Maces Bay rescue sees 2 women pulled from rising tide

Two women had to be rescued from water up to their shoulders in Maces Bay Wednesday after they became stranded when the tide came in quicker than they anticipated.

The MusquashFire Department received the call to rescue the women about 6:45 p.m.

Lt. Kirk Westfield said the two womenwere stranded in the middle of the bay off of Cassidy Lane.

The fire department launched its Zodiac from Cassidy Lane and four firefighters made their way to the women.

The water level was near the shoulders of the women bythe time firefighters got to them.

The women were treated for mild hypothermia by the firefighters before being passed over to paramedics once they reached the shore.

Westfield said the women did not have canoes or kayakswith them. He said he assumed they were sightseeing when the tide started to rise.

"Itseems like it is somewhat crazy that you can't really notice it, but it actually happens quite a bit," he said.

The fire official said the grades on the ocean floor can fluctuate so people may not notice that they are standing on higher ground when water is around them.

"And then the next thing you know, you look behind you and you are in a little bit of trouble," he said.

'Staying put isdefinitely the way to go'

Westfield said the two women made the correct decision in staying in one place and waiting to be rescued.

He said trying to get back to shore could have resulted in a very different outcome.

"Staying put is definitely the way to go. You don't know what you are going to get yourself into when you can't see where you are walking. It could have went up over their heads, they could have got their feet trapped and then the water come up over top of them. Anything could have happened," he said.

"The temperature in the Bay of Fundy only changes by a few degrees per season. It is very easy to get hypothermia and then once your muscles start seizing up, swimming is not an option."