Coast Guard called into service early
By Scott Woodhouse - Express Staff

Commanding Officer Chris Everitt's crew was called out Thursday night to help search for an Oakville man who was stranded in a small boat on Georgian Bay overnight.

The man was lucky to be alive after he survived a frigid night on Georgian Bay after strong winds pushed his fishing boat away from Thornbury Harbour, Thursday.

Ontario Provincial Police said Fernando Cabral, 31, left the Harbour Thursday afternoon in a 12-foot aluminum boat, planning to do some fishing off the mouth of the Beaver River. Strong winds and gusts had been blowing in the area all day, and Cabral soon decided that the combination of winds and current made conditions too difficult, so he decided to head for shore.

However, the small motor on his boat wouldn't start. He tried paddling, but couldn't make headway against the 1.5-metre waves and 50-kmh winds. Pushed by the winds and current, his boat began drifting northeastward.

About 8 p.m., Thursday, people around the Harbour noticed Cabral waving for help and contacted authorities. Collingwood OPP, Meaford-Thornbury Police, The Blue Mountains Fire Department, Canadian Coast Guard Meaford, and RCC Trenton began a search for the man. RCC Trenton dispatched a Labrador Search and Rescue helicopter to aid in the search.

"We received the call at about 8 p.m. and headed out in the Zodiac to join the search," said Everitt. The crew searched the rough waters for about two hours until rain and darkness made further attempts futile.

"The winds were gusting to 40-50 knotts and the waves were between six to eight feet," said Everrit.

The crew returned to the base and spent the night getting the cutter Thunder Cape ready to head out at first light.

"We had just launched the cutter that morning and it wasn't ready for service," said Everitt, adding the original plan was to have the cutter in operation by Saturday. Thursday evening's emergency call changed all that.

Cabral was stranded on the water through the night, as temperatures dipped close to the freezing mark and the strong winds continued. Fortunately, the winds shifted and began pushing Cabral toward the shoreline near Wasaga Beach.

His ordeal finally ended about 11 a.m., on Good Friday, when a Wasaga Beach woman called police to report that she had seen something floating on the water some distance from shore. The Search and Rescue helicopter flew to the scene and was able to pull Cabral to safety.

He was taken to Collingwood General and Marine Hospital to recover from mild hypothermia.