Updated: Tue Aug. 05 2008 14:37:27

ctvbc.ca

Two men who jumped off a ship during a Pride weekend cruise near North Vancouver, B.C. have landed themselves in some serious hot water.

Police say the duo caused an expensive and time-consuming search involving dozens of emergency personnel.

The duo leaped barefoot from the boat cruising up Indian Arm late Monday night,

The MV Brittania, chartered for a "Cruisey T" Pride Weekend cruise, sent out a rubber dinghy in hopes of retrieving the men, but they had already swum too far away from the boat.

The 400 passenger "Cruisey T" boat cruise is marketed as Canada's largest floating dance on the Pacific Ocean.

Rescue boats from the Vancouver Police and Coast Guard were called in to search the Silver Falls area for the men, but they had already gotten to shore by the time they arrived.

A spokesperson for the Coast Guard says the men had a tough time scaling the rocky beach barefoot, but they somehow managed to scale a large cliff face before disappearing into the woods.

The two men "actively tried to evade authorities" for the entire night.

Neither men was spotted until they finally emerged from the brush together at about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning - a full 10 hours after disappearing.

"It seems like a case of hijinx, but it certainly takes away from our resources for more legitimate problems," says Dan Cate from the Canadian Coast Guard.

RCMP then arrested the men, who were said to be okay, but quite cold after their renegade dip.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor.