It was pure luck a fisherman clinging to the side of his boat was heard calling for help on Sheridan Lake last Sunday, Sept. 18.

Brent Gill, general manager for the recently reopened Piney Point Resort, said a distant cry for help was heard around 5 p.m. by resort guest Graham Archer. After spotting a dot on the water, Gill went out to investigate with Archer and Don Reilly and came upon a man holding onto a small 12-foot aluminum boat.

B次元官网网址淲e could see his feet coming up on the port side of the boat and when we came around to the starboard side we found he was just hanging on with one arm,B次元官网网址� Gill said. B次元官网网址淗e was hyperventilating and not doing well at all.B次元官网网址�

The rescuers sprung into action to pull the man from the water. Gill said they pulled up parallel to the boat and shoved it away before he and Archer hoisted the man onto their own boat. The entire rescue was caught on a GoPro worn by one of the rescuers.

B次元官网网址淗e had zero strength left, honestly. With the water temperature being so frigid and not knowing how long he was in there he probably only had a few minutes left.B次元官网网址�

Gill said they headed back to the resort where they stripped the manB次元官网网址檚 clothes, wrapped him in blankets and used GillB次元官网网址檚 truck to warm him up. Once heB次元官网网址檇 recovered Gill said they took him back to his camp, which was on the opposite side of the lake at Sheridan Lake Resort.

Gill said the man, who only introduced himself as Richard, did not remember how heB次元官网网址檇 ended up in the lake. Gill said he assumes that because of the boatB次元官网网址檚 narrow profile and the fact engine wasnB次元官网网址檛 running itB次元官网网址檚 likely Richard lost his balance looking over the edge.

B次元官网网址淗e went over and the cold water shock disabled him from being able to crawl onto his boat,B次元官网网址� Gill said.

The part of the incident Gill keeps coming back to is how lucky Richard was. The cry for help was faint and if anyone had been playing music, running a chainsaw or even idling their truck, heB次元官网网址檚 doubtful Archer would have heard him.

As a resort manager Gill said this should reinforce for everyone how important wearing life jackets and safety whistles are while boating on any lake. ItB次元官网网址檚 easy to get complacent but he said being prepared can make all the difference in an emergency.

B次元官网网址淚n the summer the water temperature is really warm on some of these lakes but in the fall we start getting subzero evenings and the water temperatures drop drastically and itB次元官网网址檚 no joke when someone goes is,B次元官网网址� Gill said.

patrick.davies@100milefreepress.net
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