Capsized boat rescue in Santa Cruz
A harmless father-son New Years Eve fishing trip ended with a rescue early Tuesday morning.
A worried mother called Santa Cruz police department in the late afternoon Monday when her husband and son hadn’t return to their Bay Area home.
After an eight hour search, the two were rescued by the Coast Guard, Harbor PD and Santa Cruz PD.
Police say the pairs small inflatable boat capsized, leaving them stranded in the frigid water.
“They were out in a very small dinghy, and a motor that evidently had a weak engine. They were blown out to sea,” Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills said.
With gusting winds and big waves Monday, two other kayakers in Santa Cruz had to be rescued by the coast guard.
“People have to use common sense,” Chief Mills said. “The wind starts blowing and you’re getting gale warnings or large waves. Just don’t go out.”
We spoke with several fisherman and kayakers at Santa Cruz harbor who said, there are many precautions they take when out in the Ocean.
“I have a little GPS thing that I carry on myself, so if I do fall over you can press the button and coast guard will be sent,” Reece Stratford said.
“We’re always in radio contact. We’re always within reach of coast guard, and if anything happens we’d be safe,” Nolan Mahl said.
“Know what’s happening with the water,” Peter Halenbeck said. “Know what’s happening with the winds, you have to watch the tides.”
The regulars say, especially around the holidays, they see lots of inexperience out in the water.
“A lot of people just bring their ski boat out here, and just have no idea what they’re doing. They’re the ones getting stuck in waves,” Stratford said.
