By Daniel Pi, staff reporter for the North Shore Outlook

As interest in adventure and extreme sports grows, rescue groups see potential for more incidents and are adapting to meet the challenge. Tim Jones knows about the thin line between life and death while in the clutches of mother nature.

In January, Jones and another North Shore Rescue member, along with the subject they were rescuing in Mount Seymour’s backcountry, were stranded for a day when avalanche conditions became too risky for an extraction by other rescuers.

While they eventually evacuated the 37-year-old man by helicopter and got themselves out safely, Jones admits the operation served as a wake-up call for the team.

As interest for adventure and extreme sports rises, the NSR team leader believes there is a high probability of more dire situations, like the one involving two dead kayakers last week in Howe Sound, occurring and putting a greater strain on local rescue teams.

“The adventure sports are here to stay,” Jones said. “I think it’s all good stuff (because) people are going out and doing stuff.”

However, Jones cautioned that adventure seekers must realize the danger they pose to themselves and, potentially, their rescuers.

“When they’re doing endurance sports, if it’s in the catchment area of 911 response it just puts an added pressure to 911 responders,” said Jones, a paramedic.

However, since part of the thrill of adventure sports is pushing boundaries, including how far one can go, there’s added danger.

“Adventure sports are pushing the boundary of 911 catchment,” Jones said, adding, “There’s this line, a very thin line, when the adventure sport goes beyond the 911 catchment… like the backcountry.”

Communications that far out can be spotty and access by rescuers is often tougher too.

To that end, NSR has been busy lately installing a new radio repeater in Vancouver to expand their communications reach, scouting the North Shore’s backcountry trails and investing in new equipment, including $7,500 on two lightweight packs that supplement the gear of rescuers.

Jones says the “go pack” is light enough to be tossed aboard a helicopter and each one can help sustain two rescuers and a subject for up to three days in adverse weather conditions – a direct response to the January incident.

“This is in anticipation of more volume of people,” Jones said. “Just like we had to adapt to snowboarders and skiers going out of bounds, we’ve adapted.”

But Jones said people heading out have to go with a sense of knowledge and a plan.

“It’s not like the Eco-Challenge where there is a safety net in place… like this Porteau Cove thing, there’s no safety net there,” Jones said. “Our message is you have to understand that it’s self-rescue.”

That’s the message echoed by outdoor enthusiast David Howells, a close friend with one of the athletes who died last week.

“The reality with a race setting is you have a safety umbrella over top, but if you’re out doing your thing on the weekend you have your (safety) umbrella (but it’s not as good).”

Howells said last week’s tragedy has many outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers reevaluating the risk-safety balance, but it won’t stop them from pursuing their passion.

“There are people put on this earth who can’t just sit back and watch football, they have to get out there. And right there we’re talking about Richard (Juryn) and Denis (Fontaine),” Howells said.

Juryn and Fontaine were part of a group of eight extreme athletes who headed out Oct. 7 on an adventure that involved sea kayaking and hiking.

On their return journey from Anvil Island to Porteau Cove, two of the double kayaks flipped, and Juryn, Fontaine and two others ended up in the frigid waters. They spent almost 90 minutes in the water without wetsuits before being plucked from the ocean by the coast guard. Juryn and Fontaine later died in hospital.

According to Bruce Falkins, president of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary - Pacific Region, North Shore-based members also responded to two other situations involving kayakers last Sunday at Indian Arm and the mouth of the Seymour River.

Falkins also sees the potential for more kayak-related rescues.

He said the 1,400-member volunteer organization has noted more and more kayaks on the water along B.C.’s coast as interest in exploring the region continues to grow.

“People make mistakes, nobody is immune to mistakes, especially on the water,” Falkins added.

Generally speaking, rescuers say they do not think that adventure athletes are any more reckless than other people.

“I have nothing but respect for people who are in adventure racing,” Jones said. “The people I know who do it are highly educated people and good citizens.”

Howells believes the recent spotlight on the deaths should serve to remind outdoor enthusiasts to be aware of what they’re getting themselves into.

However, when part of the thrill is pitting themselves against mother nature, he says the stakes will always be high.

“If mother nature decides to raise her ugly hand, quite often you’re going to come out second best,” he said. “She doesn’t care how many certificates you have on the wall, how many races you’ve won… or how many courses you’ve taken.”

Jones adds that although teams like North Shore Rescue have made themselves available to help others, there are times when the team cannot cross the line for safety’s sake.

“My view is their problem is our problem,” said Jones. “(But) the one thing we have to keep in mind is how far do we go to save them? There are situations where you can’t go in and save them. Is it disappointing? You bet it is.”