Man survives frigid waters of Lake Simcoe

[five_alarm]

KESWICK, ON - A cellphone, a few candles and luck helped a 22-year-old Barrie man survive a 3 1/2 -hour, frigid ordeal on Lake Simcoe that claimed the lives of two of his friends on the weekend. Firefighters brought ashore the bodies of a 22-year-old man from Innisfil and a 23-year-old man from Bradford after they fell into open water yesterday while riding motorcycles on the ice.

The survivor suffered hypothermia. He had carried his life-sustaining items in a knapsack. South Simcoe police Sgt. Steve Wilson said lighting the candles and keeping contact with a 911 operator probably saved the man from worse injuries by getting him off the ice as much as an hour earlier than would otherwise have been possible.

Source: lfpress.ca (http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/National/2006/01/30/1417597-sun.html), torontosun.com (http://torontosun.com/News/Canada/2006/01/30/1418023-sun.html)

Video: pulse24.com (http://www.pulse24.com/News/Top_Story/20060130-007/page.asp)

[dentedhead]

A very sad outcome for those young guys families and sumpin their friend will have to carry for the rest of his life,survivors guilt.

But honest to pete what where these guys thinking.Well above seasonal average tempratures,rain heavy at times.

Sounds like perfect ice riding weather to me!!

Dentedhead

[FFWannabe]

What a sad story, this happens now and again on the ferry crossing from Fitzroy Harbour to Quoyon. Water skipping happens after a too much liquid courage and someone always misses. I just don't understand taking such huge unecessary risks. Rest in peace boys, I hope their families find a way to cope. Such unecessary loss.

[DoubleHelix]

My brother worked with one of the guys for a few years in Bradford. Actually him and the guy who survived worked on my car one time and did some body work to it.

It definetly is sad and its a shame for the families but lets just say this wasn't the first incident that could have went bad with them.

Hopefully the guy who survives will learn and smarten up.

RIP

[Disco_Inferno]

My condolences to those who lost there lives and there families.

I know alot about pressure cracks in that area first hand. Last year I was snowmobiling through cooks bay, which leads on to lake simcoe from the queensville area, and I hit a 3 ft high pressure crack, at night doing about 90km/h. All I remember was doing a superman and landing back on the seat of my sled and riding away. Needless to say I was scared shitless and backed off while riding at night on the lake from then on.

About 2 days later I went out during the day to visit a friend of mine in Keswick. On the way through the canal, me and another guy, who I had just met, where taking a "spirited" ride towards lake simcoe. He decided it to push it more than me, took off. Well just as he did, we approaced the same crack as I did the night before. I slowed down, buddy didnt. He hit the largest part of the crack, which had to have been 4.5ft tall, at close to 130-140km/h. He and his sled went AT LEAST two or three stories high in the air. He did a hail mary, while the sled got away from him and went end over end. It was surreal seeing it happen. I rode over to the cloud of snow where the accident happened, expecting him to be paralized and guess what happens? He gets up imediately and starts LAUGHING! First thing out of his mouth "Wow, I didnt expect that, I guess its time to go out and buy a new sled!".

This just goes to show how dangerous it can be out there. Im sure there are ppl on the forum that sled, and have been doing so for a while, but all it takes is one small mishap and you could pay for it with your life.

[DoubleHelix]

Went to the viewing this afternoon. Not a good atmosphere but it was an open casket so I guess the family wanted people to have closure or something.

The funeral is tomorrow morning if anyone is interested in attending.

RIP

[fire16]

lets just say I've never been one to want to be an unguided missile. was always ridiculed for being "too caustious". try not to take uncalculated chances. now I try to help those who wouldn"t heed my concerns. my sled is 28 yrs old, & still goes faster than I can see ahead of it or am comfortable with, unless I know exactly the line I am following.
a tragedy any time any type of rec. vehicle does it thing.