Coast Guard Rescues Man In Chesapeake Bay

[Allan R]

POINT LOOKOUT - The Coast Guard rescued a man Wednesday morning after his boat sank near Point Lookout.

Ted Kalandras, using a marine band radio, notified the Coast Guard at 10:35 a.m. that his 24-foot boat was taking on water. Coast Guard Station St. Inigoes, Md., launched a rescue boatcrew, and Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., diverted a rescue helicopter crew to the scene.

The rescue boatcrew arrived first and removed Kalandras, who was wearing a life jacket, from the water where he was clinging to the hull of his overturned boat. The rescue aircrew then hoisted Kalandras aboard the helicopter and transported him to St. Mary's Hospital.

"Mr. Kalandras did everything right," said Petty Officer 1st Class James Potter, a search and rescue coordinator at Coast Guard Sector Baltimore.
"He called in his mayday on a marine band radio and gave us his location. This helped us expedite our rescue efforts. He was also wearing a life jacket when we got to him. With a water temperature at about 41 degrees, every second counts," he said.

The Coast Guard urges all mariners to have a marine band radio onboard their boats to communicate with rescue coordinators in the event of an emergency. (good advice to follow)

 

[Jimm]

I was tending to my boat just off the Bay yesterday -- reducing windage and doubling dock lines. One wonders what someone was doing out in a 24' boat in 30-50mph winds........

 

[sailingdog]

It sounds like he did everything right but check the weather forecast. :naughty:

 

[RichH]

That area of the Chesapeake is reknown for extremely ROUGH water.

 

[Benny]

Yes, the weather forecast is probably the best foul weather tool at your disposal. The best thing about being a recreational sailor is that I do not get paid so I don't have to go anywhere or at anytime I don't feel like doing it. Most of us are aware that weather forecasting is an imperfect science. We have all gone out in forecasted winds of 10-15 and ended up in 20-25 or 5-10. By following the weather, its past data and future forecast you can get a sense for the probability of a marked change to the good or bad. By looking at the snapshot of one day forecast you are only taking a gamble.

 

[sailingdog]

I'm guessing the boater that was rescued was not required to go out either...but didn't have the common sense not to do so.

Yes, the weather forecast is probably the best foul weather tool at your disposal. The best thing about being a recreational sailor is that I do not get paid so I don't have to go anywhere or at anytime I don't feel like doing it. Most of us are aware that weather forecasting is an imperfect science. We have all gone out in forecasted winds of 10-15 and ended up in 20-25 or 5-10. By following the weather, its past data and future forecast you can get a sense for the probability of a marked change to the good or bad. By looking at the snapshot of one day forecast you are only taking a gamble.