Yellowknife (July 28/04) - One day of water rescue training was put to the test by young canoe and kayak campers Monday, as they plucked a struggling father and son from the chilly water of Back Bay.

The group of five campers, along with three instructors from Narwal Paddling Adventures, noticed the capsized canoe as they were paddling by Peace River Flats around four p.m.

With just three hours of training to perform water rescues from a canoe or kayak, the kids jumped into action.

"They were all calm and they did exactly what they were trained to do," said instructor Kayley Allin.

With water temperatures around 14C and a high wind creating swells, the group rafted their canoes three abreast and prepared to rescue the father and his 12-year-old son.

"By the time we got there they were so cold that they had trouble swimming," Allin said.

The victims were wearing personal flotation devices, but conditions were so rough they could barely stay above water, said Allin, and both showed signs of hypothermia.

A wheeled transport system had been tied to the boat, making it unstable. Once it turned parallel to the waves, it didn't take much to capsize, said Allin.

The boy was tangled in fishing line from gear left in the canoe.

The young rescuers were in the second day of a week-long canoe and kayak camp with Narwal.

None of them expected to use their new skills in a real rescue.

"We'd practised the day earlier in the pool, but I didn't think we'd have to do that," said Angus Wilson, 11.

He says age isn't a factor in water safety or rescues, just the amount of training and skills a person has before they head out on the water.

"If you know how to rescue people, it doesn't matter how old you are," he said.

Fellow camper Ishai Forget-Manson was in a canoe with instructor Leah Feil, who spotted the capsized boat.

"I was just trying to listen to the instructors. I was just really calm," said the 10-year-old.

For Allin, watching her trainees perform a rescue was satisfying, proving to her how important training is.

"It's not always that you get to see them in action. If they can do it, anyone can do it, if they have the training," she says.

After pulling the victims into their boat, the group headed for the shore of Back Bay, while another boat towed the overturned canoe.

Once they were established on dry land, the two visitors to Yellowknife refused medical attention, choosing to walk back to a friend's house in Peace River Flats.