quote:Originally posted by FishinsinThe Blood
Did 2 guides really get into an accident in the Queen Charlotte Islands some years ago? Did one die? What happened if it is true and is the guy who survived still guiding?
I've heard several stories but all are very different.
I have fished up there once and it was bloody scary for 2 days. I can see it happening, but a guide?
True unfortunately.
I was up there that year.
Yep..it did happen. Decent day in June, and it had been blowing NW for the past couple of days, and fishing/boating the west side of the island was closed. The fishing had been somewhat spotty, and normally a run of large numbers of springs goes right by Langara at about that time, but the East Side of the island, where 85%+++ of the fishing effort is concentrated, was slow by Langara standards. Anyways, one boat headed out that morning with a very experienced guide, a large Whaler with twin outboards etc.. and found 'em, in fact, they had the best fishing of anyone on the island that morning, and that's a lot of boats, but they were the only one fishing there.
When they came back to the dock, his guests and the guide were commenting on the fishing, and word got out in a hurry up at the lodge and among the guides... and it was pretty rough--they had bonked limits and released many. It was so rough in fact, that the guests had to remain seated at all times. In the Charlottes, unlike the west coast, the seas move fast, with plenty of quartering and criss crossing seas, even with big water created by a NW'er.
Upon witnessing the limits hit the scale, the 2 guides in a 17 foot Kellahan with a 50 horse (a few guides had the trip off because that's just the way it worked out) and decided they'd head out. After lunch, word got out, and "guide boats only" decided they'd head out to the west side and give it a shot--- specifically at Lacy Island. Meanwhile the wind picked up a bit more that afternoon, and the water stacked up even more--as it usually does when it blows NW for a few days--afterall, next stop out the west side is China/Japan.... So, that afternoone the guide boats which were large enough for safety, and the guided guests which were comfortable with "giving it a try" headed out.
There were a few fish caught, but nothing like that morning.
In the meantime, the 2 guides were seen out at the location, and known to be fishing the area. After a little while, the rest of the guides, as their guests tired, and the fishing slowed off, guides decided they'd get the heck out of dodge---it was now way too rough--big waves, and you couldn't see one wave over, and it was dangerous.
Meanwhile, as it later came out, the guides on their "day off" were fishing on the outside of Lacy, and had likely flipped over at that point. One of the guides was in a full floater suit, and the other, was in nothing but wetskins, and they clung to their overturned boat for 4 hours as they drifted further out to sea and then closer to shore, at which point they decided they'd give it a shot and swim for shore. So they went for it, and after a few attempts of being unsuccessful, (they kept getting swept off the rocks), the guy in the floater suit went through a gap between a couple of rocks to a calm lagoon on the other side. He waited for about a half hour for his friend to come through, but nothing. At which point, being about 5 o clock, the guide decided he's run for the lodge for help. So, he hiked, and "ran" back to the lodge, a five hour hike for a straight line boat ride that would take but a few minutes in calm water. The terrain for that hike is extremely unforgiving, with dense brush, inclines, rocks, cliffs, and no beaten trail. It was that hike which likely saved his life. (Staff who had prior knowledge of the area and very experienced hikers doubted they could come even close to hiking that terrain in the time which he did). The surviving guide burst into the staff quarters that evening when the last of the staff were finishing up their supper.
At which point, everyone hit the water on a search and rescue mission. The coast guard was called, and they dispatched Beaver Aircraft, Zodiacs, the RCMP, etc. Lodge Helicopters also took to the air, but no luck. Search teams from all lodges went out to see if they could find him, but to no avail. By that time, the water had gotten scary rough, even for large offshore bred boats.
Unfortunately, as you may have already guessed, it turned into a recovery mission and the next day, an RCMP dive team which had been brought in for the task of recovering the body. He was found submerged, tangled in the kelp not far from where he was last seen.
Due to a variety of sensitivities, I cannot divulge too many more details out of respect for the family of the deceased, and it's not appropriate material for a public forum.
I have left out intimate and fine details of the accident, rescue mission, and events before, during, and after that day, and my personal interactions with the guides in question just prior to their departure from the docks that day. While I won't repeat the facts and details of everything that went on that day and over the 48 hours following the accident in this public forum it's a truly sad and needless, and I would have expected a different outcome for those involved but more than many serious errors in judgement were the cause of this accident.
Of the guide who survived the accident, yes he did return the island to guide again for a time.
I wouldn't even think about enduring such a risk for a fish guys, and unfortunately my brief summation doesn't even begin to go into the details of the tragedy and the drama.
Upon recounting the above story, I find myself shot back in time, as if I'm reliving the those days surrounding the event.
Truly sad.
