On Thursday, August 27, U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet received a call from a 26’ Grady White in distress approximately six miles off of Oregon Inlet, per a recent online report from the station.
The vessel in distress began taking on water and was making its way back to the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. The U.S. Coast Guard crew responded immediately, with dewatering pumps ready, and met the vessel just outside the entrance buoy.
The operator had successfully kept his vessel on plane to ensure that water didn’t flood the boat entirely. Thus, the crew decided it was best to escort the vessel in under its own power, rather than to run the risk of the vessel flooding when transferring and operating the dewatering pump.
With pumps on standby, the vessel made it safely back to the fishing center with no obstructions to the voyage. As a precautionary measure, U.S. Coast Guard crew members were also equipped with a pump on standby at the fishing center, in the event that the boat needed immediate dewatering upon their arrival to the boat ramp.
“Bravo Zulu to the captain on his extraordinary efforts to keep his vessel and its members safe,” stated the station in the online update, “and [also] to our crew for being ready for all scenarios!”
