SASless
28th May 2022, 06:54
It is the start of the Memorial Day weekend....strong winds, thunderstorms, Small Craft Warnings issued....and at 0215 I was awakened by an unusual sound....a hovering MH-60 Jay Hawk Helicopter from Elizabeth City out in front of my home.
A jet skier had gone missing on a short trip from Harkers Island boat ramp around the corner and up the North River a few miles to a place called Ward Creek.
I went out on the porch and peered into the darkness...saw the rotating beacon of the helicopter and lots of flashing Red and Blue lights from various surface craft searching for the missing jet skier.
My neighbor keeps his boat in the water and we prepared to join in the search.
The neighborhood rolled out as well....and several small boats left private docks in the area and joined the search transporting members of the Volunteer Rescue Squad.
Happily....within a short period of time word was relayed to us that the Jet Skier had been picked up by the Helicopter and safely returned to the boat ramp.
Being a helicopter pilot I tip my hat to the Coasties in the SAR helicopter as it is not that good a. night to be out and about with the Thunderstorms all around us.
It is also nice to know lots of folks will take to the water looking for you if you go missing.
There are still lots of watermen left who are used to handling their boats in bad conditions and who will respond.
We see this kind of thing happen once or twice a year here on the water in from of my house.
Last week we had a fatality just offshore where a fisherman fell overboard and was not wearing a personal flotation device.
Had he....the response to the Coast Guard Distress Call Broadcast by boaters in the area would have resulted in him coming home safe with a good yarn to tell about his boat running off and leaving him.
But....he did not.
A jet skier had gone missing on a short trip from Harkers Island boat ramp around the corner and up the North River a few miles to a place called Ward Creek.
I went out on the porch and peered into the darkness...saw the rotating beacon of the helicopter and lots of flashing Red and Blue lights from various surface craft searching for the missing jet skier.
My neighbor keeps his boat in the water and we prepared to join in the search.
The neighborhood rolled out as well....and several small boats left private docks in the area and joined the search transporting members of the Volunteer Rescue Squad.
Happily....within a short period of time word was relayed to us that the Jet Skier had been picked up by the Helicopter and safely returned to the boat ramp.
Being a helicopter pilot I tip my hat to the Coasties in the SAR helicopter as it is not that good a. night to be out and about with the Thunderstorms all around us.
It is also nice to know lots of folks will take to the water looking for you if you go missing.
There are still lots of watermen left who are used to handling their boats in bad conditions and who will respond.
We see this kind of thing happen once or twice a year here on the water in from of my house.
Last week we had a fatality just offshore where a fisherman fell overboard and was not wearing a personal flotation device.
Had he....the response to the Coast Guard Distress Call Broadcast by boaters in the area would have resulted in him coming home safe with a good yarn to tell about his boat running off and leaving him.
But....he did not.