Vancouver Man Dies While Wading In Cowichan River

RCMP are investigating after a 56-year-old Vancouver man drowned while tubing in the Cowichan River Monday night. Lake Cowichan RCMP were called to the Marie Canyon area around 6:30 p.m., where they learned the man was floating the river with friends and was unable to get out before the rapids in Marie Canyon as he had planned. His friends lost sight of him and found him again 500 meters down the river in medical trouble. Despite first aid from BC Ambulance and the Lake Cowichan Fire Department, the man died at the scene. Police have not released the man’s name. In a statement, BC RCMP note that the popular tubing and swimming spot is dangerous, even for good swimmers. “While important, swimming skills alone are not always enough to save a life,” said Sgt. Chris Manso. “Many drowning incidents involve other factors that swimming skills alone cannot prepare a person for.” It’s a sentiment echoed by the Lake Cowichan Fire Department, which has responded to four river calls this year. In one of those incidents, crews had to rescue seven people from the water after the group underestimated the time it would take to reach Skutz Falls. Lake Cowichan Fire Chief Doug Knott said he does not recommend anyone hose down Little Beach, off Greendale Road. After Little Beach, the river becomes much more treacherous, Knott said. “It’s starting to run stronger and stronger, with a lot of debris in the river like trees and branches hanging down, which is dangerous.” Little Beach is approximately 2.2 kilometers from the mouth of Lake Cowichan by road. In contrast, Marie Canyon is about 17 kilometers away. Knott said the area around Marie Canyon is extremely rugged terrain, noting that Monday’s recovery operation required walking a mile through rocky terrain and took 3 1/2 hours in total. “We have very limited access to the river – we can’t reach them in an emergency and there’s no mobile phone service,” he said. “Even our radios are not working properly. Even a satellite phone would not work properly in Marie Canyon. “It’s a whole different world in there,” he added. “The only proper exit from the river is Little Beach on Greendale Road.” [email protected]

title: “Vancouver Man Dies While Wading In Cowichan River Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-26” author: “Gerard Appell”

RCMP are investigating after a 56-year-old Vancouver man drowned while tubing in the Cowichan River Monday night. Lake Cowichan RCMP were called to the Marie Canyon area around 6:30 p.m., where they learned the man was floating the river with friends and was unable to get out before the rapids in Marie Canyon as he had planned. His friends lost sight of him and found him again 500 meters down the river in medical trouble. Despite first aid from BC Ambulance and the Lake Cowichan Fire Department, the man died at the scene. Police have not released the man’s name. In a statement, BC RCMP note that the popular tubing and swimming spot is dangerous, even for good swimmers. “While important, swimming skills alone are not always enough to save a life,” said Sgt. Chris Manso. “Many drowning incidents involve other factors that swimming skills alone cannot prepare a person for.” It’s a sentiment echoed by the Lake Cowichan Fire Department, which has responded to four river calls this year. In one of those incidents, crews had to rescue seven people from the water after the group underestimated the time it would take to reach Skutz Falls. Lake Cowichan Fire Chief Doug Knott said he does not recommend anyone hose down Little Beach, off Greendale Road. After Little Beach, the river becomes much more treacherous, Knott said. “It’s starting to run stronger and stronger, with a lot of debris in the river like trees and branches hanging down, which is dangerous.” Little Beach is approximately 2.2 kilometers from the mouth of Lake Cowichan by road. In contrast, Marie Canyon is about 17 kilometers away. Knott said the area around Marie Canyon is extremely rugged terrain, noting that Monday’s recovery operation required walking a mile through rocky terrain and took 3 1/2 hours in total. “We have very limited access to the river – we can’t reach them in an emergency and there’s no mobile phone service,” he said. “Even our radios are not working properly. Even a satellite phone would not work properly in Marie Canyon. “It’s a whole different world in there,” he added. “The only proper exit from the river is Little Beach on Greendale Road.” [email protected]

title: “Vancouver Man Dies While Wading In Cowichan River Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-11” author: “Jerry Bradford”

RCMP are investigating after a 56-year-old Vancouver man drowned while tubing in the Cowichan River Monday night. Lake Cowichan RCMP were called to the Marie Canyon area around 6:30 p.m., where they learned the man was floating the river with friends and was unable to get out before the rapids in Marie Canyon as he had planned. His friends lost sight of him and found him again 500 meters down the river in medical trouble. Despite first aid from BC Ambulance and the Lake Cowichan Fire Department, the man died at the scene. Police have not released the man’s name. In a statement, BC RCMP note that the popular tubing and swimming spot is dangerous, even for good swimmers. “While important, swimming skills alone are not always enough to save a life,” said Sgt. Chris Manso. “Many drowning incidents involve other factors that swimming skills alone cannot prepare a person for.” It’s a sentiment echoed by the Lake Cowichan Fire Department, which has responded to four river calls this year. In one of those incidents, crews had to rescue seven people from the water after the group underestimated the time it would take to reach Skutz Falls. Lake Cowichan Fire Chief Doug Knott said he does not recommend anyone hose down Little Beach, off Greendale Road. After Little Beach, the river becomes much more treacherous, Knott said. “It’s starting to run stronger and stronger, with a lot of debris in the river like trees and branches hanging down, which is dangerous.” Little Beach is approximately 2.2 kilometers from the mouth of Lake Cowichan by road. In contrast, Marie Canyon is about 17 kilometers away. Knott said the area around Marie Canyon is extremely rugged terrain, noting that Monday’s recovery operation required walking a mile through rocky terrain and took 3 1/2 hours in total. “We have very limited access to the river – we can’t reach them in an emergency and there’s no mobile phone service,” he said. “Even our radios are not working properly. Even a satellite phone would not work properly in Marie Canyon. “It’s a whole different world in there,” he added. “The only proper exit from the river is Little Beach on Greendale Road.” [email protected]

title: “Vancouver Man Dies While Wading In Cowichan River Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-02” author: “Robert Benson”

RCMP are investigating after a 56-year-old Vancouver man drowned while tubing in the Cowichan River Monday night. Lake Cowichan RCMP were called to the Marie Canyon area around 6:30 p.m., where they learned the man was floating the river with friends and was unable to get out before the rapids in Marie Canyon as he had planned. His friends lost sight of him and found him again 500 meters down the river in medical trouble. Despite first aid from BC Ambulance and the Lake Cowichan Fire Department, the man died at the scene. Police have not released the man’s name. In a statement, BC RCMP note that the popular tubing and swimming spot is dangerous, even for good swimmers. “While important, swimming skills alone are not always enough to save a life,” said Sgt. Chris Manso. “Many drowning incidents involve other factors that swimming skills alone cannot prepare a person for.” It’s a sentiment echoed by the Lake Cowichan Fire Department, which has responded to four river calls this year. In one of those incidents, crews had to rescue seven people from the water after the group underestimated the time it would take to reach Skutz Falls. Lake Cowichan Fire Chief Doug Knott said he does not recommend anyone hose down Little Beach, off Greendale Road. After Little Beach, the river becomes much more treacherous, Knott said. “It’s starting to run stronger and stronger, with a lot of debris in the river like trees and branches hanging down, which is dangerous.” Little Beach is approximately 2.2 kilometers from the mouth of Lake Cowichan by road. In contrast, Marie Canyon is about 17 kilometers away. Knott said the area around Marie Canyon is extremely rugged terrain, noting that Monday’s recovery operation required walking a mile through rocky terrain and took 3 1/2 hours in total. “We have very limited access to the river – we can’t reach them in an emergency and there’s no mobile phone service,” he said. “Even our radios are not working properly. Even a satellite phone would not work properly in Marie Canyon. “It’s a whole different world in there,” he added. “The only proper exit from the river is Little Beach on Greendale Road.” [email protected]