On 02 Sep 2019 the Fraser Lifeboat was conducting a safety patrol at the mouth of the Fraser River near Sandheads. A distress call was received of a sailboat taking on water near Steveston Harbour. As they made dock, Coast Guard did not task us, but left it to our discretion to check on them. We arrived approx 20 mins later and found them tied to Fisherman’s Wharf and slightly low in the water. The crew deployed our portable salvage pump and extricated a fair amount of water. The source of the leak was not found and the vessel decided to head to Ladner Harbour. Coast Guard Radio was advised of what we had done and the vessels intentions. Fraser Lifeboat stood down and returned to the river for further patrols.
Delta Lifeboat tasking for medical assistance – Aug 2019
While on their way to the Victoria Classic Boat Festival the Delta Lifeboat received a CCG tasking for medical assistance to proceed to a position SE of Porlier Pass, where a suspected heart attack had occurred on a sailboat. We altered course and headed there immediately. While in transit, a call went to a whale-watching vessel to see if there was a doctor on board. Turns out there was, so they were also tasked. The hovercraft was also dispatched. Onshore an ambulance was dispatched from the south end of Galliano, but with no idea how to get to the 60ft sailboat.
We were told to stand down when we were just 2 miles away. The doctor had attended and discovered that the gentleman had sadly passed away, so our services were no longer required. The patient was transferred to the hovercraft and taken to their base. We used the incident to provide us with real-life training.
Assist DFO – August 2019
Saturday, August 17 – 1045 hours. The Delta Lifeboat had just moored alongside the Fraser Lifeboat when a DFO officer came to us asking for a salvage pump because one of their RHIB’s in their boathouse, adjacent to the Fraser Lifeboat dock, was partly submerged. Crewmembers from both CLI vessels quickly transferred the salvage pump to the boathouse and 20 minutes later the water was pumped out of the RHIB. At this time their bilge pump started working again to pump out the last remaining water. Although both engines were partly flooded after some cleaning and sparkplug replacement both engines fired up. A cause of the flooding was not found.
CLI responds to possible person in distress – 2019
The Fraser Lifeboat responded to a possible person in distress call on Thursday 26 Jul 2019. As our coxswains were already aboard planning evening training, they were able to get underway in 7 mins. After arriving on scene and receiving info from a pleasure boat they spotted a person on the shore on an island opposite Garry Point Park. Info was relayed to CG Radio. The hovercraft Moytel arrived on the scene and we pointed to the person’s location. The Fraser was then released and the task was transferred to local police.
Rescue Boater requiring assistance – May 2019
On Saturday 18 May the Fraser Lifeboat was conducting a Safety Patrol in Ladner, just off Ladner Reach. We discovered a small pleasure boat bumping into the shoreline. We were flagged over and advised his engine had quit. A tow was provided back to Ferry Rd boat launch near Captains Cove Marina. As this was supposed to be a test run, the operator had no life-jackets on board. A spare was provided during the tow. As the tide was too low at the boat launch for us to manoeuvre, he had to row in the last little bit. The event was called into Coast Guard Radio who were kept apprised of the situation.