Smith Point Sea Rescue (SPSR) editor Brent Stansbury recently reported crews responded to the following calls for assistance in June and July.
June 10: Smith Point Sea Rescue received a call from the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) that a vessel had sunk at Smith Point Marina. SPSR contacted the owner and learned the vessel was on the pier side resting on the bottom.
A crew of five was assembled and the required equipment of pumps, chains and associated salvage equipment was loaded into member’s vehicle. The team responded to Smith Point Marina.
After locating the vessel, it was determined that pumping operation could not begin until all four quadrants of the vessel had been raised above the waterline and the scuppers plugged. The rescue team used come-alongs and two pumps and successfully raised and dewatered the 24-foot T-top.
The source of the leak was corrected. The crew determined the fuel had not been contaminated by water. The new 300HP engine, which had not been submerged, was started and ran without issue. Total time: 3 hours
June 17: SPSR received a call from a boater who reported a 22-foot center console was sinking on the pier side in shallow Rock Hole Creek. With no owner name or contact information available, the SPSR duty captain and crew responded and assessed the situation.
After speaking with neighbors, SPSR learned the vessel owner was a weekend resident from Fredericksburg and the duty captain established contact. With the assistance of Bubba Wilkins and his boat Shady Lady, to handle the shallow water, SPSR assembled a seven-person crew and conducted the recovery operation.
Using come-alongs and portable pumps, SPSR successfully raised and dewatered the vessel. The boat was towed to Smith Point Marina for haul-out and further inspection. Total time: 4 hours.
SPSR extends its sincere appreciation to Wilkins and Jett’s Marine Inc. for assistance and direct support in helping raise, dewater, and tow this absentee owner’s vessel.
June 25: SPSR provided on-the-water lifeguard support with Rescue A and a crew of three to the Northern Neck Wooden Boat School (NNWBS) boat launching at Horn Harbor Restaurant in Burgess. SPSR was honored to support the NNWBS and the young boat builders. Thanks to Katie Wilkins and Dave Clark for a great program and event. Total time 3 hours.
June 26: SPSR received a call from the NCSO that a jet ski needed assistance in the Great Wicomico River. Due to the shallow water, SPSR responded with Rescue Skiff A and a crew of three from Reedville. SPSR located the single skier near Sandy Point and towed the vessel to his home on Warehouse Creek. Total time 1.5 hours.
June 27: SPSR received a call from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) requesting assistance for a 23-foot Grady-White which had experienced engine problems south of Tangier Island. Rescue III responded from Cockrell Creek with a crew of four.
SPSR located the vessel with two people aboard as heavy weather was approaching from the south. Fuel was transferred to the disabled vessel, but the engine still would not start.
SPSR took the vessel in tow and safely returned the boaters to Buzzards Point Marina in Reedville. Total time 5 hours.
July 1: SPSR received a call from NCSO that a Parker 2520 was disabled near the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. Rescue III responded with a crew of five from Cockrell Creek and learned enroute the boat was near Red 4 marker, in the area of the old Chesapeake Lighthouse rock piles. SPSR approached carefully and towed the Parker to Shell Landing for haul out and repair of an “exploded” lower unit. Total time 1.5 hours.
July 3: SPSR was dispatched by NCSO for a 23-foot boat in distress with six people onboard in Cod Creek. Rescue I responded from Smith Point Marina with a crew of three. SPSR learned the boat had made it to a neighbor’s pier a mile from the vessel’s home pier, and the boaters were safe and cool inside. SPSR located and towed the vessel to the owner’s home. Total time 1.25 hours.
July 4: SPSR received a call from the NCSO that a 25-foot center console had lost steering 2 nautical miles south of Smith Point Lighthouse. SPSR contacted the captain of the disabled vessel. The captain requested to return to Warehouse Creek. SPSR responded with Rescue III and a crew of three to the lighthouse. Warehouse Creek was too shallow for Rescue III. Rescue A skiff was deployed with a crew of two for a handoff of the tow line at the entrance to Warehouse Creek. Rescue III towed the center console to meet with Rescue A skiff for the final tow. The vessel captain changed the destination to Whay’s Creek. Total time 3.0 hours.
July 4: SPSR received a call from the USCG that a pontoon boat was stuck in a net near the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. SPSR responded and dispatched Rescue III with a crew of three from Cockrell Creek. Avoiding a large number of boats watching the Reedville fireworks, Rescue III located the 13-foot Seadoo with three people caught in a pound net. SPSR recovered the Seadoo, which was unable to start its engine and towed it to the owner’s pier on Mill Creek. Total time 3 hours.
July 8: SPSR received a call that a neighbor’s boat was sinking at the stern pier side. SPSR dispatched a crew with pumps and come-alongs to the location on Whay’s Creek. The crew loaded weight in the vessel’s bow and the stern was raised enough to be pumped and dewatered. The vessel’s owner was contacted by the neighbor. Total time 1.5 hours.
SPSR respectfully reminds boaters who leave vessels in the water for extended periods, modern automatic sensing bilge pumps that check every few minutes draws only a small amount of power during each test. Over weeks or months bilge pumps can slowly discharge a battery if the boat is left unattended without shore power or a solar charger. SPSR encourages vessel owners to check the battery often, if left in the water.
July 10: SPSR received a request from the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum to move a donated boat from the owner’s pier to Shell Landing for haul out. SPSR coordinated a time and dispatched Rescue III with a crew of four to Barret’s Creek where the 19-foot Trophy center console was located and towed to Shell Landing in Reedville. Total time 2 hours.
July 25: SPSR received a notification from the NCSO of a 21-foot center console boat with a disabled engine and requested assistance. The vessel was located in the Potomac River approximately 1/2 mile from Lewisetta. Rescue II was dispatched with a crew of three from Olverson’s Lodge Creek Marina. With the help of coordinates provided by the captain and the onboard FLIR™ camera, Rescue II located and towed the vessel to Olverson’s Marina for haul out and repair. Total time 2.5 hours.
July 26: NCSO dispatched SPSR for a 30-foot boat with main ships engine disabled in Cockrell Creek. SPSR responded with Rescue III and a crew of three. SPSR located the single-handed sailing vessel. Rescue III rafted along-side and delivered to Buzzards Point Marina for repairs. Total time: 2 hours.
July 31: SPSR received a call from the NCSO that a pontoon boat was out of gas a mile from the Smith Point Lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay. SPSR responded with Rescue III and a crew of four from Cockrell Creek. SPSR located the boat with a family of six, a mile from the Smith Point Jetties, provided the vessel with gas, assisted with engine starting and escorted to Smith Point Marina for fill-up. Total time: 2.5 hours.
SPSR is looking for new members. Call or text 540-446-8972 or 703-976-6830, or email searescue2023@gmailcom.
Smith Point Sea Rescue is a volunteer 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 depends 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, Rescue II and Rescue Skiff B on Lodge Creek near Callao.
