Local fisherman rescues 2 people off St. Peters Island, P.E.I.

Two people had to be rescued from St. Peters Island off Rice Point, P.E.I., Monday night after walking to the tinyisland during low tide then discovering the tide rising too quickly to return safely.

"We received a call about 9:15, we were dispatched to a water rescue near St. Peters Island," said Anson Grant, chief with the North River Fire Department.

The department responded with its water rescue craft but found conditions too rough.

"On the way the winds were pretty brisk and we had three-foot swells, so it was a little longer getting there than we had hoped for," Grant said.

"Fortunately there was a local fisherman from the Rice Point-area that found out about the situation ... and he responded with his boat, which was much closer than ours," Grant said.

Cellphone helped locate victims

The fisherman got the two aboard his boat and reached land safely, Grant said.

"They got stuck on a sandbar with water on either side of them and water coming in by the time the boat did get to them I think they were up to their knees in water and getting pretty panicky," Grant said.

Grant believes Monday night's nearly-full moon caused the tide to come in quicker and deeper than usual.

The pair had a cellphone with them, and RCMP dispatch were able to use it to locate them, Grant said.

He believes the peoplewere in their early 20s.

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