a personal floatation device, and that his lifejacket was attached to the motorcycle and sunk with the boat.

In this case, the man told rescuers that a number of boats passed during the hours he was stranded.

Ripley says it's crucial for people to look out for one another. That can include calling first responders about things that seem out of the ordinary, volunteering like Ripley does, or making a donation to help crews do their work.

Ultimately, the man was dropped off at Brittania Beach where his truck was parked. He was met by his brother-in-law, who he'd told about his plans and who was getting anxious for his arrival.