Smith Point Sea Rescue (SPSR) editor Brent Stansbury recently reported crews responded to the following calls for assistance in August and September.
August 3: SPSR received a request for assistance to tow an inoperable boat to a haulout site. SPSR coordinated a time and Rescue III with a crew of three towed the 23-foot bowrider to Shell Landing in Reedville. Total time, 1 hour.
August 5: SPSR received a call from the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) for a disabled boat required assistance on the Great Wicomico River. Rescue III responded with a crew of three and located the 17-foot skiff with one aboard near Horn Harbor. SPSR provided fuel and support to restart the engine. Rescue III escorted the vessel to Tipers Creek. Total time, 1.25 hours.
August 8: SPSR received a call from NCSO for a 32-foot Bayliner out of fuel in the Potomac River about 15 miles west of Smith Point Jetties in the Piney Point area. Rescue II responded, contacted the captain and determined the boat was five miles west of the Jetties. Rescue II located the vessel and towed to anchorage near the jetties. Total time, 4 hours.
August 11: SPSR assisted a boater in the Little Wicomico River. Rescue I with a crew of three towed a disabled pontoon boat from its pier to Smith Point Marina for haulout and repair. Total time, 1.5 hours.
August 18: SPSR was dispatched by NCSO for a boat “in distress Chesapeake Bay, motor will not start.” SPSR responded with Rescue III and a crew of four. SPSR located a 25-foot Parker with crew of two anchored just south of Dameron Marsh. After a little excitement with anchor lines, shallow water and currents, SPSR towed the vessel to Buzzard’ s Point Marina. Total time, 2.25 hours.
August 20: SPSR received a call from a boater who reported that his boat lift had partially collapsed and his 23-foot SeaSwirl was in danger of falling from the lift. SPSR dispatched Rescue I with a crew of three. Two additional SPSR members responded by vehicle. Rescue I arrived and prepared to pull/lift the boat from the compromised lift; the vessel was successfully backed from the lift. The owner secured the vessel in an adjacent slip without further incident. Total time, 1 hour.
August 29: NCSO notified SPSR that a 30-foot sailboat was aground on Fleeton Bar. SPSR dispatched Rescue III with crew of four and Skiff A with crew of two to enable delivering a shallow water towline to the sailboat. SPSR located the sailboat with two aboard on the sandbar. Skiff A delivered the towline and Rescue III towed the sailboat to deep water. Total time, 1.5 hours.
August 31: A boater requested assistance in towing a 19-foot Boston Whaler from his dock on The Glebe to Lewisetta Marina. SPSR coordinated the time, dispatched Skiff B with a crew of two and towed the boat to the marina. Total time, 2.5 hours.
September 1: A boater reported a transient sailboat had run aground exiting Mills Creek off Ingram Bay. SPSR responded with Rescue III with a crew of four and located the 40-foot boat with two aboard. SPSR passed a towline and moved the sailboat to deeper water. Total time, 1.5 hours.
September 6: NCSO dispatched SPSR for a “disabled bowrider which required assistance just outside the Little Wicomico River.” Rescue I responded with a crew of three, located the 23-foot Chaparral riding hard at anchor with a family of five two miles in the Chesapeake Bay. SPSR towed the boat to a marina for haulout and repair. Total time: 2.0 hours.
SPSR received a call that a 21-foot Rinker needed assistance at the mouth of Cockrell Creek in the Great Wicomico River. As the duty crew was already working a disabled boat call, a backup crew of two was dispatched in Skiff A. SPSR waded through the Aquapalooza crowd of boats around the Stack, located the Rinker and towed it to Shell Landing for haulout. Total time, 1.5 hours.
September 11: SPSR was dispatched by the NCSO for a 45-foot sailboat aground in Cockrell Creek in the Great Wicomico River. Rescue III with a crew of four located the vessel aground near the Stack, passed a towline and towed the sailboat to deeper waters. Total time, 1 hour.
September 19: SPSR received a request to provide on water support to the second annual Cardboard Regatta at Reedville Market on Cockrell Creek. Congratulations to event organizer Dave Clark, the Northern Neck Wooden Boat School, the boat builders and racers, for a spectacular show of seamanship and boat building.
The NCSO notified SPSR of a disabled pontoon boat in the Potomac River. SPSR contacted the vessel and determined the 26-foot pontoon boat was near the mouth of the St. Mary’s River. Rescue II with a crew of three responded. In building seas and northeasterly winds, SPSR located the pontoon boat with two aboard, southwest of the mouth of the St. Mary’s River. At the request of the vessel’s captain, Rescue II towed the boat safely to the launch ramp at Bay Quarter Shores. 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.
