A kayaker needed rescuing after falling into the water on Black Bay.
Early Monday evening, Nipigon OPP received a call for service about a kayaker in distress. After nearly five-foot waves hit his kayak, the boater fall into the water and was reportedly partially submerged in the water for close to three hours.
The 36-year-old man used his GPS smart device, which sent out a distress signal to emergency services, and OPP was able to track his exact location, according to Provincial Const. Matt Foster.
Provincial police and their emergency response team attended to the stranded boater and, with the assistance of the Canadian Coast Guard, were able to rescue the man just after 9 p.m.
The kayaker was wearing a personal flotation device which police said was "vitally important in their successful recovery."
After being brought to shore by the Nipigon OPP Marine unit, the man was brought to the local hospital for assessment after sustaining serious injury.
He was later released and expected to recover.
Foster is highly recommending that nature enthusiasts invest in a GPS smart device if they are planning to go out to remote locations.
"Because of this GPS device, OPP was able to have a link sent to them and essentially had a breadcrumb trail right to where this individual was located. If it weren't for his life jacket and this GPS unit, those two things saved this individual's life," said Foster.
In their release, OPP stated there is no single cause that leads to drownings, but there are common contributors noting that basic safety practices such as learning to swim at an early age; wearing a lifejacket or flotation device while on a vessel or in water; adult supervision of children while swimming; and not drinking and boating can make the difference between surviving or not.
With files from Clint Fleury