Brighton Marine Rescue Facebook photo
Brighton Marine Rescue helped get a houseboat that had lost its tow to safety over the weekend.
The houseboat was making waves with residents as a unique sighting in the area over the weekend – but on Sunday, July 20, 2025, Brighton Marine Rescue said its volunteer crew answered the call after the vessel barge lost its tow somewhere south of Nicholson Island.
“Upon approaching this area, BMR saw flares and quickly found this large house on a barge being towed/pushed by undersized boats,” wrote the not-for-profit dedicated to “Saving Lives on the Water” on its Facebook page.
Winds had shifted from the northeast, pushing the boat towards the centre of the lake – the operators were clearly stressed and “accepted our help graciously,” said the unit, which has been providing 24/7 help free-of-charge during the boating season as a 100 per cent volunteer-powered organization for more than 15 years now.
“We were then asked to complete a tow back to Brighton by JRCC (Trenton’s Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre), and it was decided the Government Docks would be the most suitable place to dock this barge (until) morning,” explained the rescue unit.
“Winds picked up a bit, and it was a slow tow to keep this vessel upright in the increasingly windy conditions. (But) three hours later, BMR entered Presqu’ile Bay and navigated the marker buoys and moored sailboats to safe harbour by the Government Docks.”
“Brighton Marine Rescue returned to our dock just after 4 a.m., satisfied we have saved lives on the water once again.”
Continuous training equips BMR volunteers with the skills and confidence to respond to emergencies and assist in saving lives on the water, added the organization.
Brighton Marine Rescue is located at the Bay Street marina in Gosport and is described as a registered federal charity and provincial not-for-profit. Volunteers answer search-and-rescue and distress calls during the boating season from mid-April to mid-October.
But to do just this, the organization is dependent on volunteers – anyone interested in chipping in can visit the organization’s website. New recruits are rallied yearly to continue operations.
The rescue unit’s on-water coverage to offshore areas includes Brighton, Cramahe, parts of Quinte West and Prince Edward County. Its search-and-rescue services exceed more than 1,500 square kilometres and include Lake Ontario from Colborne to the Murray Canal, to the U.S. border and Weller’s Bay and Presqu’ile Bay.
The unit often also trains with and works with partners such as 8 Wing Trenton’s 424 Squadron, Brighton Fire and Rescue, the Cobourg Coast Guard, Northumberland OPP, Wellington Auxiliary Coast Guard, and more.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
