Summertime swimmers at Westwood Lake in Nanaimo. Lifeguards are on duty at the park during the summer, but Nanaimoites and British Columbians are being asked to be Water Smart all year long. (Russell McNeil / Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Feeling the water lapping under your chin as gravity pushes you deeper into the water. The wind or currents push you further away from land as your limbs begin to feel the exhaustion of keeping yourself afloat. It’s too deep and your head submerges as you struggle. This can happen to anyone in any body of water.

“Drowning is silent. People don't scream when they're drowning because their lungs are filling with water, and they can't make any sound. So this idea that we're going to notice is something very … you know, there's story after story of people drowning right in a crowd of people. That's happened at Westwood Lake,” said Russell Berg.

Russell Berg, media liaison with Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue has seen this many times throughout his ten year career on the island. In May, there were three drowning cases in Nanaimo in a single day.

“Earlier in May, we had three drownings in one day. Which is very, very unusual but it sort of put us on edge and watching for the ways that people are doing or experiencing these kinds of really great activities. The one we were called out to, that we responded to was this young lady who had drifted off the beach on her floaty. It was basically just a inflated U-shaped floaty that you kind of sit in. We later found that floaty. Then the second one, which we weren't responding to, a gentleman somehow fell off a dock, right in the marina on Stewart Avenue. We don't know if there were pre-existing conditions or anything else that may have been at play. We don't get that information, but he did drown. Then there was a diver at Gabriola on the east end of Gabriola who died on that same day, a scuba diver,” Berg said.

On July 20th, British Columbia’s Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General issued a press release asking for people to ‘Be water smart this summer’. It stated preliminary data for 2026 reporting 40 accidental drowning deaths between May 1st and July 16th. This was up compared to the prior year of 2025 with 26 accidental drowning deaths during the same period.

The Lifesaving Society for BC and Yukon states in their 2025 report common causes of and risk factors for accidental drowning. These include absent or distracted supervision, being alone in the water, alcohol or drug consumption, absence of life jackets or personal flotation devices, and being a weak or non-swimmer.

One of the Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue’s initiatives beyond National Drowning Prevention Week is their Kid’s Don’t Float campaign. This campaign posts awareness signs with the slogan near ocean and boating sites, alongside kid-size life-jackets for water goers to borrow.

Drowning can happen anywhere, from lakes, indoor pools and bath tubs. It's crucial to stay safe around all waters. For City of Nanaimo Aquatics Manager Michele Duerksen, drowning prevention is crucial for the swimming spots her team covers, such as the Beban Park Pool and Westwood Lake.

“Drowning Prevention Week is just about focusing attention on a serious preventable issue. In Nanaimo, of course, we're surrounded by beautiful lakes, beaches, rivers, and ocean access, and water is a part of most people's everyday life. Our message is simple, drowning is preventable and everyone has a role to play in that,” said Duerksen. Please, again, supervise children closely. Swim with a buddy. Please wear a life jacket when you're boating or around open water. Avoiding alcohol and drugs around water is also a key messaging in that point. If you can choose a lifeguarded place, then that's even better. We want everybody to enjoy Nanaimo pools, lakes, beaches, and waterfront safely. We're encouraging everybody to take a few simple precautions because drowning is preventable, and prevention starts before you get in the water,” said Duerksen.

Currently Nanaimo is offering lifeguards at Westwood Lake and First Beach from 12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. every weekday excluding Thursdays and Sundays to September 7th.

National Drowning Prevention Week is July 19th - 25th, but residents can keep water safety in mind all year long.

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