Dire Situation
The fishermen brought their boat closer to the cubs so that they could gain a better understanding of what was taking place and select actions that were more appropriate. They had no idea how difficult and dangerous their position actually was until that point, when they realized it for the first time.
It was clear that the cubs were exhausted, and it seemed as if it was only a matter of time before they succumbed to their weariness and were consumed by the icy waters of Lake Vygozero. However, approaching the cubs was only one of the challenges; the second challenge, which was to remove them from the water, presented an entirely new set of difficulties.