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The deaths of two outdoor adventurers in the frigid waters of Howe Sound have prompted members of the closely knit community to question the fine line between exhilarating physical challenges and extreme risk.

But they are not going to stop pushing themselves, vowed a shaken David Howells, who shared many daunting ventures in the past with victim Denis Fontaine.

“This time it was the wrong decision, with a horrific, horrible outcome,” he said. “But the West Coast is the outdoor capital of Canada, maybe the world. That's why people are here.”

His sentiment was echoed by Graham Tutti. He spent 90 minutes desperately trying to swim to shore, heroically pulling Mr. Fontaine with him for much of the time, until he was picked up by the coast guard. Miraculously, Mr. Tutti suffered only mild hypothermia.

“I think guys on the ocean will be more cautious now. But I don't think people are going to stop doing anything.”

However, both Mr. Howells and Jill Warland, widow of victim Richard Juryn, said they hoped the mishap would at least serve as a wakeup call for those Ms. Warland described as “adventuring, thrill-seeking, tough as nails, and incredibly fit.”

Mr. Fontaine and Mr. Juryn perished when their windblown kayaks tipped in high seas during an eight-person, physical-endurance expedition that involved kayaking, biking and running up mountains.

“I think something like this shakes people up,” Ms. Warland said. “They begin to realize that they are not invincible, that things can go wrong.”

Echoed Mr. Howells: “It should always be safety first. When Mother Nature raises her hand, it doesn't matter whether you're a professional or a beginner. You will probably come out second best.

“This incident really hammers that home more than anything. They were all experienced, and it got them.”

Ms. Warland said her husband, 50, a well-known mountain-bike endurance racer from North Vancouver, went on a demanding outdoor quest almost every weekend.

“There's always an element of risk and danger. It's about trying to find that balance between pushing yourself to your physical limits, and a little bit of hope and prayer.”

She said Mr. Juryn loved life, and the occasional risk he took was simply part of who he was. “Ninety-five per cent of the time, he would do something like [the kayak trip] and he'd still be here. This was a group decision, and these things happen. I can't even think to blame anyone.”

Mr. Tutti, meanwhile, is trying to keep a low profile as he copes with the aftermath of Sunday's harrowing ordeal that brought him within a whisker of death and claimed the lives of two of his companions.

But he agreed to talk briefly to The Globe and Mail about what happened.

Despite choppy seas, the four double kayaks made it to steep Anvil Island in Howe Sound for a brisk run to the top of the island peak.

The weather turned worse for the return voyage, but the group decided to press on. “We saw the waves out there, but it was more excitement than fear. I was a little worried but obviously not worried enough. It was like: ‘Okay, we get to ride some waves.' ”

Mr. Fontaine's kayak tipped first. His paddling companion was rescued by another kayak that managed to tow her to safety. But he began to suffer from hypothermia, prompting him to climb into the equipment hatch of the kayak containing Mr. Tutti and Mr. Juryn.

Unfortunately, that unbalanced their kayak, which soon began taking on water. Soon, all three were tossed into the freezing ocean.

They decided to try to swim to shore. “The water felt pretty cold, but I'd been in colder. It felt doable,” said Mr. Tutti, a 35-year-old software salesman. “There was lots of positive talk. ‘We can make it. Let's go.' ”

The icy water and the high, pounding waves proved too much, although Mr. Tutti said he was close to land when the coast guard finally arrived.

“We were in the water for an hour and a half. It was really bad. I was pulling Denis for much of the time. It's pretty difficult in those conditions with the waves crashing in over your head,” he said. “I'd never been in the open ocean like that.”

Yet he didn't think he was going to die. “I felt I wasn't going to make it [to shore], but I didn't feel fear. I didn't feel this was it. I didn't feel that bad. Maybe it was because of hypothermia.”

Mr. Tutti was rushed to the closest hospital in Squamish. Ninety minutes later, he was released and on his way back to Vancouver.

“I'd heard that Howe Sound can change in a snap, which it did. When we went by it again, there were sunbeams and flat water. It was almost insulting.”