Death in Gonzales Bay

by Tom Christie

So, what is there to learn from the death of a kayaker in Gonzales Bay recently? It's taken a couple of weeks for me to come to terms with it. What is there to learn from such a foolhardy adventure gone wrong? Well, there is the painfully obvious that really clutters up the "lesson-to-be-learned" part.

Alcohol was a major player in this loss of life. Such is the case for over half of all marine deaths. Insufficient use and availability of safety gear. They had personal floatation devices (PFD's) but they were strapped to the decks of their "Stubby" river kayaks. They had no spray skirts protecting the over sized cockpits from the chilling waters in which they set out on that breezy, but calm watered day from east of Clover Point. A lack of local knowledge hindered them as well. Having only owned the kayaks some six months, Steve had little knowledge of the local waters. This is evident in their choice of destination that day: Staines Point, Trial Islands lighthouse. Current flow in this area immediately off Staines Pt. can be fierce resulting in confused seas and dangerous, multi directional waves that would topple a kayaker or any small vessel. No communication gear like a VHF-marine radio to not only call for help but also to listen to the weather report which was for building winds. Within the hour I was on scene, the wind rose considerably. This made searching more difficult.

In all there were at least a dozen shore searchers, six boats including the less than maneuverable vessel of opportunity, a sailboat who threw the untethered life ring to the survivor. Two Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Zodiacs, Oak Bay and Victoria. Another kayaker. And a USA Zodiac with skin divers on board.

Phillip was barely able to swim the 15 feet to the ring. He did get an arm around it but was unable to do anything more. Untethered, the sailboat couldn't pull him in. Instead they'd have to get the sailboat to him. Phillip had been in the water 20 to 30 minutes when the second vessel of opportunity almost zoomed right by. His long time friend had become faint and tipped over into the relatively calm water. Phillip's efforts to offer aid resulted in his own capsizing. He struggled tirelessly to keep his friend at the surface but was no match for the crippling effects of the cold water to which he eventually lost Steve.

Jim from Great Pacific Adventures was returning to Victoria with a load of whale watchers in his boat when he happened to glance into Gonzales Bay. At 30 knots on a calm day the scenery goes by at a fast clip. Who knows what made Jim look off his starboard beam at that moment. Maybe he saw his passengers heads panning the sight of the sailboat's desperate efforts to maneuver to Phillip's rescue. He turned immediately into the bay and pulled Phillip's exhausted body on board. Phillip was transferred to the Oak Bay Auxiliary vessel and taken the quarter mile to paramedics just arriving on shore. Two helicopters were also involved in the search. One of the helijets from Vancouver made a couple of passes and the United States Coast Guard Dolphin from Port Angeles, Washington made over a dozen passes. Most likely Steve went straight down in about 50 feet of water a quarter of a mile from shore. This wasn't known for about an hour as Phillip was incoherent when pulled from the water. All he could say was "find Steve."

Chilling local news footage shows Phillip screaming for his friend only minutes after he lost him at the surface.

So, if I look really hard at this unfortunate set of circumstances what can I learn? Carry the minimum required safety gear and know how and when to use it. When kayaking or canoeing stay close to shore. Stay close together and aware of each other's state. Always monitor channel 16, YOU may be the vessel of opportunity and never even know it. Had the sailboat and the whale watching vessel not responded, Phillip would have likely perished that day too. Tether your life ring to your boat so when the victim grabs it you can pull them in. If you have a person in the water tether him or her to the vessel. In this case Steve would have been recovered and possibly saved if the bow line from the kayak had been tied around his chest. But perhaps most simply and effective: wear your floatation device.

Steve was an accomplished swimming instructor and high diver who's life was taken swiftly by a sea that never gets tired.

Tom Christie
60-Ton Limited Master
Coxswain, Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary