A Parks Canada staff member, back, reacts after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fell into the water while trying to get into a kayak at Sidney Spit in the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, east of Sidney, B.C., on Saturday August 5, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Trudeau takes unscheduled ocean dip while touring national park

VICTORIA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to a park near Victoria didn't quite follow the script today as he accidentally fell into the water while trying to get into a kayak.

A dampened Trudeau joked that he was, in his words, "happy the national media was there to capture that."

The prime minister's kayak voyage at the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve became even more eventful when a bride and groom sailed up beside his kayak to pose for a selfie with Trudeau.

Michelle Gruetzner was wearing her white wedding dress.

She said she and her husband, Heiner Gruetzner, were holding their wedding reception on nearby Sidney Spit when they approached the prime minister — Trudeau kissed the bride, twice.

Trudeau is in Tofino later today to take part in a roundtable with indigenous leaders.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story, a previous version erroneously said the Gulf Islands National Park was south of Victoria

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Taylor Rae

Before university, Taylor spent a year abroad living in Thailand which encouraged her to finish her degree studying in Turkey, both experiences have made her an avid traveller. Taylor graduated from Thompson Rivers University with a degree in Communications and Public Relations. Although born on the coast, Taylor has lived the majority of her life in Kamloops and enjoys what the region has to offer. In her spare time, you can find Taylor volunteering in the community or out on an adventure with her friends and her dogs.

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