Bay rescue
Bass fishermen trapped on breakwater rocks by incoming tide
Two men were rescued from Cobequid Bay on Tuesday afternoon after they became trapped on a breakwater while bass fishing.
The men had ventured out on the rocks during low tide, and found themselves in trouble when the tide rolled in.
“The tide got in around behind them,” said Larry Kinsman, deputy chief of the Great Village and District Fire Brigade. “When the tide changes there, it changes in a hurry. And the worst of it is, it goes out fast, but it also comes in just as fast.”
Great Village received mutual aid from Bass River Fire Brigade, while a Cormorant helicopter from Greenwood search and rescue also responded.
Bass River used its Zodiac boat to rescue one of the men, while the other was air rescued by the helicopter.
The man rescued by boat was experiencing “medical problems,” said Kinsman, and was transported to hospital by EHS.
“He was having some difficulties. The other guy was fine; he was just a little cold. He actually followed (the ambulance) in the car, so he was in good shape.”
It’s estimated the men were in
the water for about 45 minutes. While one man found higher ground on the breakwater, the other was in water up to his waist.
“When we got him to shore, he basically couldn’t move his extremities
from his waist down,” said Kinsman. “It’s just hypothermia, your muscles stop working.”
Bass fishermen who were nearby made the 911 call after hearing the men hollering for help.
“After the tide went down enough we went out and got their gear,” said Kinsman. “The one guy ... said, ‘I don’t give a goddam about my gear, I don’t plan on going fishing again after that experience.”‘