First time magnet fishing for Brandon Bastien will surely be one to remember.
On Sunday, the 10-year-old boy from St. Thomas, Ont. was with his grandfather, Steve Posthumus, off the pier in Port Bruce, Ont. when he reeled in something unexpected. Not to mention possibly explosive.
“I sat at the back wall just waiting and having a sandwich when all of a sudden he [Brandon] yells ‘grandpa I’ve got something on here!’”, Posthumus explains. “I said ‘well start pulling up and just go slow.’ He pulls it up and goes ‘It’s a bomb grandpa!’”
To their surprise, Bastien had pulled up a mortar shell bomb from the 1950’s.
1954 mortar shell bomb pulled out off the pier in Port Bruce, Ont. by Brandon Bastien. [SOURCED IMAGE: Steve Posthumus]
While Posthumus was taking a closer look at the shell, a crowd of people started to form around them, all trying to get pictures of this unique find. But, with the rocket still attached, he decided that it was best to notify the police as soon as possible.
Once police cruisers began to arrive, the public was told to stand back.
“The first officer showed up and he started doing his duty, moving everybody back. They had about 50 feet of caution tape,” Posthumus explains. “ The third one showed up and he knew a little bit about ammunition, and within a few minutes he deemed it not explosive. It could’ve been if it had an ignition but he said that we were safe.”
Since then, the shell has been sent to The Department of National Defence from OPP Headquarters for further inspection.
Posthumus hopes that the shell can be given back to his grandson, but says even a plaque of gratitude in order to remember their first day of magnet fishing together would be just as appreciated.
“Due to COVID-19 I wasn’t able to see him [Brandon] for about three months, and believe it or not, I still had his Christmas presents,” Posthumus chuckled. “He was so excited about finally going magnet fishing, after hearing about it from his cousins, but he’s definitely got me beat now for sure.”
Posthumus explains that his most interesting find to date is an iron ‘claw’ leg from a century old bathtub.
So for Bastien and his grandfather, the race is now on to see who can one-up the other with their treasures. And hopefully the next one to beat won’t have the possibility of literally ‘blowing’ them away.
Brandon Bastien (left) and grandfather Steve Posthumus (right) holding 1954 mortar shell bomb pulled out of Port Bruce waters. [SOURCED IMAGE: Steve Posthumus]
Comments