ROCKY HARBOUR — Two men in Cox's Cove were dubbed lucky to escape with their lives this past weekend, now one of them is getting his boat back.
In a somewhat unique twist to a story of two recreational fishermen's will to live and a rescue following their boat overturning Sunday evening, the Rocky Harbour RCMP were notified Wednesday morning that a boat had floated into Broom Point in the Gros Morne National Park area. A park employee had called police after seeing the boat.
An officer contacted Justin Park, the man whose boat overturned while he was jigging for cod with Mitch Park. It turns out it is the same flat-bottom, 15-foot boat that managed to navigate the west coast on its own.
According to the RCMP in Rocky Harbour, arrangements were being made to return the boat to Park.
John Barnes, one of the men who assisted the two Parks, said the two men swam for three to four hours to reach shore after their boat overturned. Then, he said, Mitch walked from Middle Arm Point to cabins in Brake's Cove to get help.
Barnes and David Park then left by boat to find Justin who had taken shelter in a place called Cut Water, after he was no longer able to keep walking.
The boat overturned at approximately 9:30 in the evening, and the two men located Justin shortly after 4 a.m.
