Thanks to the quick actions of three of his fellow fishermen, Torbay fisherman Wayne Bradbury is lucky to be alive today after the trio decided they couldn’t wait for the Canadian Coast Guard to respond for a rescue at Tappers Cove on Tuesday afternoon.
Bradbury was bailing water from his open boat after the rainfall and in the midst of it, fell into the rough waters.
From his home window overlooking the ocean Tom Martin saw it happen and, fearing Bradbury was in trouble, moved into action.
Martin, along with friends Neil Tapper and Mickie Waterman, made their way to Tappers Cove and offloaded a boat from a truck owned by one of the three and, despite a recommendation not to enter the waters from an RNC patrol officer who responded to the scene, they headed towards Bradbury.
Bradbury had managed to pull himself back into his boat, which was tied to a buoy. Once the trio reached him, they pulled him into their boat and tied his boat onto theirs and made their way back to the wharf at Tappers Cove.
Bradbury was helped up over the wharf steps and taken to the Torbay Volunteer Fire Department fire rescue truck where he was warmed up and given a change of dry clothes.
He was checked over by Eastern Health paramedics and didn’t require any hospitalization.
Upon leaving the rescue truck with his son and wife, Bradbury told reporters that he thanked his fellow fishermen. He said he was glad they were there to help him and that he was going home to enjoy for a feed of hot turkey soup.
