A close call for a father and son competing in the Owen Sound Salmon Spectacular.
Grey County OPP say the Mount Forest pair was fishing in Georgian Bay, north of the city, early Saturday morning, when their boat was swamped by waves.
The 10 foot fishing boat was overturned and both occupants were thrown into the water.
Neither was wearing a lifejacket.
Marine Officer Constable Drew Wilder says it all happened so fast, the pair’s safety equipment was trapped underneath the boat.
Another boat close by was able to help the two out of the water and call the police using their marine VHF radio.
The OPP determined that the small boat should not have been out in the large waves.
Constable Wilder says nobody was injured, but it was too close.
Both the father and son were in water wearing heavy coats and boots and Wilder says without lifejackets, the outcome would have been tragic if it weren’t for the assistance of the other boater.
The OPP returned the father and son to shore and pulled the submerged boat back to the launch ramp.
Wilder, who is working the fishing Derby from start to finish, says the majority of people on the water are not wearing lifejackets.
Georgian Bay is on average 66 degrees.
The OPP is encouraging everybody to wear their lifejackets while on the water.