'Are you going to get there in time?': Fisherman recounts Maces Bay rescue

WayneJaneswasleaving his mother-in-law's home in southern New Brunswick over the weekend, whenhe noticed a group of people stranded on ashoalas the tide came in.

"I didn't know what it was at first," he said."And then the closer we got, I said, 'That's a bunch of people out there.'"

• Seven people rescued after becoming stranded on a shoal

On Saturday, seven people were stranded from shore atMaces Bay, southwestof Saint John.

Thegroup of people werewalking on the beach when theybecame stuck on the shoal as the tide came in. The tide quickly surrounded the group, who were standing on the rocky floor of thebay waiting for fire and rescue teams to arrive.

'A mile a minute'

Meanwhile, Janesjumped into action byattachinghis brother-in-law's 12-foot aluminum boat to an ATV and proceeded to drivedown to the beach.

"You just think of, just trying to save the people, your mind's travelling a mile a minute," he said.

"It's just a different reaction and a different feeling, just to wonder if you're going to get there in time.That was the big thing, are you going to get there in time to save them?"

Once Janesgot the boat down near the water, a group of people helped grabitoff the trailer and carried it to deeper water.

He jumped in and drove the boatover to the group. When he arrived, Janestook the women and children aboard, but couldn't fit the two men on the boat.

Luckily, a man in another boat was able to take the two men safely ashore.

'They were so scared'

Janes said the people seemed shaken while they were heading back to land.

"They were so scared, they couldn't say anything," he said.

"But when we got them ashore they thanked us and thanked us. They couldn't thank us enough."

Quick action like that on the behalf of the locals is definitely a great thing.- Wayne Pollock

The children in the group were shivering but he didn't think it was because they were cold, Janes said.

"I think their nerves [were just]bothering them more than anything," he said.

"I told them I said, 'That's something you'll be able to tell your grandkids about.'"

Paramedics were waiting for them when they arrived on shore. The group wasgiven blankets and they were checked for injuries.

The eventwas all too familiarfor the local fisherman.

About 50 years agoJaneswasclam digging with a friend inLepreauBasin, an areanearMacesBay. Theydidn't noticethe tidecoming in around them, until it was too late.

As a result, two peopleon anearby wharf grabbed a dingy and came out to save the duofrom water that had come up to their shoulders and continued to rise.

'Definitely a great thing'

Over the weekend, aCormorant helicopter, two coast guard ships, civilian air search and rescue were also deployed to help the group of people that were stranded. Both theMusquash and St. George Fire Departments were also on scene.

Wayne Pollock, fire chief of the Musquash Fire department, applauded Janes for his hard work.

You just react and do that stuff, you know that's the way that people are here, you try to help one another out.- Wayne Janes

"Quick action like that on the behalf of the locals is definitely a great thing," he said. "They deserve all the credit in the world."

Pollock said his department responded to asimilar incidentearlier this year when two women wereclam digging in Lepreau Bay, and eventually surrounded by the incoming tide.

The department was able to get out with their boat and bring the womento safety.

'Somebody was looking after them'

Janes said the tide in the area is often quick to come in and people looking for periwinkles and clams aren't paying enough attention to where the water is.

He said taking action was the only choice he had andwas happy to come to their rescue.

"Just to be at the right place at the right time, and everything worked out good," he said.

"You just react and do that stuff, you knowthat's the way that people are here, you try to help one another out."

Janessaid "somebody was looking after them," over the weekend, but he wasn't talking about himself.

"Somebody a little higher up, we was there to do the work."