Rescue of Sea Heather

[marlinmike]

Not being there I could not comment on the conditions, just sorry to see a trip end this way, also thanks go out to the Coast Guard for saving the vessel as well, job well done!
USCG rescues two from 38-foot sailboat 140 miles off SC

Date Reported: Jul 24, 2014
Reported by: Mike Ahart, News Editor
USCG-Cutter-Tarpon.jpgUPDATED: The Coast Guard responded to two distressed mariners on the s/v Sea Heather, a 38-foot Downeaster, approximately 140 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.

According to a Coast Guard News report, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Charleston command center were notified of the situation via marine radio, VHF-FM Channel 16 at approximately 8:12 p.m last night (July 21). The mariners, a man and woman, both 35 years old, stated they were beset by weather and were too exhausted to continue sailing.

A helicopter crew from USCG Air Station Elizabeth City was on scene with the vessel at 10:12 p.m. to establish communications, and a commercial tug boat is on scene. The Coast Guard Cutter Tarpon, an 87-foot patrol boat, was launched to rendezvous with the Sea Heather.

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter arrived on scene at 7:30 a.m., Tuesday, brought both people aboard the cutter and established a tow with the Sea Heather. The vessel and mariners were safely transported to Charleston.

The Sea Heather had been cruising from Mathews VA on the Chesapeake Bay down the ICW to Key West, according to its Sailing Sea Heather Blog.

Read Coast Guard News artlcle: Co

[Waterway Guide]

I'm always glad when the story ends without tragedy, and the lucky cruisers got to keep the boat rather than scuttling it at sea. I don't know, but it seems like they were making the return trip north with help from the Gulf Stream when it got out of hand for them. Kudos to USCG Air Station Elizabeth City...they're everywhere (and have some phenomenal rescue swimmers). (If anyone's in EC on Aug. 6, the

Museum of the Albemarle's "History for Lunch" series is discussing the Coast Guard Aviation Technical Training Center and the Rescue Swimmer Program, and it's free!)