A man from Alnwick/Haldimand Township was in the right place at the right time rescuing two people after their canoe flipped over near Havelock.
On Monday, August 12, 2024, twenty-one-year-old Austin Ashby who is an avid angler was fishing on his boat in Belmont Lake.
Ashby was alone in his boat fishing when he heard two people yelling for help and using a whistle.
Looking over in the direction of the yelling he could see debris in the water and two men clinging to a canoe that had flipped over.
“Both men were in the water waving their hands and calling for help,” said Ashby.
With no other boats in the immediate area, Ashby quickly took his boat over to help the two men.
As he got closer he could see more debris around the canoe including a cooler and a lifejacket.
Both men were desperately clinging to the canoe.
Ashby said one of the men had a life jacket on, and the other didn’t.
On top of that, the person that wasn’t wearing a life jacket said he couldn’t swim.
Ashby quickly gave a lifejacket from his boat to the person in the water that wasn’t wearing one.
After Ashby helped him aboard his board the other canoeist was also rescued.
“It’s pretty wild. I don’t know why you’d be out there if you couldn’t swim and weren’t wearing a life jacket.”
Both men were taken to shore and gratefully thanked Ashby for rescuing them.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
