Smith Point Sea Rescue editor Dan Morissette recently reported crews responded to the following calls for assistance:
September 17: At 12:33 p.m., the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) notified SPSR that a boater at Fairport Marina was unable to start the engine on his 10’ skiff. Rescue 1 dispatched to the Marina with 3 crew and towed the skiff to the owner’s dock in Mill Creek. Time on call: 1.5 hrs.
September 21: At 1:05 p.m., SPSR was notified by NCSO that a resident’s 23’ Proline was disabled on the Little Wicomico. Rescue 3 responded with 3 crew and towed the vessel to Smith Point Marina for repairs. Time on call: 1 hr.
October 9: At approximately 1:30p.m., two SPSR crew were aboard Rescue Skiff B assisting a NAPS shoreline cleanup crew along Shell Landing outside Reedville when a man reported there was a person on a disabled jet ski southeast of “the stack”. The skiff crew diverted from the cleanup and headed in the direction of the jet ski, reaching it about 3/8 of a mile southeast of the stack. The crew lashed the jet ski alongside the skiff and towed it to Shell Landing for trailering. Time on call: 0.5 hr.
October 15: At 7:00 p.m., SPSR was notified by NCSO that a vessel with 2 persons aboard was in distress in Kedges Straits, north of Smith Island. Rescue 1 was dispatched from Reedville with a crew of 5 at 7:45 p.m. and reached the vessel, a 21’ Sea Pro, at 9:45 p.m. The vessel was towed to Point Lookout State Park in Maryland, arriving at midnight. Rescue 1 then returned to Reedville at 1:45 a.m. Time on call: 6 hrs.
October 16: At 3:50 p.m. NCSO notified SPSR that a vessel’s engine had failed on the Great Wicomico, west of the Glebe Point bridge. Rescue 1 was dispatched with a crew of 4, located the vessel, a 17’ Triumph, and towed it to Horn Harbor to be trailered. Time on call: 2 hrs.
October 20: At 6:00 p.m. SPSR was contacted by a boater on VHF Ch. 16, who said his sailboat had run aground in the channel between the Smith Point jetties. Rescue 1 was dispatched to the jetties at 6:30 p.m. with a crew of 4 and found the 47’ Jeanneau grounded in 4 feet of water with 2 persons aboard. The crew maneuvered Rescue 1 close enough to pass a towline to the Jeanneau’s captain; the boat was then pulled free and towed from the jetties into deeper water in the Bay. After the towline was removed, the sailboat was able to proceed under its own power. Time on call: 3 hrs.
October 21: At 1:06 p.m., the Coast Guard notified SPSR that an emergency transponder was repeatedly sending distress signals from locations in the Great Wicomico River. Rescue 1 was dispatched with a crew of 4 and searched the river, but failed to locate the source of the signals. While searching, SPSR received a report from NCSO of a boat with a disabled engine located between buoys GW1 and 62. The crew headed for the location found the 13’ skiff with 1 person aboard. The skiff was then towed to Shell Landing to be trailered. Time on call: 2.5 hrs.
October 22: At 3:19 p.m., NCSO notified SPSR that a caller reported his sailboat had run aground in shallow water near between Fleeton Point and Smith Point. Rescue 1 with 4 crew and Rescue Skiff A with 2 crew were dispatched at 3:40 p.m. and located the sailboat, a 30’ Islander, in shallow water on Taskmakers Creek, with 2 persons aboard. Rescue Skiff A delivered a towline to the grounded boat, enabling Rescue 1 to pull the boat into deeper water. The boat was then towed to the Crazy Crab for refueling. Time on call: 2 hrs.
November 6: At 2:30 p.m., the Northumberland County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) notified SPSR that a sailboat was hung up on submerged pilings in Cockrell Creek across from the Crazy Crab. Rescue 1 with 3 crew and Rescue Skiff A with 1 crew responded and located the vessel, a 36’ Hunter with 2 aboard, near the “Stack”. Rescue 1 pulled the vessel off the pilings and towed it to deeper water. The vessel was then escorted to docking at the Crazy Crab for inspection. Time on call: 1 hr.
November 6: At 5:07 p.m., SPSR was notified by NCSO of a disabled boat at Sandy Point. After Rescue 1 departed for the Sandy Point at the mouth of the Great Wicomico, it was determined that the boat in question was off Sandy Point on the Potomac, north of the mouth of the Yeocomico. Rescue 2 then dispatched from Lodge Creek with a crew of 4 and located the vessel, a 23’ Hydra Sport with 2 persons and a dog aboard; it was anchored in 6 feet of water due to engine failure. The Rescue 2 crew secured a tow line, towed the vessel to Lodge Landing, and assisted with loading it onto a trailer. Time on call: 2.8 hrs.
November 21: At 11:30 a.m., an SPSR member received a call from the owner of a 44’ Midnight Lace power boat who had discovered an engine problem while getting his boat ready for a previously-scheduled winter haul out. Rescue 2 was dispatched with 5 crew to the owner’s dock on Lodge Creek and towed the vessel to Krentz Marine for haul out and service. Time on call: 1.5 hrs.
November 26: At 3:00 p.m., NCSO notified SPSR of a disabled boat in a small cove on Ellyson Creek off the Little Wicomico. Because of very shallow water, the SPSR Captain determined to wait until highest tide, then responded with Rescue I and an SPSR member’s small skiff. The skiff was able to tow the 32′ Luhrs from its dock to deeper water, where Rescue I then towed it to Smith Point Marina for haul out. Time on call: 3.0 hrs.
December 11: At 3:45pm, SPSR received a call from NCSO reporting a disabled boat In Chesapeake Bay, south of Smith Point Light. Rescue I was dispatched with 3 crew and the vessel, a 20’ center console, was found with 3 persons aboard at the reported location and was determined to be out of fuel. Rescue 1 crew provided gasoline, and the vessel then proceeded under its own power to Smith Point Marina, escorted by Rescue 1, and was trailered. Time on call: 2.0 hrs.
December 11: At 5:30 p.m., while escorting the vessel in the previous mission to Smith Point Marina, Rescue I received a call from NCSO reporting another boat disabled at Smith Point Lighthouse. Rescue I continued to the Marina and picked up an additional crew member due to night approaching. Rescue 1 then returned to the Bay and located the vessel, a 28′ Albermarle with 2 men and a dog aboard, dead in the water without power. An SPSR crew member passed a “jump box’ to the Albermarle’s crew to provide power to start its engines. Once the engines were started, Rescue 1 escorted the Albemarle to Cockrell’s Creek. Time on call: 2.30 hrs.
Smith Point Sea Rescue is a volunteer rescue unit which serves boaters from Coles Point to the mouth of the Potomac River, south to the Rappahannock River and across the Chesapeake Bay to Smith and Tangier islands. The organization receives no regular governmental monetary support and 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 1 and Rescue Skiff A are based in Reedville, Rescue 2 and Rescue Skiff B on Lodge Creek near Callao, and Rescue 3 at Smith Point.
