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Unit 27 of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxillary sprung into action in Nanaimo’s Newcastle Channel on Sunday (May 2, 2010) when a dragon boat was swamped following a chase boat pilot error.

A mixed crew of paddlers from the mid-Vancouver Island area had just completed the on-water portion of a Waters Edge Stroke Improvement clinic and were about to head for home when the skipper of the chase boat inadvertantly gunned his engines.

The prop wash/wake hit the boat with a large wave,  and the boat, which was sitting calm in the water, rolled almost instantly, sending the crew of 22 into a frigid Newcastle channel. No dragon boat could have survived such a wave and remained upright; it was too big and too fast.

The stroke improvement clinic’s coach called the Coast Guard Auxillary almost instantly, and her fast action led to a rapid response and rescue. Two yachts were on hand to assist paddlers out of the water…as paddlers were transported to shore, I found myself sitting in a dinghy, soaking wet, holding on to the painter of the overturned dragon boat, drifting slowly to the nearest marina.

Champion dragon boat and crew – the boat was swamped about 30 minutes after this photo was taken.

After 30 minutes or so, the chase boat returned and we towed the dragon boat to our slip and secured her, upside down, along side. After we had completed the job, the Coast Guard Auxillary’s boat arrived, and the crew volunteered to right the boat and pump it out.

…and that’s exactly what they did. Major hugs to the competent professionals on the CGA crew for service well above and beyond the call of duty!

I realized, during and after the event, that most of what I had been taught with respect to capsized dragon boats was nonsense at  best. My paddlers couldn’t have grasped hands across the overturned hull even if they’d wanted to – most of them ended up on the same side of the boat, and getting to the other side was a non-starter. In addition, they were overwhelmed with the initial cold shock, and found it nearly impossible to focus on what to do next.

Those who ended up beneath the boat found it difficult to join the rest of the crew, as their PFDs resisted  letting them go down far enough to clear the gunwale. One got out by kicking paddlers who were holding the gunwale outside the boat to get their attention.

One paddler was wearing an inflatable vest which did not automatically inflate when she hit the water. Had she been hit by the boat and rendered unconscious, she would not have been able to inflate the vest, and probably would not have survived. (Ed. note: Phoenix Rising, the team sponsoring the clinic, was later to ban these vests as unsafe because of this incident.)

I would like to hear from other paddlers who have participated in dragon boat hulis. Their views with respect to safety procedures would be helpful in formulating better, more relevant safety drills.

UPDATE: The Coast Guard Auxillary hosted an incident de-briefing ten days later at their Rescue Center, and team members later formulated an Emergency Plan which reflected their experience, and the advice provided by the Coast Guard Auxillary and the Nanaimo Fire Department.

The Emergency Plan  is here.