While most people were settling in for the evening Friday, members of the Canadian Coast Guard were heading out onto Lake Ontario — this time under the cover of darkness.
The crew of the Cape Rescue, based in Cobourg, spent Friday, October 2, 2026, conducting night training on the lake.
The training is a regular and important part of keeping the crew prepared for the situations they could face when the call for help comes in.
Lake Ontario can be unforgiving at any time of day, but darkness adds another level of difficulty to an emergency response. Limited visibility, changing weather conditions and the vast expanse of the lake can make even a routine call challenging.
That is why crews train in the same conditions they may encounter during a real emergency.
The Cape Rescue regularly operates on Lake Ontario, responding when mariners need assistance and maintaining the skills required to operate safely and effectively.
For the Coast Guard crew, Friday night’s training wasn’t about putting on a show.
It was about being ready.
Because when someone is in trouble on Lake Ontario in the middle of the night, there may not be time to learn what to do.
The crew of the Cape Rescue needs to already know.
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
