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People who run into trouble on Lake Ontario between Hamilton and St. Catharines have always been able to count on a group of volunteers from Grimsby for help. But this past weekend the rescue unit known as GAMRU lost one of its two boats in what’s being described as a catastrophic failure.
More than 4 metres of fibreglass separated from the bottom of the hull. The Zodiac Hurricane was taken off Lake Ontario Saturday after it started to take on water. It was towing a disabled boat early that morning. The team doesn’t believe it hit anything during the rescue and says it is simply wear and tear.
The inflatable 6 meter boat was built in 1995, it’s been on loan to the Grimsby rescue unit since 2010 from the Canadian Coast Guard. It costs more than $200 000 and is designed to handle strong currents and harsh conditions.
The volunteer rescue unit patrols the south shore of Lake Ontario from Hamilton to Port Weller. It’s been a busy season for them they’ve already responded to 23 calls, that’s more than last year and there is still two months to go. The Zodiac is one of two vessels available to the rescue unit but according to Niagara regional police Gamru is relied on heavily during the boating season.
