Smith Point Sea Rescue (SPSR) editor Dan Benjamin recently reported crews responded to the following recent calls for assistance.
June 29: At 12:15 p.m., SPSR received a call from a fisherman that his 25-foot Parker was without power near buoy “G65” in the central Chesapeake Bay. Rescue I with a crew of four responded from Smith Point Marina. SPSR located the boat and passed over a “jumpbox,” but the boat’s crew were still unable to start either of its motors. Rescue I then towed the Parker to Smith Point Marina for repairs. Time on call, 2 hours.
June 29: At 1:15 p.m., the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) notified SPSR that a 25-foot T-Top required assistance in Cockrell Creek. With the regular duty crew on Rescue I already towing the disabled Parker, SPSR dispatched Rescue III with a backup crew of three. The crew quickly located the T-Top, which had suffered a complete loss of steering. Rescue III then towed the vessel to Smith Point Marina for repairs. Time on call, 2.5 hours.
June 29: At 6:45 p.m. NCSO notified SPSR that a large sailboat was stuck on the Fleeton Point Bar just outside Reedville. SPSR deployed Rescue III and the shallow-water Skiff A. The crews located the sailboat well up on the bar where Skiff A delivered the towline. The occupants of the sailboat seemed to be foreign nationals who had limited knowledge of English, a fact that complicated and slowed the rescue. After much pulling and a parted towline, the sailboat was ungrounded. However, the language barrier had prevented the boat’s crew from following SPSR instructions on timely retrieval of their anchor, which was now stranded in shallow water. Rather than abandoning the anchor, the sailboat temporarily deployed another one in deeper water. SPSR stood ready to assist in the retrieval of the first anchor, but was waved off by the skipper, and so returned to base. SPSR returned the next morning but found the sailboat gone. Time on call, 5 hours.
June 29: At 10 p.m., SPSR received a call from the NCSO that a large boat was caught up in pound nets near the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. SPSR dispatched Rescue III with a crew of five and located the 35-foot power boat in the pound nets just north of “R2.” A private towing service also had been called and it arrived about the same time. SPSR deferred to the towing service and stood by until no longer needed. Time on call, 2.5 hours.
July 5: At 12:25 p.m., the NCSO called SPSR with a report of a “man standing on the roof of small boat firing emergency flares near Chesapeake Beach.” SPSR dispatched Rescue I with a crew of three. Underway, Rescue I learned the distressed vessel was a large deadrise workboat with transmission failure. Rescue I located the deadrise, well loaded with crabs, ensnared in the pound nets south of Smith Point. SPSR freed the boat from the nets, took it in tow and delivered it to Fairport Marina for offload and repairs. Time on call, 1.5 hours.
July 6: At 5:20 p.m., SPSR received word from the NCSO of a “third party report of a capsized catamaran with 2-3 people in the water in the Chesapeake Bay off Dividing Creek.” Rescue III reponed from Cockrell Creek in rough water caused by the passage of Tropical Depression Chantal. With little information on the vessel’s location, the crew began a search three miles from Hughlett Point in 20-30 knot winds and seas growing to 5-7 feet. As the late afternoon light began to fade, Rescue III’s radar detected what turned out to be the mast and part of the hull of a mostly submerged boat. Soon the crew spotted the overturned hull of a Hobie Cat, with two heads bobbing in the water nearby. As evening approached, SPSR pulled two young adults aboard—neither was wearing a personal flotation device. The latitude and longitude of the catamaran were noted in the event of third-party salvage and the two young men were transported to Reedville. Time on call, 2 hours.
July 11: At 6:20 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard called SPSR to request assistance investigating a life vest floating in the central Chesapeake Bay. The orange vest had been reported by a passing Chesapeake Bay Pilot. Rescue III responded about 15 miles southeast of Reedville and began a search pattern developed by onboard computers. A Coast Guard helicopter dispatched from Elizabeth City, N.C., also joined the search. After about 30 minutes the helicopter requested Rescue III investigate an object ahead in the search sector. The SPSR crew located and retrieved an empty life vest that appeared to have been in the water several days. Rescue III continued its search in that area, looking for persons or any vessel debris, eventually returning to base with no more sightings by it or the helicopter. Time on call, 3 hours.
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.
