Posted Dec 2025
Kids Don’t Float Maple Bay installation
RCMSAR Station 34 is delighted to announce our new installation of the ‘Kids Don’t Float’ program in Maple Bay Yacht Club in partnership with our station A big thank you to Maple Bay Yacht Club and RMCSAR HQ for helping bring this great initiative to life.
Promoting safety on the water, the Kids Don’t Float Program provides free access to personal floatation devices (PFDs) for infants, children, and youth at over one hundred PFD Loaner Stations located at docks, marinas and beaches along B.C.’s coast. The program is supported by police, municipalities, marinas, and community groups to ensure kids stay safe around docks, beaches and on the water. For more information on the program visit https://rcmsar.com/kdf/
Posted Oct 2025
RCMSAR Station 34 are honoured to receive the JRCC ‘Top 3 award’
RCMSAR Station 34 are honoured to receive the JRCC ‘Top 3 award’ which recognizes the three most outstanding marine search and rescue missions performed by RCMSAR volunteers across British Columbia each year. It is a testament to exceptional performance and teamwork in life-saving operations.
Our mission saw three crew members called to a capsized vessel and possible missing person in Cowichan Bay. Cowichan Bay Fisherman’s Department advised a vessel had been spotted towards the tanker anchored across the bay. On arrival we found an over-turned skiff and swiftly righted the boat, but there was no sign of the person. After searching the industrial dock we quickly saw a submerged man with a PFD on one arm, clinging to a steel piling. Using our boarding ladder, we assisted the exhausted, cold but thankfully conscious man safely into our vessel.
We made way to Hecate Park to hand the man to Emergency Health Services and pick up another crew member to help recover the skiff. RCMSAR Station 1 had also arrived and collected the man’s floating possessions while we towed the skiff to Cowichan Bay, where it was de-watered and stowed along with the man’s possessions. We advised Coast Guard radio that we were back at base and ready to be on call again.
Posted Sept 2025
In memory of John Edward Middleton- June 18, 1947 – August 30, 2025
It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dear friend and crew member John Middleton. John passed away peacefully surrounded by family and the love of his friends on August 30, 2025, at Shawnigan Lake in his beautiful, self-built, log home, at age 78.
John joined Marine Search and Rescue Station 34 in November 2009 and was an active crew member both on and in the water. With over 1000 hours of training and over 50 callouts, his practical and vast experience and training was a true asset to our station and greatly contributed to our mission successes
We would also like thank Sara, his wife, for being an excellent support to John during his times away from family. We appreciate that when our pagers go off, our spouses can’t relax until they hear the garage door go up, signalling the safe return of their loved one.
Sara will be joining us at our Recognition Dinner in January to accept John’s 15-year service pin.