[Newsbot]

Title: Swimmer missing in Harrison Lake, companion rescued from icy water and taken to hospital
Category: lifestyle
Posted By: N_Fiddledog
Date: 2015-08-12 14:12:05
Canadian

[andyt]

I wonder what's going on. I've never heard of so many deaths on the Lake. Whenever I've been there, the water has been tranquil. How does someone drown so quickly? Sure cold water can sap your strength pretty quickly, but surely you'd have enough left to get back to the boat.

My main impression of Harrison is camping on Echo Island and fighting off the ticks all night. Never seen it that bad.

[Hyack]

The conditions on Harrison can change completely in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. It can go from mirror smooth one minute to whitecaps and breakers in the blink of an eye. It's no wonder it's one of the major wind/kite surfing lakes in SW B.C. It's a long, narrow lake running north/south and the wind can kick up in seconds. Add to that the water comes right down off the mountains and, even with some hot springs on the Lillooet river and tributaries, the water is always COLD!!

[andyt]

Sure, but the reports I've read don't mention adverse weather. As I say, the water is cold, but you know that going in and can get back to the boat. I once flipped a kayak in Buntzen Lake - very cold. I wasn't experienced enough to do an eskimo roll, so I got out and tried to push the 'yak back to shore. I had to let go and just get myself back to shore, because the cold was making me numb. But I had no problem getting back to shore. Pitt Lake too, is very cold, but I never got in trouble in it.

Gotta wonder if alcohol was a factor. It so often is in preventable deaths.

[Hyack]

Adverse weather or not, the wind can pick up in seconds and maybe only last a minute or so, but that's all it takes. I've been there on a beautiful hot sunny summer day, not a cloud in the sky, not even a breeze.....nothing. Then out of nowhere the winds hit, whitecaps, breakers, then, within 2 minutes it was back to nice and calm.....that's all it takes to kill someone!!

[andyt]

Well, if that was the cause, I wish they'd tell us that.

[herbie]

How many of them drown with their lifejackets on?

[Hyack]

herbie herbie:

How many of them drown with their lifejackets on?

That really has nothing to do with this incident, as the people involved, while actually out boating, had decided to go for a swim. So, how many people go swimming wearing a lifejacket. Quite a few probably wear them, hopefully all young kids are, but this was not a boating accident, it was two people who decided to go for a swim from their boat.....