A paddle boarder and kayaker who tried to help also were rescued along the way
Amid high winds and rough water on Lake Huron near Harrisville Wednesday afternoon, Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers rescued two men after their sailboat flipped, as well as a paddle boarder and kayaker who had attempted to reach the struggling sailboat.
The officers were in Harrisville Harbor during regular patrol when, at 10:59 a.m., Alcona County Central Dispatch advised of boaters in need of a water rescue: A 16-foot, catamaran-style sailboat had flipped over in Lake Huron, approximately 1.5 miles offshore and about 3 miles south of the harbor. It was estimated that the occupants of the sailboat had been in the water about one and a half hours before 911 was notified.
A National Weather Service small craft advisory was in effect Wednesday through evening hours, citing winds with gusts up to 29 mph, waves 5 feet or greater, and water temperature of 67 degrees.
Conservation officers Jeff Panich, Jesse Grzechowski, Alex Bourgeois, Nico Luna and Sgt. Jon Warner responded from Harrisville Harbor and fought through 5-foot waves to reach the sailboat. Everyone played a role and shared duties as needed: a boat operator, two spotters and three people to assist in getting people and equipment safely aboard.
The sailboat was successfully righted and then sailed to shore, accompanied most of the way by the CO patrol vessel. The sailboat's occupants, a man estimated to be in his late 60s and a man in his early 30s, reportedly were vacationing in the area.
While returning to Harrisville Harbor, the COs encountered a man on a paddle board approximately a mile offshore who had attempted to assist the sailboat. However, the wind and waves were blowing him further offshore and he was unable to return to the beach. The officers pulled the man, a 62-year-old from Ortonville, into their boat and continued on, next spotting a man in a kayak.
Upon reaching the kayak, officers determined this man, too, had set out from the beach attempting to assist the sailboat but found himself unable to return to shore. As the CO patrol boat approached the kayak, a wave tipped the man — not wearing a life jacket — off the kayak. The 53-year-old visiting from Joplin, Missouri, was safely pulled into the CO boat.
Both men, the paddle board and the kayak were safely brought to shore in Harrisville Harbor at approximately 1 p.m. Because the CO boat was able to reach everyone before the situation became more serious, none of the people rescued, including the sailboat occupants, requested or required follow-up medical treatment.
"That successful water rescue of four people on Lake Huron is the best possible outcome, and an excellent reminder of the importance of checking and monitoring weather conditions and using proper lifesaving gear when on the water," said Chief Brandon Kieft, DNR Law Enforcement Division. "The Great Lakes are especially inviting in the summer months, and we want everyone to safely enjoy them, but they are powerful, often unpredictable bodies of water that must be respected at all times."
The Alcona County Sheriff's Office and the Michigan State Police Marine Services Unit stationed out of Alpena assisted in the effort.
Michigan DNR conservation officers are fully licensed law enforcement officers who provide natural resources protection, ensure recreational safety, and protect residents through general law enforcement and lifesaving operations in the communities they serve. Learn more at Michigan.gov/ConservationOfficers.
Boating safety
Wednesday's rescue serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by rough water and changing conditions, and the importance of life jackets even on nice days. Whether boating on inland lakes or the Great Lakes, keep these safety tips in mind:
- Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Situations on the water can happen much too fast to reach and put on a stowed life jacket.
- Always ride with an operator who has completed an approved boater safety course. In Michigan, boater safety certificates are needed by anyone born after June 30, 1996, operating a motorized boat, or anyone born after Dec. 31, 1978, operating a personal watercraft, like a Jet Ski. Most states require a boater safety certificate for boat or personal watercraft rentals.
- Make sure your boat is in good working condition and prepared with the necessary equipment, including a flotation device for each person on board.
- Boat sober. Where the primary cause of boating-related deaths was known, alcohol was listed as a leading factor.
- Keep in touch. Communication devices, such as marine radios, can be your most important piece of emergency equipment.
- On the Great Lakes, be aware of orange flags and buoys which indicate commercial fishing nets under the surface of the water. Keep a distance of at least 500 feet. If your watercraft becomes entangled in a net, immediately turn off the engine and use wire cutters to cut the net. For more information, refer to Nets of the Great Lakes.
Get additional safety information at Michigan.gov/Boating, and visit Michigan.gov/RecreationalSafety for information on earning your boating, hunting, snowmobile or off-road vehicle safety certificates.