Smith Point Sea Rescue (SPSR) editor Dan Benjamin recently reported crews responded to the following calls for assistance:
May 25: At 5:15 p.m., the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) alerted SPSR that a deadrise workboat being towed by a 25-foot Parker was taking on water in Ingram Bay. Rescue I with a crew of three was dispatched from Cockrell Creek and met the Parker and its tow near Sandy Point on the Great Wicomico. With its dewatering pumps at the ready, Rescue I escorted the vessels to a haul-out at Tiffany Yachts. Total time on call: 1.5 hours.
May 25: At 5:25 p.m., SPSR received a call from NCSO reporting that a 42-foot Chris-Craft with two people aboard was aground on Fleeton Bar. SPSR dispatched shallow-water Skiff A with a crew of three to assist. The crew quickly located the Chris-Craft, towed it off the bar and escorted it to Jennings Marina. Total time on call: 1.5 hours.
June 1: At 7:50 p.m., NCSO dispatched SPSR to “respond to the Chesapeake Bay, area of Hughlett’s Point, for a 22-foot boat….” Rescue I with a crew of five departed from Cockrell Creek and located the vessel several miles out in the central Chesapeake Bay. The family of three aboard was enduring a rough ride in building seas. Rescue I took the boat in tow and delivered it to its home pier in Natty Point Cove off Dividing Creek. Total time on call: 4 hours.
June 4: At 11 a.m., Rescue II responded to a direct call from the captain of a 28-foot Bertram with engine problems near Kinsale. The crew quickly located the vessel and towed it to Olverson’s Lodge Creek Marina for repairs. Total time on call: 2 hours.
June 7: It was a busy morning for the crew of Rescue II, which received two near-simultaneous calls for help. First up was a 21-foot Seaswirl, which Rescue II towed from Glebe Creek to Lewisetta Marina. There followed the tow of a disabled 26-foot Trojan from Coan River to Krentz Marina on the Yeocomico. Total time on call: 2.7 hours.
June 7: At 7:30 p.m., NCSO called SPSR to report that a 19-foot skiff with two people aboard had lost power and was adrift near Fleeton Bar. Because night was approaching, SPSR dispatched Skiff A with a crew of two, as well as Rescue III with a crew of two in support. Skiff A located the disabled boat and towed it to Shell Landing for haul out and repairs. Total time on call: 2 hours.
June 9: At 10 a.m., SPSR answered a request for assistance and dispatched Rescue II to tow a disabled 31-foot Camano Troll from Highland Point on Glebe Creek to Lewisetta Marina for repairs. Total time on call: 2 hours.
June 21: SPSR supported the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum’s annual family boat building program by dispatching Skiff A with a crew of two to provide standby emergency on-water services. Seven families celebrated the day by launching and test-rowing their recently completed “Mable Skiffs.” No tows were necessary. Total time on call: 3 hours.
June 28: At 9:40 a.m., SPSR received a call from NCSO that a 38-foot houseboat was adrift in Ingram Bay. Rescue III with a crew of four responded from Cockrell Creek and located the houseboat with two adults, a 3-year-old girl, and two dogs on board. The family had been on their way to Virginia Beach. But they were now broken down, anchored near the entrance to Mill Creek in water too shallow for Rescue III. SPSR asked boaters who were passing in their shallow draft boat, to take a line to the houseboat. This enabled Rescue III to tow the vessel to Horn Harbor, which generously agreed to temporary shelter for the family and their houseboat. The Northumberland County Animal Shelter then took the dogs for temporary boarding at Horse Head. Many good people from the Northern Neck came together to aid this financially challenged, hard-luck family on a very warm morning. Total time on call: 3.5 hours.
June 28: At 4:10 p.m., SPRS received a call that a 19-foot Wellcraft with a dead battery was adrift in Cockrell Creek. Sea Rescue responded with Skiff A and soon located the boat. The crew passed across a “jumpbox” but the boat’s crew were unable to restart their motor. About the same time a friend arrived, offering to tow the Wellcraft to its home pier, so Skiff A stood down and returned to quarters. Total time on call: 1 hour.
Smith Point Sea Rescue is a volunteer rescue unit that serves boaters on the Potomac River from Coles Point to Smith Point, south to the Rappahannock River and across the Chesapeake Bay to Smith and Tangier islands. 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.
