Mounties in Meadow Lake were called into action yesterday after a canoeist became stranded on Waterhen Lake.
RCMP say the man, 56-year-old Norman Martell, was reported as being in trouble around 11 a.m yesterday.
Police say Martell’s canoe had become surrounded by ice.
After a number of attempts, Martell was rescued and taken to hospital.
He is expected to fully recover from the ordeal.
A band councillor with the Waterhen Lake First Nation witnessed yesterday’s rescue.
Ernest Fiddler says when he first arrived at the scene, he thought the paddler was trying to find a youngster who had fallen through the ice — before realizing the canoeist’s predicament.
According to Fiddler, “We just couldn’t figure out how he got over there, because (the lake) was frozen from the shore right to where he was”.
Fiddler says Martell almost fell in the water trying to get out of the canoe, adding his legs were wet when he was finally brought to shore.
Mounties are thanking the First Nation, saying local citizens were instrumental in Martell’s rescue.
Fiddler says rescuers used a boat to reach Martell, taking turns chipping a path through the ice.