P.E.I. canoeist recalls New Year's Eve rescue along Morell River

A trip down the Morell River on New Year's Eve turned into a tense situation after the 56-year-old canoeist became stranded along the river.

Fallen trees

Philip Pierlotsaid he has paddled the stretch of the river from Lairds Pond to Grant's Bridge many times before in the winter. He expected to see a few fallen trees across the river, but this time, there was more than usual.

"It was just one after the other repeatedly over and over,"Pierlot said.

After he crossed the first couple of trees, he was committed to continue and couldn't go back up the river. He also hoped the river would clear up, "but it didn't,"he explained.

'I couldn't see where I was going anymore'

The number of fallen trees contributed to the extra time it took to paddle the river. It usually takes between 45 minutes and one hour, but after 90 minutes and dusk approaching, Pierlot said the situation became tense.

"I couldn't see where I was going anymore. And, I knew that I was a long way from Grant's Bridge."

Pierlot pulled over on the river's bank. He had cell phone coverage, so he called his friend Jason Cheeseman to go to Grant's Bridge and honk the horn. If he heard the horn, that meant he was close enough to walk out.

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When Pierlot couldn't hear the horn, he called Cheeseman again and asked him to call 911.

But Cheeseman also sent his sons Matthew and Michael to "bushwhack" their way through the trees. After about 30 minutes, they reached Pierlot.

"That was pretty cool,"said Pierlot.

Matthew left to connect with his father and establish where Pierlot was stranded. In the meantime, Michael stayed behind and helped Pierlot keep warm.

Exhausted and cold, Pierlotwas pulled out on a backboard once emergency medical services arrived.

Hypothermia

Without a working cell phone and the help of the Cheesemans, Pierlot said he wouldn't have made it.

"Without the cell [phone], I think that would have been the first big problem. And, if the boys hadn't made it, I don't think I would have made it if they hadn't made it,"he said.

"Because without the extra blanket and coffee and what they did to keep things going, I think I probably would have gone way further down [with] hypothermia than I did."

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