Preston Hayden jumped from his fishing boat and onto a sailboat to help with the rescue of a older woman found with her capsized kayak off Entrance Island on Saturday, July 22 (submitted photo/Dreamstime/NanaimoNewsNOW illustration)

By Alex Rawnsley

heroic actions

‘I decided to jump off of my boat:’ Nanaimo fisherman helps rescue kayaker near Entrance Island

Jul 24, 2023 | 4:45 PM

NANAIMO — Preston Hayden didn’t think, he just acted and a capsized kayaker is likely still alive because of it.

Hayden was operating his fishing charter side business on Saturday, July 22 when he, a group of four clients and his two children had just dropped lines near Entrance Island, just outside of Departure Bay in Nanaimo.

He said a distress call came in over the radio just before 11 a.m. about a capsized kayak nearby, with a sailboat quickly responding to say they were attending.

“A few minutes went by, then I heard ‘we can’t lift her out of the water, we don’t have the strength’ in another call over the radio. We pulled up our fishing gear immediately and headed over.”

Seas were choppy in the area, Hayden estimated between five and six foot swells.

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The woman, in her 70’s or 80’s wearing a life jacket, was hanging off the end of the sailboat, with those onboard dangling themselves overboard to also hold onto her.

Hayden maneuvered his boat alongside, trying to coax her to swim over to him, which she wasn’t able to do.

“I decided to jump off of my boat and send that adrift with my clients and children in it, jumped on their sailboat and pulled her up onto the sailboat. I got her situated so she was good and safe, then I had to commandeer their tender and row back to my boat.”

A kayaker was discovered in the water off Entrance Island by a passing sailboat, however it wasn’t until a local fisherman responded the woman was able to be removed from the sea. (Google Maps)

The whole ordeal took roughly 20 minutes, however Hayden was unsure how long the woman had been in the water prior to his arrival.

A Coast Guard vessel arrived a short time later and the woman was taken back to shore.

Residents on nearby Gabriola Island watched the events unfold from Berry Point and called 911.

Hayden said the biggest factor in saving the woman’s life was her life jacket.

“That was the only thing that really saved her and was the only thing that made it so I could lift her out of the water. There’s no way an elderly person should be out there in five foot swells in a kayak, it’s crazy by yourself.”

He said it’s the first time he’s ever had to spring into action, but he’s constantly listening and looking up locations of distress calls to see if he’s ever close enough to help out.

In a chat Sunday evening with his wife, Nikki, Hayden said he really didn’t think about what he was doing and relied on instinct to make the right moves.

Hayden added the fishing charter business is a hobby he’s very passionate about, but keeps himself busy running Vertical Edge Window Cleaning in Nanaimo.

He was quick to praise the work of those on board the sail boat who responded first and prevented the woman from being swept away.

“If it wasn’t for them, she would have just been sitting there bobbing and hoping for someone to come along. They absolutely saved her for sure. They couldn’t pull her up on board they were hanging off the back of the boat holding onto her so she wouldn’t lose grip.”

Hayden expressed an interest in meeting up with the woman to make sure she’s ok, but is unsure who she is and what happened to her.

A weekend social media post has been shared in a number of local community groups in a bid to reconnect the two.

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