Four people were rescued on July 4 after becoming trapped on a 76.2-metre (250-foot) cliff in an attempt to rescue two young deer from a cliff bank in Half-moon Bay, according to Sunshine Coast Search and Rescue (SCSAR).
The mission involved 22 SAR volunteers and took six hours to execute the technical rope rescue and remove the individuals, who were stuck on a steep embankment in front of a waterfront home between Evans and Eureka on Redrooffs Road.
Other emergency response crews were called to the scene, including the Halfmoon Bay Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Services.
A less orthodox emergency response came from Sechelt Tree Service, who were called at approximately 5 p.m. by a customer in the area. “They called because a couple of baby deer had gone over the bank and were trapped down there… They told me they had a few weekend warrior types, inexperienced ropesmen trying to effect a rescue,” said Tyrel Brackett.
He discouraged the efforts and sent two of his employees to assess the situation. “By that point the would-be rescuers were at the point where they needed rescuing,” he said, and had already contacted emergency services.
“We thought we’ll send a couple guys out to see if there’s something they can do and then at that point it turned into a much bigger thing,” Brackett said.
Alec Tebutt, SAR manager with SCSAR, was at the scene and said he was concerned the fawns could have fallen on top of the people who were stuck below them.
“While we understand their intentions were utmost sincere, we strongly discourage anyone from making any further attempts at rescuing the deer if they are even still there,” said a SCSAR Facebook Post on July 5.
“When we have a rope rescue situation, it’s difficult to predict what may happen, and so our rope protocols and requirements are provincially designated,” said Tebutt of the six-hour operation. “That often takes a frustratingly long length of time for the people who are there,” he said.
Brackett said given the terrain, he wasn’t surprised that rescue of the rescuers was required. “They are very treacherous, steep, nasty 100-foot cliff-type banks.”
Among those rescued was Tammy Trefry, who wrote a response about the event on Facebook. “Before everyone asks, we had to leave them,” she wrote of the fawns. She said she returned to the area at 5:30 a.m. the next day to check on them and that they did not survive.
Trefry told Coast Reporter that she and the group had originally tried contacting several non-emergency numbers to acquire a rope that would allow them to descend approximately 10 feet down the embankment. When that failed, they called 911. “I was a little surprised [at the response] when I came out of the embankment,” said Trefry, adding that she is thankful for the emergency response teams’ efforts.
