Smith Point Sea Rescue (SPSR) editor Brent Stansbury reported that crews responded to the following calls for assistance in July.
July 12: The Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) alerted Sea Rescue that a 24-foot Pursuit with three onboard needed assistance a mile south of Point Lookout on the Maryland side of the Potomac.
Rescue I with a crew of four responded from Smith Point Marina, barely clearing the shoals in the Little Wicomico jetties on a falling tide. Rescue I located the distressed vessel and towed it to Lewisetta Marina on the Coan River for haul out and repair of an overheating engine. Total time, 3 hours.
July 14: At 12:10 p.m., SPSR received a report from NCSO that a pontoon boat at the mouth of the Potomac had suffered “equipment failure.” Rescue I responded with a crew of four from Smith Point Marina but had great difficulty exiting the jetties due to low tide and severe shoaling.
Rescue I located the pontoon and with the aid of a SPSR member in their own skiff who delivered the towline, took the vessel in tow to Smith Point Marina, again encountering difficulty in passing through the jetties. Total time, 2 hours.
July 15: At 9 a.m., SPSR was alerted of a 30-foot boat aground near the jetties at Smith Point. Rescue I, with a crew of four, located the distressed vessel, which was caught in oyster cages near the Bamboo Island sand bar, just west of the jetties. SPSR called the oyster ground lease holder who responded with a crew in a shallow water skiff.
However, the distressed vessel was hard aground on a falling tide and could not be dislodged. At high tide later that afternoon, Rescue I returned with the vessel’s owners to successfully tow it to Cockrell Railway for repairs to its running gear. Thanks to Myles Cockrell and his crew for their quick assistance with this incident. Total time, 4 hours.
July 20: At 2:40 p.m., SPSR received a dispatch from NCSO to assist a Sea Pro boat with three adults and two children aboard that was aground in oyster cages just inside the jetties at Smith Point.
Rescue I was dispatched and called Cockrell, the lease holder. Rescue I was unable to get a towline to the Sea Pro due to the broad expanse of shallow water around it. Cockrell’s crew arrived in a shallow water skiff and freed the Sea Pro so the people aboard could continue their day on the water. Thanks to the Cockrell team for their prompt assistance. Total time, 1 hour.
July 20: At 2:50 p.m., SPSR received its second call of the day from NCSO, this one reporting that a 22-foot boat was anchored south of the Smith Point Jetties with a disabled motor. Rescue I diverted from the previous mission and, with the assistance of a SPSR member who used their personal skiff to deliver a towline, and towed the disabled vessel to Smith Point Marina for repairs. Total time: 1 hour.
July 20: SPSR received its third call of the day from the NCSO. A 25-foot Stamos boat was adrift with engine failure and had six adults and four children aboard off Point Lookout, Maryland. Rescue I with a crew of four had been returning to base from the day’s previous missions and immediately turned around. In short order, Rescue I located the Stamos and took it in tow.
En route to Lewisetta Marina, the crew of Stamos restarted their engine and requested that the towline be released so they could resume fishing under their own power. Rescue I complied and returned to base. Total time, 2 hours.
July 21: At 9 a.m., SPSR was requested to tow a rain-flooded cruiser from its home berth to Smith Point Marina for haul out and repair. Rescue I and a crew of four promptly towed the boat as requested. Total time, 1.5 hours.
July 22: At the request of a private party, SPSR dispatched Rescue I to assist a 22-foot construction barge with engine problems. Rescue I towed the barge from the entrance of Cubit Creek on the Potomac to Smith Point Marina for repairs. Total time, 2.5 hours.
July 23: At 8:50 a.m., NCSO alerted SPSR that a 22-foot Tidewater with two people aboard required assistance at the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. Rescue III with a crew of four responded from Cockrell Creek. Rescue III located the boat near Sandy Point and towed it to Buzzard’s Point Marina for haul out and repairs. Total time, 1.5 hours.
July 31: At 5:45 p.m., Smith Point Sea Rescue received a call for assistance from a houseboat anchored near the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. Rescue III with a crew of four headed into a building storm with ominous skies and worsening sea conditions.
Rescue III arrived on scene and approached the boat—only to be abruptly driven out of the area to safety by a huge and most unwelcome waterspout, heavy rain, hail and lightning. The USCG was requested to come to the aid of the houseboat.
Smith Point Sea Rescue is a volunteer rescue unit that serves boaters on the Potomac River and its tributaries from Coles Point to Smith Point, across the Chesapeake Bay to Smith and Tangier islands, and south to Windmill Point. The organization receives no regular governmental monetary support, depending solely on donations.
Smith Point Sea Rescue does not charge for its services and can be reached on VHF channel 16 or by calling 911. Rescue I, Rescue III and Rescue Skiff A are based in Reedville, with Rescue II and Rescue Skiff B on Lodge Creek near Callao.
