On Saturday, the DRPS Marine Unit responded and rescued two canoeists who were in distress on Lake Ontario.
On May 31 at around 5:30 pm, a male and female in their 50s were out in a canoe on the shoreline of Lake Ontario. Strong winds blew the canoe away from shore and they were unable to get back to shore. The canoe was equipped with a trolling motor, but this was inadequate for the conditions. Responding officers could see the victims and the canoe floating further east. The water temperatures were only 11 degrees Celsius, said a police media release.
The DRPS Marine Unit located the couple approximately four kilometers from the shores of the Darlington Provincial Park. The canoeists, who were wearing life jackets, were taken onto the police vessel and then to the shore to be assessed by EMS. The victims were suffering from early onset of hypothermia, police said.
Despite the recent warm temperatures, the water in this part of Lake Ontario was only 11 degrees Celsius. Exposure for a lengthy period of time at this temperature can lead to hypothermia. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, slow shallow breathing, confusion and memory loss, drowsiness and loss of coordination, it added.