Eight boaters are home safe, after being stranded on the shore of wild Pitt Lake since Thursday.

Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue said the group was camping near Osprey Creek, but put their tents too close to the shore.

The rising tide of the damaged their boat, soaked their tents and spoiled their food, leaving them stranded.

The group attempted to flag down other boaters from shore, but was unsuccessful, said Rick Laing, with search and rescue.

鈥淪o from Friday through to Saturday, according to them, they were signalling for assistance.鈥�

Laing said other boaters in the lake may not have responded to the campers waving from shore because they thought they were Canada Day revellers.

But if someone鈥檚 in trouble on the water, fellow boaters are required to help them. 鈥淭here certainly is an obligation to render aid. There is 鈥� a responsibility for boaters to lend a hand when another boater is in trouble on the water.鈥�

He wasn鈥檛 sure about the requirement to rescue people on shore but people at least should call 911.

Two of the group hitched a ride on a small boat to Grant Narrows on Friday to try to get parts to fix the boat. But that didn鈥檛 work.

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Search and rescue got the call from Ridge Meadows RCMP Saturday night at about 8:15 p.m. When they arrived, another boater had already started giving the campers a tow but search and rescue took over and took them to Grant Narrows.

鈥淭hey were cold, wet, tired, hungry, all of that,鈥� Laing.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they were impressed.鈥�

The campers, in their 20s, from 性视界传媒 and Burnaby, appreciated search and rescue鈥檚 help.

Laing said the group told them that someone wanted $500 to tow them in then cut them loose when they didn鈥檛 cough up the cash. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 verify that. That鈥檚 what they told us.鈥�

The search and rescue group is reminding boaters and campers that Pitt Lake is a tidal lake and the water rises and falls two times a day.

Many on Facebook warn about the dangers of Pitt Lake.

鈥淭he lake is deep and cold. You might swim out a hundred yards and realize that the cold water has sapped your energy and you can鈥檛 make it back. Beware, this lake will eat you up,鈥� said George Clarke.

Another warned about the sudden winds that can sweep down from the north, turning a calm summer day stormy.