'Pure foolishness': Stranded kayakers hang on for 30 minutes in frigid, fast-moving water

The Bayham Fire Department (BFD) isn’t going to bother retrieving a stranded kayak along the banks of Big Otter Creek near Vienna, Ont.

The vessel is wedged among debris along the bank of the creek as the result of being capsized Saturday afternoon.

BFD, along with OPP and EMS, were called by a kayaker in distress to the creek east of Dennis Road.

“From there we were directed by one of the parties who had actually made his kayak to the other side of the bank,” said Harry Baranik, chief of BFD. “He yelled at us and directed us to where the people were. It was reported that two people were hanging off two branches in the middle of the stream.”

OPP said the two kayakers hung onto a branch for 30 minutes, and suffered mild hypothermia.

The flow rate of Big Otter Creek in Vienna, Ont. was 10 times above normal during a flood warning issued by Long Point Region Conservation Authority. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

“This is life and death stuff,” said Baranik.

He explained, “You have the temperature of the water, and you have the force of the water. It’s not only the force, it's what's coming down the water. I was watching logs 20 feet long, eight inches in diameter coming down there. My biggest concern was the fact that it was going to take out both those people and my people while they're trying to do this rescue.”

This rescue also came at a time when the Long Point Region Conservation Authority (LPRCA) had issued a flood warning.

Chief Harry Baranik of the Bayham Fire Department speaks to CTV News London on Jan. 29, 2024. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)“The flow down here got up to 105 meters cubed per second, which is quite a bit,” said David Proracki, water resource analyst at LRPCA. “That’s when flooding starts to occur in Vienna. To get an idea, the creek normally flows at between five and 10 meters cubed per second. So it's about 10 times its normal flow rate.”

“This was just pure foolishness, doing what they did,” added Baranik. “They put themselves at risk and they put my firefighters at risk, which really has me kind of angry.”

OPP said the kayakers did not suffer serious injuries, but were taken to hospital.