Life Jackets Could Have Prevented This Tragedy
From: The Olympian, Rolf Boone; staff writer
The body of a 31 year old man who went missing a week ago after a canoe accident claimed the life of his toddler son was found Saturday at Lake Limerick in Mason County, according to the Mason County Coroner.
The coroner was notified about 5 p.m. Saturday that the man's body had been recovered by a search team working with the Mason County Sheriff's Office. An autopsy is set for Monday.
Authorities began searching for the man last week after his son's body was found at the lake, which is about 8 miles northeast of Shelton, at 9:21 p.m. Saturday, March 17.
Witnesses saw two people in a canoe on the lake about 6 p.m. that Saturday and then later saw the same canoe unoccupied, floating free.
The boy’s body was found floating in the lake. He was not wearing a life jacket and likely neither was the father after two life jackets were found in the canoe.
The boy’s mother, said her son and her husband had gone for a canoe ride about 5 p.m. Saturday and then she became concerned after they were expected to return home about 6:30.
The man had taken his son out for a canoe ride to give his wife “a little break” on her birthday, Mason County sheriff’s chief deputy B. Dean Byrd said at the time.
Read more here: http://www.theolympian.com/2012/03/25/2044383/body-of-shelton-man-31-found-at.html?storylink=fb#storylink=cpy
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My self and three others made the conscious decision to embark on a journey to become certified by the American Canoe Association (ACA) as Open Water Coastal Kayak Instructors. We did this in the dead of winter enduring snow, rain, freezing temps, frigid waters, flat tires, frozen fingers, and bloody head wounds.