Man overboard

Last week, myself and a coworker were watching a small pod of Orcas swimming in Seymour Narrows south towards Campbell River. Suddenly, we heard a distress call being sent out over the Radio.

"Comox Coast Guard this is the Regent"

"Go ahead The Regent, this is Comox Coast Guard"

"We have a man overboard"

The man calling for help sounded pretty rattled. I listened for what came next knowing they would be calling for all boats in the vicinity to help them search. We were about 20min away from their position.

As we raced to help search I listened to the conversation between the Tug "The Regent" and the operator at Comox. A man was missing off the tug, presumed to have fallen overboard somewhere between century shoal and Cape Mudge and he'd been last seen an hour ago. They said he was wearing a black T-shirt and jeans.

"He didn't happen to be wearing a lifejacket did he", the operator asked

"Negative", came the reply.

Excluding the miraculous, I gave the man slim to none odds. The ocean temperature in March is around 7-8 degrees I think you've got about 20 minutes at that temperature before your muscles start to freeze up and you can't swim anymore, and without a lifejacket when that happens you sink.

On our way I prayed that this man would be saved. Even though the odds of finding him in the huge expanse of Georgia Strait where the tide divides and ebbs north and south were low, I knew God knew where he was and could save him.

"Comox coast guard this is the Pacific Faith, we can see him and he's waving his arms at us"

What a relief, and how cool. The Pacific Faith is a seine boat skippered by Harold Sewid who I know quite well from work.

Later I read about this episode in the paper and heard how the man had said he lost consciousness several times and woke up underwater. Each time he would struggle back to the surface and fight to stay alive. As the seiner loomed into view the word he saw clearly written across her hull was "Faith".

What strikes me about this story is how in life sometimes we fall overboard. We have lost control and cannot save ourselves. We have no idea how things will end. We don't know for sure who is trying to help us, or who is praying for us, or even hear the instructions being given by the Rescue Coordination Centre.

What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should endure? - Job 6:11

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. - Isaiah 64:4

Read about it by clicking here --> Miraculous