A dramatic rescue at Lovekin Rock last month has renewed local cries to restore the Pacific Rim National Park Reservesa国际传媒檚 surf guard program.
Three 13-year-olds became stranded on the rock, located within the Park Reservesa国际传媒檚 popular Long Beach unit, on the afternoon of March 26. Two of them were able to swim back to shore safely, but the third remained on the rock.
The stranded teen was joined by three more as two 13 year-olds and a 16 year-old were boogie boarding in the area and became stuck on the rock as they were unable to navigate through the rising tides.
A 911 call was made and the Canadian Coast Guard arrived on scene, but determined the sea was too rough to approach the rock by boat, so a helicopter was called in to lift the four teens to safety.
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All involved escaped without serious injuries, but the incident has once again highlighted the dangers of Lovekin, which was the scene of two fatal ocean incidents last year.
University of Victoria student Nijin John died at the rock after a surfing incident on Feb. 10 and Ann Wittenberg, 52, of Ottawa died in an ocean accident just hours before her daughtersa国际传媒檚 wedding in Tofino in May.
Near tragedies have also been recorded around Lovekin, including a July incident where local paddleboarder Mario Chartrand rescued two stranded tourists off the rock.
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A $29 million budget cut to Parks Canada in 2012 led the Park Reserve to shut down a surf guard program that had been in place for roughly 40 years and included lifeguards looking over Lovekin Rock from a nearby surf guard tower.
The tower has since been torn down and signs have been installed warning beachgoers that there are no lifeguards on duty.
Following March 26sa国际传媒檚 rescue, West Coast resident Justin Merk launched a petition on April 3 calling on the government to reinstate the surf guard program. It received 486 signatures within 24 hours of being posted.
One of the people supporting the petition is Ann Wittenbergsa国际传媒檚 daughter Victoria Orr.
sa国际传媒�100% I think a surf guard is needed there,sa国际传媒� Orr told the Westerly News on Thursday. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 so happy Justin started this petition, and included me and my sister in it.
If this can prevent just one accident, I think it is worth it. I never want anyone to go through what our family did.sa国际传媒�
Merk told the Westerly that he spent roughly four years as a surf instructor and often witnessed visitors playing around the rock unaware of its dangers.
sa国际传媒淭o an untrained eye or a newcomer, you would think that itsa国际传媒檚 safe at Lovekin Rock. Often the water is calm, the waves are breaking on either side of the rock,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 also beautiful. Itsa国际传媒檚 probably one of the most iconic spots of Long Beach, but thatsa国际传媒檚 the danger spot and thatsa国际传媒檚 where one of the guard towers used to be.sa国际传媒�
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He added that the spot is also popular among experienced surfers, who might be giving visitors a false sense of safety.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e nicknamed it the chair lift. It pulls us out behind the rip and wesa国际传媒檙e ready to catch a wave, and if thatsa国际传媒檚 not your intention yousa国际传媒檙e in big trouble man,sa国际传媒� he said.
sa国际传媒淎 person can enter danger within seconds of stepping into the water. They can be ankle deep and get swept away. The currents that occur in front of the rock are not like the currents that happen anywhere else on Long Beachsa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淵ou could be completely safe if yousa国际传媒檙e 20 feet south of the rock or 20 feet north of the rock, but theresa国际传媒檚 that one area that itsa国际传媒檚 so strong and once you step in theresa国际传媒檚 no turning back unless you get rescued. The rip will pull you straight out behind the rock.sa国际传媒�
Merk himself was involved in a rescue in 2016 when he saw two young kids wade into the ocean about waist deep and get pulled in.
sa国际传媒淭he father tried to be a hero and jumped in after them with no wetsuit and as he was swimming toward them he overshot and he was now further behind the rock than the two kids and he couldnsa国际传媒檛 reach his kids,sa国际传媒� Merk recalled.
sa国际传媒淚 immediately stopped my lesson, grabbed my board and paddled outsa国际传媒t was quite traumatizing for me and a lot of that came back up hearing about the recent [March 26] rescue.sa国际传媒�
He added that many local beachgoers have similar rescue stories and that Parks Canada is relying too heavily on bystanders without the proper training or equipment to conduct rescues with no surf guard program in place.
sa国际传媒淚f you look at all the incidences it initially falls into the hands of the visitors and the beachgoers and the surf community,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淪urf instructors arensa国际传媒檛 lifeguards, bottom line.sa国际传媒�
The West Coast made a similar plea to Parks Canada to restore the surf guard program last year, but Parks Canada has consistently maintained that the program does not fit with the areasa国际传媒檚 evolving sa国际传媒渨ater recreation practices.sa国际传媒�
In an email to the Westerly News, a Parks Canada spokesperson reiterated the same comments given in response to Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns call for the surf guard program to be restored last year.
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sa国际传媒淲hile surfing used to be centralized around a small area of Long Beach, primarily during peak summer months, now surfing is common over a wide area stretching from Uclueletsa国际传媒檚 Mussel Beach, through the Long Beach Unit, and into Tofinosa国际传媒檚 North Chesterman Beach. Surfing is also more of a year round sport now,sa国际传媒� the spokesperson wrote.
sa国际传媒淪ince it is not feasible to provide Surf Guard services over such a dispersed area and throughout the year, Parks Canada has partnered with Ucluelet and Tofino to raise awareness of water hazards through the CoastSmart program. CoastSmart not only addresses surfing but other activities such as storm watching and beach walking.sa国际传媒�
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Merk suggested the educational signage installed at local beaches as part of the CoastSmart program are helpful, but arensa国际传媒檛 enough.
sa国际传媒淎 sign cansa国际传媒檛 save a life. Isa国际传媒檓 sorry.sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 think what CoastSmart is doing is great, but until we have eyes on the beach and bodies ready to perform emergencies along with the proper safety equipment, which I think is also critical, having signs isnsa国际传媒檛 enough.sa国际传媒�
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andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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